Upon visiting Paris, many women ask themselves the same question: how do these French women stay so polished, thin, and beautiful?
It’s not exercise that keeps the pastries off of these women’s hips- most wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something as gauche as athletic gear and chunky running sneakers. Instead, French women spend plenty of time relaxing to look good. That’s right, not only do they have pain au chocolat for breakfast and drink wine during their lunch-break from work; they also make spa-time at the hammams a central part of their beauty regimen- getting steamed, scrubbed, and massaged into their radiant, slender French selves. Too good to be true? Well, it sure sounds that way, but when you’re in Paris, take a look at the women and judge for yourself. I think you’ll head straight for the hammams listed below, and you won’t be sorry. Even if it doesn’t make you instantly skinny, you’ll come out glowing, feeling relaxed and maybe even a little bit French.The first thing to know is that hammams are a type of bathhouse that was imported to France by migrating North African Maghrebs. These bathhouses have now become a part of the French culture and social fabric. They are almost always separated by gender, with different hours or different wings for men and women. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what men’s behavior is like when they are enjoying the hammam, but seeing the women’s side, it’s easy to understand why they separate the sexes.
Women usually hang out in only a bikini bottom or underwear, and the common practice is for women to scrub each other down with a rough mitt and what is called “black soap”- a thick, oil-based goop that leaves your skin super soft. This is usually done in the first room, which is filled with soft steam heat and has stalls for scrubbing equipped with water taps and buckets. There is definitely a sense of a female community, with everyone feeling very relaxed and nearly nude, scrubbing each other and gossiping, and existing in a way that would be impossible (or at least scandalous) in a mixed gender setting.
The next room is filled with hotter steam for a more intense purification of the skin. It’s easy to reach a point of being hot that is truly uncomfortable, which is when you either reach for a bucket of cold water to douse yourself with, or you dunk yourself in the nearby chilled pool. The icy waters can come as a shock, and may even seem intimidating, but the payoff is immense. You will be warm again in no time, but with a tingly, blood-pumping feeling that is essential to the total cleansing experience of the hammam.
Next is the cooler room where women are sitting around, often drinking strong, mint tea, and getting massages from the staff masseuses of the hammam. As any French woman will tell you, massages are an obligatory step of any beauty regime. Really. As an American, I’ve been taught that running, extreme exercise, and diets will keep your body in shape, but in France they take a different tack, believing that massage rids the body of excess fluid and fat, dispels cellulite, and keeps the skin healthy. Since it seems to be working fine for them, I say, why not follow their lead? A 30-minute massage is a typical way to end an afternoon at the hammam, and it will leave you feeling healthy and relaxed, and a bit pampered.
The prices for entrance and massages at the hammams tend to be quite reasonable, especially at the ones that are part of a mosque, but there are more upscale options in the St. Germain and Marais neighborhoods, if you’re looking for less of a cultural experience and more of a full-on indulgence. Whatever you prefer, I definitely recommend that you take advantage of this most enjoyable French beauty secret when you’re in Paris.
Check out:
Grande Mosquee de Paris
39 rue Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire
75005 Paris
Metro Place Monge
Hammam Med Centre
43-45 rue Petit
75019 Paris
Metro Ourcq
Hammam Pacha Paris
17, rue Mayet
75006 Paris
Metro Duroc
Le Bains du Marais
31-33 rue des Blancs Manteux
75004 Paris
Metro Hotel de Ville
Photo of tile work at the Grande Mosquée de Paris originally posted by Joi
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