France's Wildly Charming Belle Epoque Spa Town Has Healing Blue Waters And A Stylish Casino

You're in France. Sure, you would want to tick off all the classics — the Eiffel Tower, Côte d'Azur with the picturesque Lérins islands, just off the coast of Cannes, and not least, Provence's endless lavender fields and the charming purple village of Sault. But when you're ready to put the tourist checklist aside and turn your trip into a small escapade Française, head to Vals-les-Bains. You're now in one of the country's most stunningly diverse natural areas, the Monts d'Ardèche Regional Nature Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark tucked into the verdant hills of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in southeastern France. 

Whilst the village itself is quite small — the number of residents lingers below 4,000, spread over less than 20 square miles — it packs a surprising mix of Belle Époque architecture, serene parks, and even a lively casino — not to mention the story of how the local spring waters turned the town into one of France's most beloved spa destinations. Back in the early 17th century, a local fisherman, Pierre Brun, found that drinking from a local spring eased his gallstones. Not long after, another man, Claude Expilly, had a similar experience, and word began to spread that the waters here weren't just refreshing, they were healing (and with visitors still flocking every year, they're clearly still working their magic).

The village and its surroundings are home to a ground-breaking number of 145 natural springs, used to treat everything from digestive issues to diabetes. Of all the springs, one stands apart for its theatrical personality: the Intermittent Spring. Located inside the Parc du Casino, not far from the Volane River, it erupts four times a day with clockwork precision. It's part science, part spectacle, and has become one of the town's most beloved attractions. 

When you're not sipping mineral-rich water, wandering through Vals‑les‑Bains is its own kind of therapy. The village flaunts some remarkable late 19th-century Belle Époque buildings — a living proof of the village's heyday as a fashionable spa destination. A short stroll from the thermal baths brings you to the Grand Hôtel des Bains, opened in 1870 in a refined Victorian-inspired style prevalent in that era, you can book a surprisingly affordable luxury stay here today.  

 A few steps further across the arched Saint-Jean bridge, you'll come across the newly renovated Église Saint-Martin, with its neo-Gothic lines and its tall, pointed arches framing finely decorated glass windows. Inside, discover a 1889 grand pipe organ, partly crafted in walnut wood, built by the German-born master Joseph Merklin, whose works are also displayed in prominent Parisian churches.  Climb a little higher up the hillside (or drive, parking is nearby) and you'll arrive at the Calvary of Vals, erected in 1732 by physician Malmazet after his conversion to Catholicism. The site, modeled after Jerusalem's Calvary, features an open-air chapel and contemporary mosaic Stations of the Cross by Bernadette Soufflet.

On another hill, this time to the south of the village, stands the elegant Château Clément, built in 1879 in lavish Second Empire style and once the residence of a local mineral water magnate. The castle still knows how to impress — nearly 300 five-star TripAdvisor reviews of this upscale hotel can't be wrong. Following all that sightseeing, the glamorous Circus Casino Vals-les-Bains is the perfect finale – open every evening, it offers everything from roulette to card games, live music, and a nearby four-star hotel owned by the same hospitality group.

Getting to Vals‑les‑Bains is half the fun, and if you play your cards right, the journey by road-trip is full of surprises – after all, the town itself is one of France's "Plus Beaux Détours," a title reserved for destinations that are off the main roads but too good to skip. From Saint Exupéry Airport in Lyon, France's food capital and a less-crowded, budget-friendly alternative to Paris, the drive is about 2.5 hours. You can even take a break in Privas, and taste its legendary chestnut sweets, then continue to Largentière, a small medieval town with a castle keeping watch over its cobbled lanes, before reaching your final destination. 

From Marseille Provence Airport, the drive takes, again, roughly 2.5 hours. If time allows, swing by Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, famous for its natural limestone arch towering over the Ardèche River. For a taste of classic Ardèche architecture, stop in Pradons — the village is full of traditional stone houses with sloping tiled roofs, wooden shutters, and tiny courtyards tucked along narrow, winding streets.