By Barbara Penny Angelakis
LE NORDIQUE SPA ET DÉTENTE
“As far as I am concerned Spas are the pleasure palaces of the modern world; where for a few hours, days, or more, you are pampered, indulged, cared for and the focus of healing, beautifying and relaxing attention. There are different types of spas but for most people, men and women alike, the day spa with its focus on a quick fix, will provide their primary experience…”
I quote above my perception of what a spa should be, but on my recent trip to Québec, once again I proved the adage that there is always an exception to a rule. About a half hours drive from the city lies Le Nordique Spa et Détente or Nordic Spa & Relaxation. This is a bare bones, do it yourself healing experience unlike the spas I usually visit and write about. Here you are not pampered, indulged or beautified. It was nevertheless a completely satisfying experience that left me feeling light and energized after just a brief three hour visit. Le Nordique Spa et Détente <www.lenordique.com> offered a refreshing alternative to well-being with a philosophy based on Scandinavian minimalist techniques.
It’s an easy ride on a super highway that exits into a  country road and eventually into a pristine natural environment… euphemism for a dirt road. At the end of the road is a wooden staircase that leads three flights down to a Scandinavian looking building. I was greeted by a smiling young woman called Josée; presented with robe, flip-flops, towels, a lock and key. It is requested that you bring these items but since I was not local they were more than happy to provide them to me. Josée asked me to descend another level to the locker room. She explained that once I had changed into the bathing suit that is de rigueur and exited the locker room, I would be met by someone who would explain the spas modus operandi.
The locker room was minimal and with no amenities other than a plastic bag provided to transport your wet bathing suit on departure. Of course there were bathroom and shower facilities and one hair dryer, but not much else. Changing into my suit and exiting into the crisp mountain air I found myself on a landing overlooking two additional buildings, a pool with a small waterfall, and an outdoor Jacuzzi situated on a patio with a walkway that led down to the river below. The building to the right housed the Finnish sauna and the building to the left the Turkish steam bath. The procedure as explained to me was to relax in either one for 10 to 15 minutes, followed by a cool-down in the river, an outdoor cold water pool, or in the snow in the wintertime. A period of silent rest, indoors or out, or a soak in the Jacuzzi which is heated all year round, and then  the whole process is repeated until all the stress and fatigue is gone, usually a two hour process. On the day I visited, as I was relaxing in the Jacuzzi, a sudden drenching downpour turned the warm water chilly and so I gave up and climbed the two flights of outdoor stairs back to the lobby to await my massage. Swedish massage is the only body treatment offered.
At precisely my appointed time I was greeted by Karl, a soft spoken young man. Karl is a professional, trained in Swedish massage, with advanced training in trigger point manipulation. A master technician, he barely laid his hands on my back before exclaiming that it was tied in knots and gently admonished me to take better care of my body. As he began the sometimes painful movements that would release all that tension and restore me to full flexibility, I began to absorb the healing energy that permeated this little oasis of peace. The towering mountains on the far side of the river, and the height descended from the roadway on our side of the river, together seemed to wrap the entire complex in a protective cushion of Zen like energy. In the hushed tones and oneness with nature -- interfering with the natural flow of energy rising from the river to the mountain as little as possible -- Hugues Lavoie, proprietor of Le Nordique, has achieved his vision of providing an unparalleled relaxation experience in nature.
© August 2007 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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