To make the most of this regenerating break, opt for a camping holiday close to the thalassotherapy centres. This guide reveals the best addresses where you can combine the charm of camping in the heart of nature with the expert treatments of Mediterranean thalassotherapy.
The unique benefits of thalassotherapy in the Mediterranean
An ideal climate to optimise the benefits of your treatments
The Mediterranean climate of southern France, with over 300 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures, is ideal for effective thalasso treatments. The sea air, rich in negative ions and trace elements, amplifies the regenerating effects of the treatments. The light stimulates the production of vitamin D, while the alternating sea and land winds purify the air and enrich the atmosphere with essential minerals. Set between pine forests and coastline, the region's campsites offer the chance to extend this wellness experience in an unspoilt natural setting.
The excellence of health centres on the southern coast
France's Mediterranean coast combines age-old tradition with modern techniques in its thalassotherapy centres. From the wild beaches of Provence and the Camargue to the unspoilt coves of the Var, the centres offer authentic treatments such as massages with local essential oils (lavender, in particular), Mediterranean seaweed wraps and personalised cures. These treatments, inherited from local traditions, provide deep regeneration in a privileged natural setting.
Top 5 thalasso destinations in the South of France
Les Flamants Roses in Canet-en-Roussillon
Facing the Mediterranean, Les Flamants Roses thalasso centre combines elegance and well-being in a remarkable natural setting. Its seawater pools, heated to 33°C, and 1,200 m² marine area promote deep relaxation. The centre offers personalised programmes - wellness getaways, anti-stress cures or fitness programmes - to suit every need. Bordered by a nature reserve where pink flamingos roam, it is a unique place of serenity on the Catalan coast. Nearby, the Canet-en-Roussillon campsites offer comfortable accommodation, ideal for a relaxing break.
Thalazur Port-Camargue at Grau-du-Roi
Set between sea and wilderness, Thalazur Port-Camargue enjoys an exceptional setting at Grau-du-Roi, opposite the protected Espiguette dunes and Europe's largest marina. The centre combines marine treatments and holistic well-being, inspired by the natural riches of the Camargue. Close to the centre, the Grau-du-Roi campsites, nestling between pine forests and salt marshes, offer authentic accommodation that combines comfort with the chance to discover the local treasures.
Thalasso & Spa Les Corallines at La Grande Motte
Located in the heart of La Grande-Motte, the Thalasso & Spa Corallines centre offers a 1500m² thalasso area with a marine circuit, heated seawater pools, jacuzzis and swan necks, for total immersion in the benefits of the sea. The centre offers innovative programmes, combining traditional and modern techniques, with personalised cures ranging from discovery to regenerating breaks, in a setting where modernity rhymes with well-being.
The Grande-Motte campsites, located just a few minutes from the fine sandy beaches, offer the ideal natural setting for extending the relaxing benefits of the treatments.
Bandol Thalasso Centre, between pine trees and calanques
Nestling between Aleppo pines and unspoilt calanques, the Bandol thalasso centre is part of an exceptional natural setting in the heart of Rènecros Bay. The crystal-clear waters are an invitation to absolute relaxation. The signature treatments, inspired by provençal traditions and enriched with the scents of the Var, offer an authentic sensory experience. The marine circuit, with its heated seawater pools, provides an incomparable sensation of lightness. The campsites around Bandol, nestling between the sea and the hinterland, allow you to alternate moments of pampering with gourmet escapades to discover the flavours of the Mediterranean.
Institut Thalasso de Banyuls-sur-Mer
Overlooking the Mediterranean, the Institut Thalasso de Banyuls-sur-Mer blends harmoniously into the wild landscape of the Côte Vermeille. Its 4,000 m² marine spa offers signature treatments based on local resources, including marine magnesium, the treasure of Banyuls waters. The region's hillside campsites offer a natural setting of terraced vineyards and secret coves - the perfect place to relax and reconnect with your senses.
Well-being breaks on the Mediterranean coast
Relaxing weekends and thalassotherapy centres in the PACA region
For a weekend or a camping holiday, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region unveils its prestigious thalassotherapy centres, true havens of well-being bathed in Mediterranean light. The Thalazur centre in Antibes boasts exceptional views of the Southern Alps, while the Thermes Marins in Saint-Laurent-du-Var offers signature treatments with typical Provencal scents.
Around Saint-Raphaël, the campsites on the Var coast offer privileged access to health centres. These establishments, with heated pool areas and wellness services, extend the relaxing experience in a natural setting between the Mediterranean and the Esterel mountains . A number of campsites in Hyères and on the Giens peninsula are less than 15 minutes from the institutes, ideal for a thalasso break without the stress.
Fitness cures in Occitania, between tradition and innovation
Between the sea and the garrigue, Occitanie is redefining thalassotherapy by combining traditional wellbeing with medical innovation. From La Grande-Motte to Banyuls, the centres offer tailor-made cures combining marine treatments, cutting-edge technologies and holistic approaches.
The campsites on the Languedoc coast extend the experience in soothing surroundings, between pine forests and wild beaches. Their wellness facilities, combined with the Mediterranean atmosphere, make them the perfect places to release tension. Outside the treatments, you can discover secret lagoons, steep vineyards and Catalan traditions that are still very much alive.
Luxury treatments and top-of-the-range services in the south
In the South of France, thalassotherapy centres offer exceptional treatments combining Mediterranean traditions and technological innovations: massages with hot stones from Marseille, scrubs with salts from the Camargue, Catalan seaweed wraps. The premium campsites on the coast complement this well-being offer with personalised services, heated aquatic areas and fitness facilities. The perfect balance between comfort, pampering and the Mediterranean art of living.
Combining camping and thalassotherapy
A campsite near a thalassotherapy centre combines easy access to specialist treatments with the pleasure of a protected natural setting, often by the sea or in the heart of pine forests. Campsites also offer heated aquatic areas and relaxation facilities that are the perfect complement to the cure, while offering freedom of organisation and rates that are often more affordable than a hotel stay, making a camping wellness holiday a complete experience, combining professional treatments with moments of relaxation in the great outdoors.
What's the difference between a thalasso and a camping spa?
The wellness services offered at campsites in the southern Mediterranean are fundamentally different from the treatments provided in thalassotherapy. A campsite spa focuses on immediate relaxation, with modern facilities such as jacuzzis, saunas and hammams, and sometimes even massages, perfect for one-off relaxation.
Thalassotherapy, on the other hand, is a complete therapeutic approach, exploiting exclusively the benefits of seawater and the marine climate.
In this region, campsites have succeeded in creating a complementarity between their wellness areas and partner thalassotherapy centres, allowing holidaymakers to combine the quick relaxation of the spa with a more complete programme of thalassotherapy treatments nearby.
How much does a thalassotherapy weekend in the south of France cost?
A thalassotherapy weekend in the South of France generally costs between €300 and €450 for 2 or 3 days of treatments on their own, without accommodation. With accommodation, prices often vary between €200 and €600 per person per day, depending on the duration, the season and the standing of the centre. Budget packages are for short stays in low season, while the more expensive ones include longer cures or top-of-the-range centres.
If you spend your weekend camping nearby, you can often take advantage of cheaper accommodation, which makes the whole wellness package more affordable.