Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The thermal establishment of Luxeuil-les-Bains draws its origins from antiquity, where the Romans were already exploiting local sources. According to a tradition discussed, General Labienus would have restored the ancient thermal baths, before they fell into disuse during the barbaric invasions. The sources were then lost until they were rediscovered during the reign of Louis XV, marking the beginning of a new era for the site.

In 1768, a neoclassical building in pink sandstone of the Vosges was inaugurated, designed by engineer Jean Querret. The station gained in fame after Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie visited in 1856, although he preferred Plombières-les-Bains. This period saw the expansion of the thermal baths, with the construction of an imperial iron bath in 1858 and the development of a landscaped park by Auguste Baumann, Alsatian horticulturalist.

In the 20th century, the thermal baths underwent major modernization between 1937 and 1939, under the direction of Robert Danis and Paul Giroud. A thermal pool is added, and the site, managed by the Sun's Thermal Channel, becomes a popular place for its treatments in phlebology, gynaecology and rheumatology. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1862, 1942 and registered in 2011, the establishment now embodies an ancient and elegant thermal heritage.

Luxeuil's waters, from boreholes such as Dr. Pierrat and Sun (50–60 °C), are sodium chloride and rich in trace elements. In the 19th century, the resort attracted the aristocracy and celebrities such as Sacha Guitry or Yvonne Printemps, renowned for its park and luxury hotels (Métropole, des Sources). The Fountain of Hygia, declared public interest in 1858, symbolizes this blissful era.

The management of the site evolved with the eras: ceded to the state in 1853, taken over by the municipality in 1936, then entrusted to a private operator. Despite periods of decline, the thermal baths experienced a revival in the 20th century, from 2,000 curists in 1954 to 3,000 in the 1960s, energizing the city during the summer season.

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