hydrotherapy in France

Hydrotherapy in France
	France ............. is one of the first countries of Europe for hydrotherapy with 105 thermal spas and more than 1000 sources. The majority of them are in the southern half of the country, and much of them in zones of medium mountains. The two thermal areas of the Aquatherma group are Auvergne and Ardeche.
The country ............... Surface: 549 000 km2 Population: 66 000 000 inhabitants Capital: Paris Language: French Political system: democratic republic (constitution of 1958 having inaugurated the 5th republic). Administrative organization and policy:
level	Legislature	Executive power
national	Parliement (elected by the vote of all) + senat	Government
rgional	Regional Councils (elected by the vote of all) who elect their presidents	Houses of region
departemental	Departmental Councils (elected by the vote of all) who elect their presidents	Houses of department
communal	City Councils (elected by the vote of all) who elect their mayors	City halls
	Climate .............. climate is moderated, oceanic in the west, mediterranean in the south, continental in the interior and the North-East. Currency: since january 1st, 2002, the French currency is the euro (€). France is member of the European Union and adherent to the agreements of Schengen. The nationals of the European Union need the National Identity card or a valid passport, even out-of-date since less than 5 years to go there. People from other countries need a valid passport, some of them need a visa.
How to attend a hydrotherapic cure .......................................... For people living in France, the cure is refunded by the social security at the rate of 65 % (or 80 % in the event of hospitalization). The complement can be dealt with by private insurance company of health if you have one of them. There is a partnership between mutual insurance companies and thermal spas which makes it possible to facilitate the steps (www.thermalliance.com). The cure is prescribed by a general practitioner or specialist, and is accepted without preliminary agreement within the limit of a cure per annum. The medical cure lasts 21 days, including 18 days of care, and takes place in the station chosen in agreement with the doctor according to pathologies to treat. Several thermal spas have 2, even 3 therapeutic orientations. The patient provided with his ordinance of cure must reserve near the hydropathic establishment and of the structures of lodging. Except in the event of hospitalization, he (she) will go by his (her) own means to the place of his (her) cure. When arrived on the spot, he (she) yields with the administrative formalities and goes to a medical examination with a thermal doctor who establishes a program of care to him (her). A planning is then organized, and the next morning, the cure can start. A cure can be renewed several years of continuation, unbounded if the state of the patient requires it. In parallel of his (her) medical cure, the curist can follow, at his own expenses, seminars of care of comfort or esthetics which are not refunded but for which the curist gets preferential rates. school of the back stop-tobacco thinning anti-stress etc