Do you believe in rebirth?
Around us lie the peeling and vacant remains of what used to be one of the most magnificent thermal baths in Europe.
This architectural jewel was designed by a star architect -
but abandoned by the French community that built it.
Countless mosaic decorations are reminiscent of its splendid past.
In its prime, this was a major attraction for the wealthy.
Take a look at this.
Once bustling with people, it's now empty and lifeless.
An eerie and forlorn atmosphere is haunting us.
At this point, visitors are unwanted.
Down there's the motion sensor.
Follow us on a forbidden tour inside this forgotten landmark -
and acknowledge that transience will eventually rule everything.
Only when we embrace the finiteness of our existence, can we find a truthful approach to life.
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Trespassing private properties is both illegal and dangerous.
On a mild winter day, we're approaching this grand building from an unseen angle.
Searching for a way inside, we're on top of old baths now.
Dude, it's high! Could you shine the light on the bottom?
But we are unsettled...
Hey, guys!
The lights are on here.
I'd say we go in first to check what's the situation.
*loud noise*
Fuck.
From the outside, we noticed there were lamps on in some of the rooms.
Are we alone?
Where are the motion sensors? Have you seen any?
To the right of the stairs, what's that? Just a light bulb?
While Tobi and I look around, we are very cautious.
Explorers before us triggered alarms.
We want to avoid this kind of attention.
Dude...
That's so beautiful.
A broken motion sensor.
*knocking at the window*
This is the room we saw with the lights. Turn around, the yellow light is actually coming from behind you.
This is the room? - Yes.
As it happens, there were no lamps turned on inside.
It was just sunlight shining through a skylight and some stained-glass windows.
We're here all by ourselves - probably.
Watch out, don't step on this plate.
It makes noise.
The motion sensors don't work anymore.
Let's hope so...
Down there's the motion sensor.
In front of us lays the splendid entrance hall.
It's the most beautifully decorated part of this building -
but this is also where other explorers have set off the alarm.
The fancy vault is almost ten meters high, ornately decorated with elements
looking like the honeycombs of a beehive.
It's supported by red marble columns.
Too bad we can't go down there.
Let's explore the other parts then.
This complex was built at the beginning of the 20th century
and was designed by a renowned French architect.
He wanted to integrate countless skylights and stained glass windows, so natural light would shine inside.
And you probably noticed these ceramic decorations, too.
There are a number of mosaics made with colorful tiles.
Ancient and Romanesque architecture have been mixed together,
so you'll also see these arches and capitals with playful details everywhere.
Unfortunately, many of the doors remain closed for us.
Try to open that.
Like the entrance to the recreation room.
Nope.
The sections that are open to us usually still have the original equipment from back then.
On the upper floor, which we are still exploring, lie most of the former treatment rooms -
for massages, for example.
Small lamps showed whether a space was occupied or free.
For the larger and more nicely designed baths, however, we need to go downstairs.
Take a look at this.
The water is pretty chalky.
It looks like slag, but these are limestone terraces.
Tobi shot all the photos we feature in this video.
See more of these urbex images on his Instagram page @tobi_urbex.
Make sure to leave some nice comments there!
Down here, the traces of time are much more prominent.
Strong moist air accelerates the inevitable decay.
A flood also damaged the lower floor.
For 100 years this spa was open to the public
before it was closed in the early 2000s.
This used to be a luxury spa nestled in the heart of a historic thermal city.
Since time immemorial, the surrounding area has been marked by volcanic soil and pure nature.
The discovery of hot springs turned a village into a tourist town -
with casinos, villas, magnificent architecture, and many spas.
This quickly became a center of attraction for rich folks, including those from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
The water underground is said to be among the richest in magnesium in the entire world.
In this facility, diseases related to the digestive and urinary tract,
as well as rheumatological complaints were treated with that healing water.
Take a look at this.
For two decades now, this building has been steadily falling into disrepair.
It was replaced by a much more modern facility.
This was just too expensive to maintain.
Today, it’s the property of the municipality, and they're lacking funds.
So, it remains a listed landmark awaiting a costly rebirth.
Ideas for converting this into a luxury hotel have been circulating for years.
But to date, this multimillion-euro project hasn't been kicked off.
Maybe because the building materials are much more rotten than they thought.
In some places, the grand structure is in danger of collapse.
But from this comes another, completely contrasting chance for the community.
And for that, this place just needs to stay the way it is -
as strange as it sounds, maybe they should let this be a ruin for ruin’s sake.
The power of these sites resides in the feelings they evoke.
While exploring abandoned structures you soon realize that everything will decay and vanish.
By accepting your own finite existence and the futility of the idea to leave behind a legacy
you can see what truly is important:
spending this short time span of your existence in the best way possible.
If you want to explore the abandoned spa yourself chances are you can!
Our latest info is that there are legal tours again.
Please don't break in though.
Trespassing can be severely punished in France.
Also, don't miss out on our next video!
In three weeks, we will post a very special one.
See you then, stay curious, and keep exploring!