Refreshing Evian water has long been a household name around the world but until recent times the delightful lakeside town from which it gets its name has been one of France’s best kept secrets – except among high society that is.
The word ‘exclusive’ could have been coined with Évian les Bains specifically in mind. It has traditionally been the haunt of royalty, aristocrats, film stars and the super-rich who flocked to ‘take the waters’ and to see and be seen by their peers. But in these more democratic times its appeal has been broadened beyond just those who can afford five-star luxury. and there are now two, three and four-star hotels as well for those of more limited means but similar tastes for the good life.
Here, in the shadow of the Alps and the foothills of the thickly wooded Jura, set on the southern, French, shore of Lake Geneva, directly opposite the elegant Swiss town of Lausanne, is a spa town par excellence.
It was the June 1, 2003 G8 conference that suddenly elevated the town to wider public consciousness, hosting the cream of the world’s political and business spheres and capturing glob al headlines.
Outside the magnificent conference hall, the delegates could find plenty of distractions, including the glamorous casino – its elegance a far cry from the screaming brashness of Vegas. Blackjack and roulette tables attract the high-rollers, the less cautious of whom put at danger ownership to the keys of the serried ranks of Ferraris, Bentleys and Porsches parked outside.
There’s also a long, well-tended lakefront beach, with a Riviera ambience in summer and it’s popular for bracing, windswept walks deep in winter when snow on the surrounding hills beckons those seeking some of the Alps’ best wintersports within an hour’s drive. Set between two mountain flanks, Évian is an idyllic sun-trap, with a temperate micro-climate.
Once a working harbour, there’s now a haven for the megabuck yachts and cruisers of the super-rich. But lesser beings can still take to the water, with wind-surfing a major sport.
The naturally heated waters of the thermal spa run from deep inside the earth’s core and collects in pools where ordinary members of the public can come to bathe. While once people were attracted mainly for health cures, now they are more likely to have beauty treatments in mind and almost every hotel has its own spin on the spa phenomenon.
Only reachable by boat, the appropriately named Pré Curieux Water Gardens are beautifully landscaped to create a peaceful environment, dotted with water features, flowerbeds and shrubs and shaded by elegant trees, while the town itself rises in graceful terraces up above the lake. Other attractions include a funicular railway, a musical fountain, the mediaeval Notre Dame church, an 1880’s theatre and world-class golf.
Just 7,500 people are permanent residents here but these days this lovely town opens its heart to the world.
