Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Baths

Just five kilometres down the valley from Courmayeur, the small town of Pré-Saint-Didier has been the site of thermal baths since antiquity. The modern establishment — the Terme di Pré-Saint-Didier — is a large open-air spa complex built around natural hot springs that emerge at 37°C. The setting is theatrical: pools and terraces are cut into a cliff above the Dora Baltea river, with the mountains rising steeply on both sides.

The spa is a popular end to a ski day in winter, and the combination of hot water and cold Alpine air is exactly as good as it sounds. The complex has both indoor and outdoor pools, steam rooms, waterfalls, and areas for relaxation. Entry is by timed session; book ahead on weekends and during school holidays when the queues can be long. The town itself has a pleasant historic centre worth a brief walk.

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A story
The thermal springs at Pré-Saint-Didier were known in Roman times, and the site was redeveloped in the nineteenth century under the Kingdom of Sardinia. The current architecture is largely Napoleonic-era, with the elaborate bath complex built between 1834 and 1837 following detailed surveys of the spring. The water emerges at 37°C.