Our review : Spa Alaena in Biarritz

Alaena is France’s forerunner in organic cosmeceuticals (medical cosmetics), with a beautiful spa in Biarritz where you can test products lying down. Our editor Pascal had the pleasure of testing a body massage during his visit to the spa in October 2019, here’s his detailed report.

The spa is located on the top floor of this building (Photo: Luxe Wellness Club)

An appointment at a spa means anticipating a moment of total relaxation… The first thing to do to get off to a good start is to arrive on time, to avoid being tense from the outset. Well, it didn’t work out this time! I thought I was pretty wide, but between my GPS misunderstanding and my confusion about the nature of the parking spaces allocated to the spa, I arrived at reception ten minutes late, and therefore a little pitiful and stressed. My advice: leave a little early, because even though Biarritz is a small town, there are often traffic jams, and don’t hesitate to park outside the building opposite the main entrance, as these spaces are reserved for customers.

A pure, soothing design (Photo: Spa Alaena)

A place of soothing design

Fortunately, this slight stress was short-lived. I was greeted by the therapist, Lydie, with a big smile and a glass of water to get me over my emotions, and as soon as I walked through the door into the massage room, I knew I was going to forget everything. The architecture of the place is very uncluttered, almost Japanese, and has the power to convey an almost immediate sensation of calm and soothing.

The spa is located on the top floor of a resolutely modern building, so it benefits from plenty of natural light, which sets it apart from the majority of spas, which are generally installed in dark basements.

Hammam & body scrub room (Photo: Spa Alaena)

A technically advanced massage

I had booked a Suprême Alaena body massage, the spa’s signature massage, inspired by Tui Na, a traditional Chinese medicine technique. Tui Na is said to have originated in central China around 1300 BC, and is a thousand-year-old tradition that acts on the meridians to tone and stimulate the body and mind.

Its aim is to circulate and rebalance energies, and free the body from tension. It’s always interesting to know that a massage has a strong history and corresponds to a precise method, and I was impressed in that respect.

Once I’d settled on the heated massage table (which I asked to be turned off so as not to get too hot), I could see from the start that I was dealing with a highly qualified therapist, with a really high level of technique. Having requested a rather heavy massage, I wasn’t disappointed by the strong pressure exerted on certain parts of my body, as this helped to release tension more effectively.

The spa is famous for its Japanese baths (Photo: Luxe Wellness Club)

In my calves, this pressure almost momentarily became pain, but a single little moan from my mouth helped the therapist understand that I needed to take it easier on this sensitive part of my body. The massage ended with a full facial and hair treatment, which I found very pleasant.

The massage lasted an hour, and often felt like a cross between acupuncture and amore traditional oil massage. An original massage, definitely.

Here are the products used during my massage (Photo: Spa Alaena)

A range of products as good for the skin as they are for the planet

In addition to the highly technical nature of this massage, I’ll also remember the pleasant textures and fragrances of the two products used. The “Baume Eclat Jardin d’Eté” for the body, a moisturizing product made from a combination of vegetable oils and waxes, and the “Pétales de Rose” nourishing oil for the face, a blend of camellia, raspberry, buriti and jojoba oils with a scent so heady that I declined the offer of a shower after the massage. Still, it would have been a shame to rinse off these excellent skin-nourishing products, and anyway my wife is used to me smelling all sorts of creams 🙂

Pascal smiles in the relaxation area (Photo: Luxe Wellness Club)

Once dressed, a delicious vitality tea awaited me in a relaxation area with comfortable armchairs and exotic plants. It was here that I was able to speak with brand director and co-founder Anne Peres about her range of organic cosmeceutical products, before taking a full tour of the facilities.

I particularly liked the hammam room, which skilfully blends the modern with the traditional. The highlight of the show, however, is the Japanese bath room, which can be booked as a duo: a highly successful installation that I’ve never seen in France before, and which Anne Peres claims is very popular.

The quality of a massage is often measured by the sensation of well-being that lingers afterwards, and from this point of view, I was fully satisfied, as I felt the muscular benefits of this Suprême Alaena massage well into the next morning. I highly recommend this experience to anyone staying on the Basque coast!