I’d like to believe that there’s some truth to the “French paradox” theory. That’s why I’m soaking in a barrel bath of mineral water and red wine extracts at Les Sources de Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa on the Château Smith-Haut Lafitte wine estate in Graves, in Bordeaux, France.
The term French Paradox was coined in 1992 by the late Dr. Serge Renaud, a scientist from Bordeaux University, after years of research. The paradox? The French consume one of the world’s richest diets, including gobs of butter and cream, unpasteurized cheeses and let’s not forget croissants and French pastries, yet they tend to be less obese, live longer and have lower rates of coronary heart disease than folks in other industrialized countries. The key to this phenomenon, postulated by Dr. Renaud, is their daily consumption of a glass or two of wine, preferably red, which contains powerful antioxidants that control blood pressure and reduce clots.
So, if those grapes work their magic internally, what about externally?
Coincidentally, in 1993 at the Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyards where Mathilde Cathiard-Thomas and her husband were taking part in the family grape harvest, they met Professor Vercauteren, the visiting head of the Bordeaux Pharmaceutical Laboratory. Seeing the heap of grape skins and seeds about to be discarded, Vercauteren remarked that they were wasting “a veritable treasure.”
Photo: Les Sources de Caudalie
Grape skins and pips are rich in polyphenols that fight free radicals that are responsible for wear and tear on the body and aging skin. Mathilde was intrigued. When she discovered a natural mineral spring under some of their vines, she decided to mix the therapeutic water with the grape extracts. Et voilà, the world’s first Spa Vinothérapie and a line of Caudalie skin care products was born. (Caudalie is a term that describes the length of a wine’s aftertaste on the palette. The more caudalies the better.)
Honouring the Terroir
The philosophy of Les Sources de Caudalie is to harness the natural richness of the vine, the grape and the terroir to provide guests with a unique experience in complete harmony with the environment. True to the hotel’s dedication to living the French Paradox, visitors experience total wine immersion throughout the vineyards, Grand Cru winery, at the restaurants and the spa. Plus, they will enjoy life here with a clear eco-conscience.
Photo: Les Sources de Caudalie
Committed to responsible tourism for many years, the hotel was awarded the European Ecolabel in 2023 in recognition of its initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. The winery recycles gases produced in the fermentation process, promotes biodiversity in their vineyard’s ecosystem and uses only horses to plough the land.
The hotel has an electric BMW to chauffeur guests around, and if you’ve brought your own electric car, there are charging points. Les Sources de Caudalie is also one of less than 40 hotels in France to be named a Palace Hotel, a luxury designation higher than five-star.
Les Sources is a family collaboration between Mathilde, who oversees the Caudalie product line, her sister Alice and husband Jerome, who run the hotel, and parents Florence and Daniel Cathiard, who operate the organic winery.
The World’s First Vinotherapy Spa
Caudalie staff use recent scientific discoveries to squeeze each and every mineral out of their grapes and vines. Couples can try the Vines for Lovers ritual, which includes a 50-minute facial treatment, a Fleur de Vigne candle massage and a romantic barrel bath filled with natural spring water. The Crushed Cabernet Scrub and Pulp Friction Sculpting Massage are two of the spa’s signatures.
Wine and Dine
At La Table du Lavoir, colours come alive on the plate, celebrating vibrant and generous cuisine expressed with freshness and creativity, in a truly gourmet and authentic spirit. Photo: Les Sources de Caudalie
The commitment to the French Paradox extends to the gourmet dining experiences. At La Table du Lavoir, the chef serves bistro-style fare in a 19th-century building that the wives of winegrowers previously used as a wash house. The aroma of meat roasting over a huge fireplace tempts with farm-to-table dishes such as braised beef stew with duck liver.
Rouge acts as a tapas bar and wine shop. The pièce de résistance is La Grand Vigne, where chef Nicolas Masse presides over the Michelin two-starred dining room.
Planning Your Trip: Bordeaux 101
I began my wine immersion at the Ecole du Vin in Bordeaux, one of the largest wine-producing regions in the world, with 65 appellations. I also gleaned that the gravelly soil on the Left Bank of the Garonne and Gironde rivers are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas the limestone and clay soil on the Right Bank are better for Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
We washed down all this knowledge with a tasting of regional vintages. I recommend this beginner course before starting your exploration of the fruits of the vines. Besides, you’ll want to visit Bordeaux, the vibrant capital of the region, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like great wine, it too improves with age.
