Vichy Baths & Pools
History of Bathing in Vichy Water
The French Vichy Baths date to the times of The Roman conquest of what is now France when Julius Caesar discovered “Vichy” water or literally “hot cross” meaning warm water crossing their path. The story relates that Caesar’s horses, depleted of minerals from the hard pace they had kept, drank the mineral water, and became immediately stronger. A spa was established in the center of France called “Vichy” by the Romans that exists to this day.
Much the same happened in Ukiah. Vichy Springs was known for 5,000 plus years to the local Native American Pomo who consisted of small extended families with unique languages. Vichy Springs, called “katuct” (water of eggs), was used for the same reasons that the Vichy Celestin and Vichy St. Yorre waters were and are used in France.
Vichy waters have unique characteristics when consumed due to high total alkalinity. These include the relief of excess stomach acidity. The buffering effect is like a natural Alka Seltzer. It is also used for any acid condition including gout, stomach ulcers, rheumatism, and arthritis. Externally the Pomo then and Americans today use it for burns, cuts, rashes, abrasions of the skin, sunburn, psoriasis, eczema, and locally it was and is renowned as an immediate cure for poison oak.
For the fit and firm, the baths are simply the most relaxing feeling one can experience in water. The carbonation after four or five minutes dramatically relaxes the body’s largest organ, the skin, and dilates the body’s capillaries. This yields the bather a feeling of warmth and peacefulness. Tranquility follows and usually the bather begins to gently float in the bath. Due to the unique properties of the water the bather’s skin is softened in the water and feels much like babies’ skin.
Europeans also know that carbonated Vichy Water, along with its high and balanced mineral content, relieves those with extreme circulatory problems. Diabetics and others stay at Vichy, France, and Vichy Springs, Ukiah. They bathe several times per day with dramatic circulatory increases.
The Vichy Water
From deep below the surface, 6 miles (10km) to be exact, emerge the fabled naturally warm and carbonated mineral waters of Vichy Springs, California. Driven from the depths by expanding carbon dioxide they flow at over 100 gallons per minute at a pleasantly warm average of 90° Fahrenheit (30° Celsius).
The waters are heavily mineralized at 3,800 milligrams per liter dissolved solids and highly charged with carbon dioxide. They are almost identical to the famed Vichy Waters in France and Madagascar.
When one bathes in these luxuriant waters, after 1 – 2 minutes, millions of tiny bubbles cover one’s skin. The CO2 and water dramatically relax and penetrate the skin and rapidly dilate one’s capillaries, giving an incredible feeling of calm, warmth, peace, and tranquility. The waters have magical powers that realign one’s natural magnetic field, which induces a very relaxed state.
Drinking the highly alkaline waters soothes acidic digestive systems and aids and cures gout, rheumatism, ulcers, and all sorts of acid related illnesses.
Vichy Baths & Pools
Vichy Springs’ pools offer a variety of soaking and swimming options. An Olympic size swimming pool, in-ground hot pool, the carbonated “Vichy” Baths and Chemisal Falls pool are all available for your enjoyment.
The Naturally Carbonated “Vichy” Mineral Baths
The “Vichy” Baths are 90°F (32°C) naturally carbonated mineral baths. The water flows from 30,000 feet below the surface into the adjacent spring source and directly into 161-year old tubs. Fourteen individual tubs are available for your enjoyment, 4 outside and 10 inside. The healing powers of the “Vichy” Baths are not to be underestimated. A 30-minute soak carries your worries away, leaving one relaxed and renewed. They are highly recommended and universally recognized for skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema and poison oak as well as arthritis, rheumatism and nervous conditions.
The Hot Pool
The in-ground hot pool is a 104° Fahrenheit (40° C) communal pool. The water from a cold deep mineral source and is diverted into the hot pool and heated allowing full enjoyment of the waters on cool evenings.
Vichy Plunge
The ¼-Olympic size swimming pool is a 30 x 80 foot (25 meter) seasonal swimming pool. The pool (open all year and warm May – October) is a non heated pool designed for a refreshing swim on warm summer days. In the pool and hot pool ozone technology is the primary oxidant and secondarily, state required, bromine. No chlorine is used in the pools.
The Chemisal Falls Pool
The natural Chemisal Falls pool is a 30 minute hike on one of Vichy Springs’ beautiful trails. The natural pool at the base of the falls is filled with water flowing over Chemisal Falls into Little Grizzly Creek. A refreshing plunge into the beautiful small cold pool after the enjoyable hike renews one’s spirit.