A famous Italian saying is “Dolce far niente” which means literally “Sweet doing nothing”. I really love this saying! Well who doesn’t? Who doesn’t enjoy doing nothing but relaxing?? I found the perfect way to put in practice this “sweet doing nothing” here in Italy…. I booked a day at the Thermal Spa of Pré-Saint-Didier!! Here you’ll get a full day of total relax, that’s for sure!
The Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Spa is located in the beautiful region Valle d’Aosta, not that far from the French border. The thermal springs were already known to the Romans, but it was only from the mid 1600s that money was earned due to visitors who wanted to have this ‘wonder water’. Actually it’s how tourism originated here in Valle d’Aosta! And for the past 150 years it has been thé attraction of this region!
Yesterday I discovered the fabulous world of the thermal waters of Pré-Saint-Didier and it’s really spectacular. First of all it’s huge; 3 floors and an outside area full of possibilities to spoil your body and mind! The warm waters flow out from the heart of the mountain at a temperature of around 37ºC and make sure you relax in one of the many pools inside and outside. And so I did for no less than 7 hours!!! Saunas, Turkish baths, scrub sessions, hydro massages, (hot-cold) baths, Vichy mineral water showers, waterfalls to spoil your neck and spine, a bath to stimulate the senses, relaxation areas for a power nap; it helps you relax like you’ve never been able before! Besides this all you can also book separately massages or facial treatments. And when you hear the growling of your hungry tummy, you just go to the restaurant where there is a light buffet at your disposal during the whole day! Delicious vanilla yoghurt, bread and bread sticks, light cookies, fresh fruit, various fruit juices, herbal teas and so much more…yummy!!
No, I really can’t think of any better way to put in practice this Italian “sweet doing nothing” than here in Pré-Saint-Didier!
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take any photo’s myself, so the three photo’s I used for this post are taken from internet!
Note: Due to World Nutella Day on the 5th of February, I will be posting on Tuesday instead of Wednesday this coming week.
Find out where the Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Spa is located:
What a great saying…glad I came across it.:)
Happy you visited my blog and hope too see you more often! Ciao!
Totally agree with everything…..and that makes me want to go to a Spa….NOW!!!!
Sounds wonderful – and come to think of it so does World Nutella Day!
One day left……
Can’t wait to find out all these delicious recipes from everyone’s blog!!!!
I love it! ‘Sweet doing nothing.’ Great to hear how you implemented this wonderful saying by going to the fabulous spa!
Thank you
We’ve decided that we’ll treat ourselves twice a year to this relaxing day….;)
Mrs Sensible has expressed an interest in going to a spa for a relaxing day. I don’t know whether to book a day at this spa, or to take her to Therme Erding in Germany where they swim and wander around in the nude.
I guess I ought to take her to this spa, because she would probably batter me silly, once she was in the Therme Erding changing room and realised I expected her to swim “al naturale”
LOL….yes take her to this one
It’s the reason why I never went to a Spa in The Netherlands as well. I find it rather “poco igienico” otherwise…
‘Sweet doing nothing’. Those Italians are very clever people. We don’t practise this often enough!
May you dolce far niente as often as possible, in and out of the beautiful Spa
Thanks Marion…I will I will…love the feeling of this
We usually go skiing at Courmayeur and we know the Spa very well. Isn’t that fabulous? Hope you enjoyed every second!
Oh wow!! Fabulous indeed and I did enjoy every second, hahaha
That sounds like utter bliss Letizia, I bet you were glowing afterwards. Great saying, too.
I was….totally! It was just heavenly in every way
Will definitely getting back there 
“Wonder water” seems like a great description! I’ll bet the surrounding area is beautiful as well.
Thanks Ruth! Oh yes, the surrounding is so beautiful. Surrounded by mountains it also great for skiing!
A wonderful Italian saying and what a beautiful place!