We deliver hot tubs, saunas and plunge pools all over France and install them in all sorts of places – on terraces, in fields and vineyards, chateau courtyards, on the sides of mountains and tops of hills, in gites and hotels. And we always love to hear how people are enjoying them and to have photos sent to us – it makes our day to hear that our products make people so happy, relaxed and feel better and healthier. A lot of our customers are word of mouth; someone will get a hot tub installed and their friends or neighbours fall in love with it, and they will want one too! For us, we love that our small business is able to grow this way – through having a really great product, and providing a really great customer service – and that’s not me blowing my own trumpet – that’s our customers who say it over and over, and it’s absolutely something we take really seriously.
We recently had an email from Janine Marsh who bought her hot tub and sauna from us two years ago. “We loved it right from the start, it was life changing for us” she said, “and as time has gone on, it’s become a really cherished part of our lifestyle.”
We asked her to share with us why she loves her spa so much and how it’s made a difference to her life.
What made you choose Hot Tubs in France?
When we first came to France, it was a dream to have a hot tub. We bought a cheapish electric one on eBay and when we set it up – we had issue after issue. An electrical fault followed by a broken pump and then a leak. It was expensive to keep repairing it, and I kind of accepted that the dream wasn’t going to come true.
But I still loved the idea of soaking in a hot bubbling tub in the garden, gazing at the stars on a clear night, snowflakes falling on my head, cooling down on a sunny day. But I knew I’d never get an electric one again. One day browsing Instagram, Hot Tubs in France just popped up out of the blue, and I saw a photo of a wood-fired hot tub and thought it was a brilliant idea. So, I checked it out – loved the concept, and decided to go for it. And then I saw that you also have wood-fired saunas in the cutest wooden cabins like something out of a J R Tolkien Hobbit village! Like the hot tub, it was fine to go on a gravel base, which meant less work for us- no need to lay concrete! So we went for that too.
What was delivery day like?
Nicola, I don’t believe you can’t remember what a pain it was to get that sauna into the ‘perfect’ space I chose for it! Until you arrived and I saw the sauna, I really didn’t think at the time what a challenge it would be to get it down a narrow path and into position overlooking the garden in an area surrounded by flower beds and trees! When Tim walked the route and said “ok, we can do this” I was so happy. And our farmer neighbour and his dog came out to ‘help’ – basically telling everyone what to do on a rainy, cold day. And then all of a sudden it was all in place, Tim tested everything and when you left, we lit the fires, relaxed in the sauna, soaked in the hot tub and we knew immediately that it was one of the best things we’ve ever done.
How has it made a difference to your lifestyle?
When we lived in the UK, we used to love going to Center Parcs – the outdoor life, the smell of wood fires, the spa, the feeling of getting away from the stress of daily life. But we live in the middle of nowhere in France, the nearest town is many miles away, and the nearest spa? Forget it. Having our own spa, and I do call it that because technically a spa is something that offers some kind of relaxing or therapeutic experience, has made a difference year-round. It’s become part of how we spend our time, and we always have somewhere to go – whatever the weather. And it really helps us to switch off. We’re renovating our house, we garden a lot, we have four young rescue dogs who are full of energy, we have way too many cats, strays who just turned up, our days are busy running a website and producing a magazine, and I travel a lot for work while my husband stays home to look after the animals. Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done.
But we make time to hop in the tub several times a week and use the sauna regularly – especially on cold days. When I’ve been travelling it really helps me unwind. It makes us take time out just for us. Our spa is like a little oasis, and we love it. It’s easy to clean, cheap to run, we use wood from the garden a lot, we recycle the water, the only electrics are for the jets and lights on the tub, and lights in the sauna, but we prefer to sit in there with just the glow from the fire!
Soaking in the tub helps us to relax, sleep better, and feel better. The sauna has been a really big surprise. Regular sessions have made a difference to our skin and definitely makes us feel healthier. We love the smell of the wood, the feeling of being outdoors, being in nature, and having it right outside our back door is an absolute privilege and luxury, though it’s saved us money in the long run, as we’d actually rather stay home and have a soak, sweat and barbecue than anything else!
And, our neighbours were so impressed with the hot tub that, in fact, they ordered one too.
Thanks Janine – we love that you enjoy your hot tub and sauna so much!
If you’d like to soak in a tub, relax in a sauna, plunge into a cold pool or just find out more – we’re always here to help, answer questions and help you plan the perfect spot.
