They come for the thermal waters that are officially designated as the hottest in a country noted for the proliferation of hot springs, water so hot that it has, in fact, to be cooled. In itself it's enough to make Lavey unique. There is, in fact, a series of pools that form an almost unbelievable area of 10,002 metres. Save for the indoor pool that I sampled, the others are linked outdoors by a set of interconnecting channels and bridges, so that you can swim or otherwise negotiate the whole network with the option of exposing bare skin to the bracing alpine air. Against a dramatic backdrop of high mountains, clouds of steam hang in the air.
Lamps switch on when darkness falls and shimmer through the constant mist.
And being far enough away from highway and town, silence envelops everything, a decidedly romantic setting for what really is a peaceful garden. The group is currently projecting something along similar lines for the rapidly expanding travel market in Cuba. The recently inaugurated indoor facilities are now comparable with the top-ranking spas. Next to the baths is the Grand Hotel des Bains which serves as the principal accommodation for overnighting guests. Substantial renovations begin this year.