Create your own personal wellness area in your garden in France

Every time someone comes to visit us in France – they always love the spa more than anything else! Now don’t go thinking that we’re millionaires with a spa in the garden. We’re not millionaires. But we do have a spa – at least we call it that – it’s a hot tub for two and a sauna. And since the definition of a spa is something that offers some kind of relaxing or therapeutic experience, then we have a spa.

When I came to France, it was a dream to have a hot tub. We bought a cheapish electric one on eBay and when we set it up – there was an electrical fault. We repaired it. Then the pump broke down. We replaced that. Then it got a leak. Dream over. Well sort of. I still loved the idea of soaking in a hot bubbly tub in the garden, looking at the sky at night, snowflakes falling on my head as I sat there toasty warm. But I knew I’d never get an electric one again. So, when I saw there was a wood-fired hot tub company in France, I checked them out, researched wood-fired hot tubs and decided to go for it. And then I saw that they also had wood-fired saunas in the cutest wooden cabins like something out of a J R Tolkien story, fairy tale pretty and very natural looking. This was my other half’s dream. He’d thought of building our own steam room, but it was beyond our budget, with the cost of laying foundations, building it, tiling it, running water to create the steam, etc., not to mention the time it would take. But this wood-fired sauna looked perfect and, like the hot tub, was fine to go on a gravel base. So we went for it.

Tim and Nicola from Hot Tubs in France delivered the sauna and hot tub to us in Pas-de-Calais from Limousin where they live. They organised a Manitou to manoeuvre the sauna round to our chosen spot in the garden down a hilly bit. The farmer from next door and his dog stopped to admire Tim’s skills, which are considerable, as my perfect sauna spot is down a narrow path on a hill. Tim assured me that he has not yet been presented with a location that has had the power to thwart him, though he’s had plenty that took a bit of planning and time. The sauna was not easy to put in place, but Tim is patient and determined, and eventually it was in. The hot tub was easier to carry round. Tim set the hot tub up, we filled it with water, made sure everything worked, and as soon as they left, we heated both sauna and hot tub and knew that we had made the right decision. It’s been life-changing.

We always have somewhere to go whatever the weather – the sauna and the hot tub have become a part of how we spend our time. Soaking in the tub helps us to relax, sleep better, and feel better. The sauna has been a real surprise. Regular sessions have made a really big difference to our skin and definitely make us feel healthier. And it’s not just me that says that – I’ve done some research, and health experts say that the benefits include detoxification, increased metabolism, weight loss, increased blood circulation, pain reduction, anti-ageing, skin rejuvenation, improved cardiovascular function, improved immune function, improved sleep, stress management, and relaxation. Combined with the benefits of a hot tub – such as muscle relaxation, pain relief, and improved sleep – we absolutely feel justified in calling our garden our spa! Our neighbours were so impressed with the hot tub that, in fact, they ordered one too. Everyone who sees our spa falls for its good looks, and our kids absolutely love it and feel like they’re at a luxury wellness centre (especially when I bring cold drinks to them!).

We’ve had the spa for two years now; we’ve put decking around it and popped some pot plants there which make it look like a little oasis, and we love it. It’s easy to clean, cheap to run – the only electrics are for the jets and lights on the tub, and lights in the sauna, but we prefer to sit in there with just the light from the fire! We love the smell of the wood, the feeling of being outdoors, being in nature, and having it right outside our back door is an absolute privilege and luxury, though it’s also likely to save us money in the long run, as we’d actually rather stay home and have a soak, sweat and barbecue than anything else!

You can find out more and get in touch with Nicola and Tim at: hottubsinfrance.com

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