How about a getaway on the island of Bali or a dive in India, all for 50 to 60 minutes, lying down and being massaged by expert hands?
Here is the taste of vacation offered by traditional massages from all over the world.
Californian, Ayurvedic, Swedish, Lomi-lomi, Tui Na, Tibetan massages... We tested 10 treatments to attest to the benefits of their ancestral techniques.
Soothing, energizing, toning, rebalancing, all you have to do is choose the one that will save your body and your mind.
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Balinese massage at the Spa Cinq Mondes Samaritaine
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The Spa Cinq Mondes, La Samaritaine Press photo
What is that ?
For the record, this ancestral treatment born on the island of Bali, therefore, is inspired by both Indian Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese acupressure.
It is aimed at relaxation of course, but also drainage, the improvement of blood circulation.
What does the massage consist of?
The slow gestures and stretching accompanied by the masseur make it an ultra-relaxing treatment, centered on the relaxation of the joints and the stimulation of the energy points.
The scents of tropical nut balm (Coconut, Tamanu and Kémiri), known for their regenerating properties, only add to the journey.
What benefits?
We come out with the effect promised at the start: a feeling of lightness, suppleness and deep relaxation.
What contraindications?
Massage is contraindicated for people with joint, tendon, muscle and respiratory disorders, as well as in case of chronic pain or pregnancy.
Practical information
Spa Cinq Mondes de la Samaritaine, 81 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris.
Price: €124 for 50 minutes and €186 for 80 minutes of treatment.
Reservation by telephone on 01 85 14 22 20.
Swedish massage at Maison Valmont in Le Meurice
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Maison Valmont at Le Meurice Press photo
What is that ?
The massage was invented by a Swedish fencing trainer, Per Henrik Ling, in the 1830s. Injured in the elbow, the athlete treated himself by tapping all around the sensitized area.
This technique was enriched by a series of circular movements, both soft and supported, on the muscle tissues.
The massage was then popularized under the name of “Swedish massage” and imported internationally in 1850, thanks to the brothers Charles and George Taylor, both doctors and founders of the Swedish Movement Cure (cure of the Swedish movement in French) in New York.
What does the massage consist of?
From the feet to the neck, this massage with scented oil (your choice: lichen, amber, orange blossom or islands) is carried out via a dynamic sequence.
The masseur begins by touching each muscle area and then gradually rubs it more and more vigorously.
To further soften the area, the practitioner's hands will knead the skin and then press precisely on the knots of the body.
The whole thing ends with a light activation of the joints in the arms and legs.
What benefits?
After more than an hour of treatment, the mind drops out and the whole body relaxes.
Stress and muscle tension seem literally erased.
You come out relaxed but not completely "groggy", since the tonic maneuvers of the massage help to boost blood circulation and keep you wide awake.
Athletes and their aches will appreciate it more, before or after a sporting effort.
Just like travelers suffering from the effects of jet lag.
What contraindications?
This massage is not recommended for pregnant women under 3 months.
Practical information
The Maison Valmont for Le Meurice, 6, rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris.
Price: €110 for 30 minutes of treatment, €198 for 60 minutes, €270 for 90 minutes.
Reservation by phone at 01.44.58.10.77 or by email at spa.LMP@dorchestercollection.com
The Tui Na massage at the Tui Na House
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The ancestral Tui Na massage Press photo
What is that ?
The Tui Na massage comes from Chinese medicine.
Born 3000 years ago, it strives to circulate Qi, the vital energy, throughout the body.
What does the massage consist of?
The two words “tui” and “na”, mean “to push” and “to grab”.
The two gestures are the basis of this dynamic and deep massage, which presses firmly on the acupuncture points to relieve tension.
The “ancestral” massage offered by the Maison du Tui Na is the most traditional version of the discipline.
What benefits?
Forget the perfumed oil, the annoying little noise of a waterfall in the background and the light touches: nothing will come between your skin and the person massaging you.
The latter will not hesitate to play with the tips of her elbows, or even to kneel on the table, to overcome the slightest muscle stiffness, the smallest knot between your shoulder blades.
Ideal when you have the impression of having your back or neck cast in a leaden screed.
The sensations caused by this intense kneading can be uncomfortable or even painful, which you should not hesitate to point out: the person massaging you will know how to measure the intensity of their gestures.
But the result is worth it: the impression of a loose body, more supple and lighter.
What contraindications?
The house of Tui Na does not practice massages on pregnant women under three months and then adapts its care according to the case.
It is also impossible to practice it when you have a pacemaker or you have a heart or infectious disease, osteoporosis and open wounds.
Practical information
The Maisons du Tui Na in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
Price: €125 for 80 minutes of treatment.
Reservation on lamaisondutuina.com.
Ayurvedic massage at the Hanging Gardens
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One of the massage cabins of the institute Les Jardins Suspendus Press photo
What is that ?
Ayurvedic massage comes to us from India.
Both body therapy and daily hygiene practice, it is rooted in traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, which means “science of life”.
This integral massage would rebuild the too often cracked bridge that connects body and mind.
It would also rebalance our bodily energies and our vital functions, by eliminating toxins and other waste accumulated in the body.
What does the massage consist of?
The practitioner works for an hour massaging the entire body, from head to toe.
If you do not wish to be touched on one or more areas, it is possible to indicate this at the start of the massage.
Three massage intensities are offered (weak, moderate, strong), as well as different massage oil smells (all the products offered in the institute are of natural origin and tested by practitioners).
About us, we opted for orange blossom.
The massage is done with two hands and the pressure exerted differs according to the movements and the areas massaged.
What benefits?
Ayurvedic massage relaxes muscle tissue, improves blood circulation and softens the joints.
You come out of it like after a swimming session or a jog, less muscle pain.
We have the impression of floating, swollen with endorphins, and a very slight desire to doze off wins us over.
The smell of the massage oil sticks to the body and the hair, which makes it possible to continue the journey a little while returning home.
The treatment is ideal to do after a day of work.
Contraindications
The treatment is contraindicated for pregnant women.
Useful information
Les Jardins Suspendus have two addresses: 4 bis rue Jules Vallès, 75011 Paris, open Monday to Sunday (tel: 01 43 36 72 85), and 28 rue du Fief, 92 100 Boulogne-Billancourt, open Tuesday to Sunday ( tel.: 01 42 37 94 74).
Price: 110 euros (non-subscribers) for 60 minutes of treatment, 100 euros (subscribers).
Reservations on lesjardins-suspendus.com.
The Lomi-lomi massage at the Hotel Lutetia
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The Lutetia hotel Photo press
What is that ?
A jewel borrowed from the Polynesian islands of Hawaii, the Lomi-lomi massage is a practice that dates back more than 1000 years.
The practice was originally practiced by the traditional healers of the archipelago, then was transmitted from generation to generation.
It is a vector of Hawaiian philosophy erected on the principle of "Pono".
To live Pono is to live “aligned”, or “centered”.
The Lomi-lomi massage is therefore perfect for people who are stressed or tormented, eager to find a balance between their body and their mind.
What does the massage consist of?
The movements seem inspired by those of the swell and the waves.
Sometimes slow and fast, the sweeping gestures do not deal with the body in defined areas - such as the back or the legs - but run along its entire length, from the soles of the feet to the roots of the hair.
This movement is used to stir an energy called "Mana", the poor circulation of which is the cause of our pain and annoyance, according to Polynesian beliefs.
To exercise it, the hands, forearms, elbows and fists are alternately used by the masseur.
The massage ends with the upper body.
An essential oil chosen by you is poured on the hair to massage the head to the rhythm of Hawaiian music.
What benefits?
The Lomi-lomi massage offers a timeless moment of relaxation.
The rocking movements at the level of the arms and the back, make it possible to create a vacuum and to completely release the accumulated pressures.
The fluidity of the gestures gives the pleasant impression of being massaged by several professionals at the same time.
An enveloping sensation, qualified as “loving touch”.
We come out exhausted for a few minutes then calmed down.
This is the particularity of this massage which unravels the knots of the body as well as those of our emotions.
The movements also eliminate toxins by improving blood and lymphatic circulation.
What contraindications?
The contraindications are those of any massage: the treatment is not recommended for people with varicose veins or being prone to hypertension.
It is also contraindicated for people with cancer or an infectious disease, and for pregnant women.
Practical information
Spa Akasha at the Lutetia hotel, 45 boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris.
Price: €190 for 60 minutes, €280 for 90 minutes.
Reservation on hotellutetia.com.
Tibetan massage at Spa Mont Kailash
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Tibetan massage at Spa Mont Kailash Press photo
What is that ?
According to Mount Kailash Spa founder Tseten Wangmo, traditional Tibetan massage perceives problems as an imbalance of subtle Wind energy, or rlung, in Tibetan.
It is one of the three humors (along with the mkhris pa and the bad kan) which governs our health.
When it is unbalanced, we are exposed to various symptoms such as emotional lability, anxiety… The massage compiles a system of methods to rebalance the three humours.
What does the massage consist of?
The treatment is based on an acupressure technique.
From the scalp to the feet, through the back, legs and stomach, no area of the body is forgotten.
To relieve tension, the masseuse concentrates on a specific point, the cervical, for example, then starts from this point to massage the entire area around it.
What benefits?
By working on the acupressure points, the Tibetan treatment offers a massage that is both gentle and energetic, which leaves no chance for accumulated tension.
We emerge from the treatment inhabited by a feeling of fullness, freed from nervous tension, particularly that of the back.
To enjoy the benefits as long as possible and prolong them, it is advisable to stay in your cocoon after the massage.
What contraindications?
The massage is not recommended for pregnant women.
Practical information
Spa Mont Kailash, 16 rue Saint Marc, 75002, Paris.
Price: €117 for 70 minutes (“Traditional Art of Tibet” massage)
Reservation on montkailash-bien-etre.fr.
Read alsoThai, Swedish, Californian... Which massage for which benefit?
The Californian massage at the Nuxe spa
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The Nuxe spa Photo press
We owe the technique to Margaret Elke, who developed it in the 1970s, at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California.
This establishment, founded in 1962, is a top hippie resort.
The development of human potential, the expression of feelings and the body-mind links were the main research works there.
She studied the work of Dr. Fritz Perls, father of Gestalt therapy, which aims to resolve emotional disorders through a psychological and bodily approach in the patient.
Margaret Elke develops the physical aspect by drawing inspiration from various massage techniques and creates the Californian massage, also called Sensitive Gestalt Massage.
What does the massage consist of?
The masseur alternately performs fluid, slow and delicate movements with both hands on the whole body using natural oils to relax the person being massaged as much as possible and allow them to let go and achieve physical and psychological.
What benefits?
Californian massage improves blood circulation, eliminates toxins and stimulates the immune system.
It also influences the nervous system and causes deep relaxation.
It is now known to be the relaxation treatment par excellence.
Gradually, the gestures tend to intensify for an even deeper feeling of well-being.
The back, neck and feet are among the most pleasant areas to massage using the technique.
We emerge from the care light and calm.
What contraindications?
Californian massage is contraindicated for pregnant women, people suffering from cancer, sciatica, psoriasis, eczema, and prone to phlebitis.
Contraindicated for people with fever.
Practical information
Spa Nuxe, 32 rue Montorgueil, 75001, Paris.
Price: €160 for 1h15 of treatment.
Book online at nuxe.com/soins-spa.list.
Madotherapy at Olfa Perbal
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The practitioner massages the body using beech wood tools.
Press picture
What is that ?
Also called “wood therapy”, this technique originated in Colombia and consists of massaging the body using beech wood tools (bell, spherical or cubic rollers, spiked roller, board).
This ancestral method reduces cellulite.
After 20 years of expertise in “palper-rolling”, Olfa Perbal has made this technique her new anti-cellulite weapon, which she has renamed madotherapy.
What does the massage consist of?
During the first session, the practitioner evaluates the type of cellulite (aqueous, fibrous or adipose) and adapts the massage according to needs.
The treatment begins with movements in the lymph nodes to stimulate drainage and the elimination of toxins.
Then comes the more intense and muscular stage of madotherapy.
With her hands coated in sweet almond oil, the technician massages, presses, rolls and kneads the skin deeply in order to break up the cellulite.
For 50 minutes, she performs a series of movements with the help of wooden accessories that dislodge cellulite and reshape the silhouette.
What benefits?
The method promises to reduce cellulite in about ten sessions.
As cellulite areas are particularly sensitive, the start of the massage seems a bit painful, especially the first time.
Small bruises may also appear.
But after this step, the positive effects of madotherapy take over.
The muscles are relaxed, the massaged areas are deflated, the skin is firmed, the circulation reactivated and you feel light and toned at the same time.
The result must be accompanied by sport and a balanced diet.
What contraindications?
Since the technique acts as a cellular stimulant, it is not recommended for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Belly massage is excluded for pregnant women, but they can still benefit from massage therapy to relieve heavy legs.
Practical information
Olfa Perbal, 17 Rue Fantin Latour, 75016 Paris.
Price: €75 per 50-minute session, whatever the area (legs, stomach, arms).
750 € the cure of 10 sessions + 1 free.
Reservation by phone at 01 73 77 37 10 or by email at contact.olfaperbal@gmail.com
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Indian abhyanga massage at Spa My Blend by Clarins at Royal Monceau
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The Spa My Blend by Clarins at Royal Monceau Raffles Paris Press photo
What is that ?
The Abhyanga massage is an integral massage from Ayurvedic medicine.
By massaging all the limbs of the body from head to toe, its objective is to reconnect the body and the spirit and to rebalance all the vital functions of the organism.
What does the massage consist of?
Quelques questions posées en préambule permettent au masseur de savoir quelle technique (Vata, Pita ou Kaphta) est la plus adaptée au besoin du client. En fonction de sa personnalité et de sa morphologie, le massage s'attarde donc davantage sur certaines zones, comme le plexus solaire ou le dos par exemple. Comparable à la digitopression chinoise, le massage abghyanga alterne entre l'acupression pour harmoniser le chakra, et des mouvements plus amples et plus doux pour faire circuler l'énergie. Les points de pression peuvent être effectués dans le creux de la main, au niveau des trapèzes ou encore sur le visage. Tous les gestes sont pratiqués avec des huiles chaudes, dont la simple application procure à elle seule une détente immédiate.
Quels bienfaits ?
The treatment improves blood circulation and muscle relaxation.
Thanks to the stimulation of oxytocin, the hormone of happiness triggered by touch, we come out feeling soothed.
The body is relaxed, so light that each limb seems to float.
What contraindications?
The treatment is not recommended in case of fever or hypertension.
Practical information
Spa Clarins at the Royal Monceau, 37 avenue Hoche, 75008, Paris.
Price: €220 for 60 minutes or €290 for 90 minutes of treatment.
Online booking at /www.clarins.fr/spa.
Thai massage at Chi, the Shangri-La spa
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Chi, the Shangri-La Francis Amiand Spa
What is that ?
Le massage thaïlandais est une pratique ancestrale qui, selon la légende aurait été importée d'Inde en Thaïlande par le médecin du Bouddha, il y a deux mille cinq cents ans. Il puise donc ses principes dans la médecine ayurvédique, qui traite le corps dans sa globalité, pour aider à la circulation de l'énergie «prana» le long des dix principaux canaux énergétiques, appelés «sen».
Il emprunte aussi des étirements et des postures du yoga, et travaille des points d'acupression. Se faire masser fait partie de la routine des Thaïlandais. Ils le voient comme un soin à part entière qui fait partie de l'art de vivre national. Le spa du Shangri-La l'a ainsi intégré dans sa carte qui privilégie une approche holistique pour «rééquilibrer le corps et l'esprit, prendre son temps et se sentir bien “ici et maintenant”».
En quoi consiste le massage ?
Le massage est réalisé sur un futon, sans huile, dans une tenue confortable (qui peut être fournie par le spa). Il se veut détoxifiant et énergisant, et on peut indiquer à la thérapeute si on souhaite privilégier une option ou l'autre. C'est un soin global pratiqué des pieds à la tête, le cuir chevelu et les oreilles aussi sont traités.
Alors qu'on est allongé, le masseur va appuyer sur tout le corps pour faire circuler le flux sanguin et les énergies. Le soin commence par les pieds, pour aller en remontant le long du corps, avec un retour aux jambes après avoir tiré les bras. En insistant sur les points de pression, on défait les nœuds de tension, particulièrement au niveau du dos. Les mains, souvent crispées sur la souris d'ordinateur, ne sont pas oubliées grâce à des mouvements ciblés. C'est un massage dynamique, la masseuse joue de tout son poids pour étirer les jambes notamment.
Quels bienfaits ?
Dans ses écrits, le diplomate français Simon de la Loubère, qui parcourut le royaume du Siam à la fin du XVIIe siècle, rapporte que «quand quelqu'un est malade à Siam, il commence par se faire ramollir tout le corps par quelqu'un qui soit entendu en cela, qui monte sur le corps du malade, et le foule aux pieds». À la fin du massage, on ressent bien cette sensation de «ramollissement», synonyme de délassement intense comme si le corps était lissé, dénoué. Les tensions musculaires ont été soulagées, et on se sent à la fois plus léger et dynamisé.
Quelles contre-indications ?
Le massage thaï est contre-indiqué aux femmes enceintes, en cas de phlébite, de troubles cardiaques, et chez les individus souffrant de troubles articulatoires.
Practical information
Chi, the spa, at Shangri-La Paris, 10 avenue d'Iéna, 75116 Paris.
Price: €220 for a 60-minute Thai massage, €290 for 90 minutes.
Reservation by phone at 01 53 67 19 78 or by email at chi.paris@shangri-la.com
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