Quick FactsOverview
About Plombières-les-Bains (Calodae Spa)
Plombières-les-Bains (Calodae Spa), France is a historic thermal destination in Plombières-les-Bains, Vosges, Grand Est, currently closed following the judicial liquidation of its operator in January 2025. The site includes two distinct structures: the Thermes Napoleon, a Monument Historique built in 1857 under Napoleon III with an 18-metre sandstone vault, and the Calodae balneo-Roman spa at 7 Place du Bain Romain, built over Gallo-Roman thermal galleries more than 2,000 years old. These are among the most historically significant hot springs near Epinal in the Vosges.
The thermal waters rise at 60 to 85 degrees Celsius, are siliceous and fluorinated, and were used for digestive conditions, rheumatology, and fibromyalgia. At their peak the facilities welcomed 8,000 curistes per season and Calodae drew 27,000 visitors per year. The station's visitor history is exceptional: Montaigne, Voltaire, Napoleon Bonaparte, Empress Josephine, Napoleon III across four stays, Musset, Berlioz, and Goya all took the waters here. On 21 July 1858, Napoleon III met Cavour at Plombières in the encounter that set in motion the unification of Italy, the event known as the Plombières Accord.
Location & Access
Getting to Plombières-les-Bains
Plombières-les-Bains is reached by car from Epinal in approximately 32 kilometres via the N57 and D34, and from Remiremont in approximately 15 kilometres. The town sits in a narrow valley of the Augronne river in the southern Vosges, surrounded by forested hills typical of the Vosges massif. The thermal buildings are at the centre of the village, within easy walking distance of all accommodation.
By public transport, Remiremont SNCF station is the nearest mainline connection, with bus services linking Remiremont to Plombières-les-Bains. For visitors looking for hot springs near Epinal for heritage or architectural interest rather than active thermal use, Plombières is accessible as a day visit from Epinal by car in under 40 minutes. The village retains its 19th-century Belle Epoque architecture and Tivoli park in good condition and is worth visiting for the streetscape and thermal heritage even while the buildings await renovation.
The French state committed 7 million euros in December 2025 to a territorial development contract for Plombières-les-Bains, with a first planning meeting scheduled for January 2026 and a second in March 2026. A repositioning study was underway in late 2025 and the town is exploring a wellness-centred model. Baden-Baden has been mentioned as a potential study partner. Visitors interested in the eventual reopening should monitor the town's official channels at plombieres-les-bains.com for the latest status.
Suitability & Accessibility
Who Plombières-les-Bains Suits When Reopened
Plombières-les-Bains is not currently open for thermal visits, and no reopening date has been confirmed as of early 2026. When the facility does reopen under a new operator, it is expected to suit adults with digestive tract conditions, rheumatology needs, and fibromyalgia, for which the siliceous fluorinated waters were historically accredited and well regarded. The Calodae balneo-Roman spa, when operating, suited visitors seeking a genuinely rare spa experience: a underground thermal circuit through 2,000-year-old Gallo-Roman stone galleries, with a thermal pool, steam room, stone jacuzzis, and heated ceramic room, accessible from age 12.
The Thermes Napoleon building offered a conventional 18-day medically supervised cure in one of the most historically significant thermalisme establishments in France, within a Monument Historique whose interior features Louvre-deposited statues and a sandstone hall of cathedral dimensions. For visitors interested in hot springs near Epinal with deep historical and architectural significance, Plombières-les-Bains is without peer in the Vosges and the Grand Est region.
The town has confirmed ambitions to reposition around well-being and medical tourism, using the exceptional geothermal resource, the waters of which reach 70 to 80 degrees Celsius at source and could support both a therapeutic cure and a modern thermoludic wellness offer. The Calodae concept, which attracted 27,000 annual visitors before its closure in 2020, is expected to be central to any credible reopening plan.
Safety & Etiquette
Visitor Information for Plombières-les-Bains
Plombières-les-Bains thermal facilities are currently closed and cannot be visited for thermal treatments or spa access. The Thermes Napoleon and the Calodae balneo-Roman spa at 7 Place du Bain Romain are both shut following the judicial liquidation of the operating company in January 2025. The buildings themselves remain standing and the Thermes Napoleon exterior, which is inscribed as a Monument Historique, can be seen from the street.
The town of Plombières-les-Bains remains open to visitors as a heritage destination. The Bain Romain, the Bain Montaigne, and other historic thermal pavilions that predate the Thermes Napoleon can be seen on a walking tour of the village. The Tivoli park, laid out on the instructions of Napoleon III, provides a pleasant walk in all seasons. Several restaurants and accommodation establishments in the village continue to operate independently of the thermal facilities.
Visitors who arrive expecting the thermal or spa facilities to be open should verify the current status at plombieres-les-bains.com before travel, as the situation may change if a new operator is appointed. The mineral springs themselves continue to flow, and some of the historic outdoor fountains in the village provide a visible reminder of the extraordinary geothermal resource beneath the town. Visitors with urgent needs for a thermal cure in the Vosges region can consider the nearby stations of Vittel, Contrexeville, or Bains-les-Bains, all within 50 kilometres.