Quote:
Originally Posted by lollolz9
Have any of you been to Switzerland and can you recommend some good saunas / therme there?
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Yes. In Geneva, on the lake, there is a seasonal sauna at the Bains des Paquis. It is usually operating from mid- September to mid-May. In the summer, they dismantle the sauna and everything is part of the swimming area.
So, when you go there, you can rent everything or you can bring things with you. They have a Turkish bath (steam bath) which is functional all year long. They have a warm and a hot sauna (seasonal) and there is another steam room (seasonal). The seasonal steam room is all glass in front and you have a nice view of the sunning area and part of the city. The two saunas have large windows that offer a view down the lower part of the lake and you can see the cathedral and old city. It has to be one of the best views any sauna has! Outside the sauna are sunning planks where you can put your towel down, relax, read, have a drink, or whatever. On warm sunny days, it's great - sauna and a tan. Like many places, the crowds differ by day (and Tuesday is women only), but Thursday evening is usually pretty good for a mix of people and plenty of younger women. Most people are nude, but there are some Brits and Americans who show up in some sort of attire, which is allowed (unlike Germany, where you have to take off that bacteria-laden cloth to go into the sauna).
There is a restaurant adjacent to the sauna, called Buvette des Paquis. In summer, they serve a plat du jour for a very reasonable fee and they have all kinds of beer, wine, and other beverages available. It's a good place for breakfast or lunch. In winter, when the sauna is operating, they serve fondue made with crément (champagne that's not made in champagne). It's a great atmosphere if you like noisy, active places with good (but not expensive) food.
It's best to go to the sauna with someone - at least
I don't always like having people (men) ask me to wash their backs. I have taken a number of girlfriends there and they all liked it. Those without prior experience with a sauna and subsequent public nudity were usually a bit squeamish at first but found it a bit of a thrill as things went on. It is also nice when snowing (which doesn't happen so much in relatively warm Geneva) - you get your body temperature up in the sauna and then go out in the snowy air to cool off (many people jump in the lake, as well - they even have a high-dive).
My last visit was about a month ago when passing through. The weather was great - sunny in the late afternoon all the way to sunset. Thre was a good crowd, to include a number of late-20s to mid-30s women. Most are nice to look at. Sometimes we get in discussions, but I play by German sauna rules of no conversation / noise in the sauna, so conversations are outside or in the steam room.
Try it out (after summer is over).
