Terme di Saint-Vincent

The thermal spring of Saint-Vincent entered the town's history in 1770, when the abbot Jean-Baptiste Perret identified its mineral water. Known as Fons Salutis, it helped shape Saint-Vincent's later identity as a spa town.

Why it matters

The spring's discovery led to public works to capture the water and to the development of a resort that attracted visitors in the nineteenth century. The history of the spa links local geology and therapeutic traditions with the growth of Saint-Vincent as a destination.

What to notice

The name Fons Salutis, or source of health, reflects the spring's historic association with mineral-water cures. The spa's story is also visible in the architecture and public identity of the town that grew around the thermal source.

Context and history

In 1770 the abbot Perret observed animals drinking from a spring in the Vagnod valley and arranged for its water to be analysed. Public funds supported the first collection works in 1778. Perret left the spring to the parish; it was sold to the municipality in 1820. During the nineteenth century Saint-Vincent developed as a spa resort, and the thermal tradition continued in later establishments.