Berceau de la Source A Reimagined History
Welcome to Le Berceau de la Source, a historic landmark of Bagnères-de-Bigorre’s thermal heritage.
Its location offers breathtaking views over the town and the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Nestled in lush greenery, this enchanting and elegant setting invites you to experience unparalleled wellness through naturally warm thermal water.
The hotel and its history
The history of Bagnères-de-Bigorre (from the Occitan banhera, meaning “the bath”) has been closely tied to thermal water since ancient times.
In 28 BC, under the orders of Emperor Augustus, Valerius Messala stationed his troops on a hill in Pouzac.
There, the Romans discovered the warm waters flowing from the slopes of Mount Olivet. They harnessed them, building baths and founding a town. This Roman city spread over an area at least half the size of present-day Bagnères-de-Bigorre.
During the barbarian invasions, Bagnères was a wealthy city — a status that led to its destruction.
For nearly a thousand years, thermal activity came to a halt.
It resumed in the Middle Ages, when numerous private and public baths began operating once again.
Les Thermes de la Reine
Through the centuries
in the 16th century, the aristocracy and intellectuals rekindled their passion for Antiquity and brought thermal bathing back into fashion.
A fashionable destination at the time, Bagnères welcomed Jeanne d’Albret, mother of Henri IV, on two occasions. The Bagnerolles spring, whose access required the sale of private land to the town in 1474 (the oldest written record of a spring in Bagnères), was renamed the Queen’s Spring in her honor after her visits in 1567 and 1571.
It was on this very site that the Thermes de la Reine were established — now reborn as Le Berceau de la Source.
The town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre was later awarded a gold medal for the quality of its water at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris.
Henri IV himself also stayed at the spa in 1581, accompanied by his wife, Queen Margot.
The famed writer Montaigne visited Bagnères in 1578 and praised its charms in his Essays.
In the 17th century, Bagnères was highly renowned, attracting prestigious visitors: in 1675, the Duke of Maine — son of Louis XIV — came accompanied by his governess, Madame de Maintenon.
However, the history of local thermalism is not limited to nobility. A large number of local people — peasants, merchants, and townsfolk — came to Bagnères for healing.
In the 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, the town still attracted many (with around thirty thermal establishments in operation), but the French Revolution brought noble attendance to a halt as many fled the country.
In the first half of the 19th century, Bagnères-de-Bigorre continued to shine, drawing renowned artists and spa-goers such as Lamartine, George Sand, and Mérimée.
The Watercolors of Blanche Odin
Starting in 1877, Blanche Odin regularly came to Bagnères-de-Bigorre for thermal treatments.
Having become a renowned watercolorist, she forever linked her name to the spa town in 1938 by donating 48 of her works to the city.
Famous for their vibrant floral compositions, Blanche Odin’s watercolors accompany you throughout the hallways of Le Berceau de la Source.
In his tribute to her, poet Paul Cardeilhac wrote of her flowers:
"The flower — a symbol of purity, youth, splendor, and delicacy — forever delights and consoles us."
From the Thermes de la Reine to Le Berceau de la Source
The revival of a historic landmark of thermalism in Bagnères
The Thermes de la Reine, the last private baths still in operation until the 21st century, were purchased by the town in 2019 and entrusted to the management of Semetherm Dt.
In 2025, the building became Le Berceau de la Source — a modern and elegant thermal resort combining a hotel residence, spa, and medically prescribed thermal treatments.
