Today the idea of a European spa town carries with it the image of a polished monied élite. However Plombières in the earlier 18th century seems to have been quite a modest place with a wide range of visitors. The capacity of the baths was considerable and the costs of a cure, though real, fell within the grasp of most of the reasonably well-to-do. One imagines the little town filled with valetudinarians of all sorts - aristocratic travellers certainly, but also local gentry, lawyers, bourgeois ladies of Nancy, ecclesiastics and nuns, to say nothing of the charitable cases who populated the hospital. Soldiers were also conspicuous. In 1748 Louis XV had plans were drawn up for military hospital though nothing came of this so-called "projet de France". The Fermier des Bains François Géhin reports that nonetheless serving French soldiers were frequently sent to the baths and billeted on the bourgeois of the town; only the intercession of Mesdames finally put a stop to this inconvenience.
Amongst the nobility, Plombières, with its steaming baths and crowded guesthouses, had something of an evil reputation: "C'est le plus vilain endroit du monde". according to Marie Leszczyńska (as cited by Gaston Maugras, La Cour de Lunéville, p.339). Madame Adélaïde, sent off on a cure, reported gamely to her grandfather, "I did not find Plombières as deplorable as I had been told" (Letter 67, quoted by Boyé, Mémoires de la Société d'archéologie lorraine, Series 4, Vol.15 1922, p.288).
François Géhin observes that titled persons would often stay incognito, since there were no facilities to accommodate a decent household. The close knit aristocracy of Lorraine would have had ready access to nearby châteaux and ecclesiastical houses to break their journey and compensate for the hardships of their stay. In 1748, for instance, the duchesse de Boufflers planned to remain in Plombières for only a few days before moving on to the luxurious Château des Rohan in Severne. Many of the nobility would have counted the dames of Remiremont among their relations.and been able to enjoy the relaxed hospitality of the Abbey - where according to Dom Calmet there were a thousand servants. (The canonesses did not take religious vows but were allotted generous prebends which afforded them considerable luxury and personal freedom.) For the season, the dames had their Hôtel in the town, promising relatively comfortable accommodation, especially after it was fashionably rebuilt in the 1730s. It would also seem to have been a general practice for the well-to-do to bring their own personal physician rather than trust to local doctors.
For many, the informality of the baths and fountains was no doubt attractive. In 1761, at the time of the Princesses' visit, Fréron published a telling letter which praises "the innocent freedom ("cette liberté honnête") which is enjoyed at all waters, and which furnishes those who resort to them with an easy means of making acquaintances".
"Letter from a gentleman of the bedchamber to Stanislaus King of Poland, dated Luneville, Sept.22." Translated in The Scots Magazine, October 1761, p.525-7.
The record of individual curistes is inevitably patchy, especially for the early years of the century. Duke Leopold took a lively interest in the thermal spas of the Vosges, but does not seem to have visited personally. The affable Stanislas confined himself meeting his mistress or grandchildren and, despite his generosity to the town, clearly disliked the whole idea of exposure to hot steamy water. Other aristocratic visitors are mentioned in passing: Mme de Boufflers and her entourage; the marquise de la Ferté-Imbault; the princesse de la Roche-sur-Yon, who in 1748 came to take the waters under the direction of Stanislas's new médicin-inspecteur Deguerre. (Maugras, p.339).
Géhin picks out 1743 as a particular turning point in Plombières' fortunes. In this year two illustrious personnages, the Cardinal de Rohan, Archbishop of Strasbourg and the Marechal de Belle-Isle, the military governor of the duchies, both came to take the waters: as a modern plaque tells us, they stayed at the Hôtel des Dames. Géhin's point was not so much that these were high-ranking nobility but that the Cardinal was one of the first to "make himself known". Before this, says Géhin, relatively few people came to Plombières, and those mainly from Lorraine, but afterwards the resort became much more fashionable. (Relation de François Géhin p.362.)
A letter exists from the Cardinal de Rohan to Dom Calmet, addressed from Plombières at some time in the early 1740s. See Vie du TRP D.Augustin Calmet (1762) p.452.
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| The Bain Stanislas, former the residence of the canonesses of Remiremont. Images from Wikimedia. |
Here are a few other notable curistes from the earlier 18th century whose presence is recorded:
1702 Saint-Simon
The close links of the Court of Lorraine with the French royal family meant that the spa was well- known in Versailles and Paris. However, the inconvenience of the journey probably deterred many invalids, apart from those with good reason to lie low outside France. In 1700 Saint-Simon had visited the spa with his doctor Nicolas Andry. In 1702 and three succeeding years he then went regularly on pretext of "diverses incommodités" but in reality to dodge the two months he was obliged to spend with his regiment (Mémoires III, p.233).
1714 James Stuart
James Stuart, the Old Pretender, resided with his court at nearby Bar-le-Duc between January 1713 and March 1716 at the invitation of his cousin Leopold. James, who suffered from ague, piles and, in later life, like Louis XIV, an anal fistula, visited the spa in 1713. He returned in May 1714, expecting to stay three weeks, but left after ten or twelve days, presumably for political reasons, "giving out that the waters did not suit him". At the beginning of August, when he first heard news of Queen Anne's death, James rushed to Paris, but Louis XIV refused to break the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht and ordered him back to Lorraine. It was thus from Plombières that he issued his famous Protestation of 29th August claiming his right to the English throne.
1728 The duc de Richelieu (and Voltaire)
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"Voltaire aux eaux de Plombières". Illustration of 1901 by Maurice Leloir.
Sold by Librairie Pierre Chretien - Jean Izarn, on Abebooks. |
Voltaire is known to have visited Plombières in the company of the duc de Richelieu for several successive seasons in 1728, 1729 and 1730.
[Richelieu] was preoccupied with his health and in August 1728 went off to take the waters with Voltaire, who had secretly joined him in Paris in March after slipping over from London.... This time they went eastwards to Plombières instead of to Forges [ie.the spa of Forges-les-Eaux in Normandy] which they had previously favoured, and in September Richelieu returned to Paris to accompany the King to Notre Dame for the Te Deum in honour of the birth of a Dauphin. In 1730 he went to Holland to consult the famous physician Boerhaave as well as making the usual trip to Plombières, and in 1731 he spent six weeks in Belgium, trying the waters at Spa. … Richelieu spent a boring two or three years in miserable health, traipsing around his various houses and mansions at Paris, and Fontainebleau and Richelieu and Saint-Germain, often with Voltaire as his guest.
Hubert Cole, First gentleman of the bedchamber: the life of Louis François Armand, maréchal duc de Richelieu (1965) p.75-6.
Several published collections of Voltaire's verse include a poetic Lettre écrite de Plombières à monsieur Pallu, dated August 1729, in some versions 12th July 1729. (The general dating is confirmed by the poem's inclusion in a manuscript collection sent by Voltaire to Cideville in March 1735.) The recipient was Bertrand René Pallu, later intendant of Moulins, whom Voltaire first met in 1726 and who had helped arrange Voltaire's return from England. Richelieu is the "Alcibiades" whose amorous activities are described in the second half of the poem. After his spectacular lottery win in 1729, Voltaire no doubt found it prudent to retire to Lorraine. He was back in Paris by 12th August (see Pomeau, D'Arouet à Voltaire, p. 260 nt.13). According to Mathieu Marais (Journal et Mémoires, vol. iv, p.139-44) he was again with Richelieu in Plombières in the summer of 1730. Years later, in 1753, he wrote from Potsdam to Richelieu recalling that the waters of Plombières had done him good "when I had the good fortune to take them with you"[D5236].
(They evidently worked wonders for the inimitable duke: on 25th August 1786 he visited the Bastille where the clerk recorded that he climbed to the top of the towers "at the age of 90 years, 5 months 12 days". See Cole, p.280)
Mercifully, there exists an 18th-century English rendition of Voltaire's poem, which excuses me from attempting a translation! Besterman thought Voltaire may not really have been at the spa - but who could doubt it after reading his evocation of stormy weather, cruddy steam baths, tortured valetudinarians and coachloads of old ladies?
Epistre written from PLOMBIERES to Mr Pallu, Intendant of Lyons
FROM the bottom of that stony cavern I write,
Which lies between two craggy mountains vast height;
Where the sky is still black, and with clouds overcast,
And thunders oft burst midst the tempests rude blast;
Close to a hot bath, which still boils up and smoaks,
Where crowds of the sick are brought wrapt up in cloaks;
Where the splenetic mortal, disorder'd in brain,
Talks of his disease in the medical strain,
Bathes himself and besmoaks, and in hopes of a cure,
Can exquisite tortures with patience endure.
From this cavern, to which hags in crowds each day repair,
And expect to become once more youthful and fair;
Of virgins a few, a great number who fain,
Their virginity lost many years would regain;
Where their health to recover, or led by meer fancy,
Old cits in the stage coach come often from Nancy,
And of Commercy monks, a most numerous train,
Who appear from their manners the sons of Lorraine.
From this place, where languor and spleen still resort,
By letter at Paris I make my report:
Tho' Phoebis forsakes and inspires me mo more,
The aid of the graces and loves I implore;
Miscellaneous poems by Mr.de Voltaire, translated from the French by T. Smollet, T. Francklin and others. 1764. Epistle XII [On
GoogleBooks]
1735 the Président Hénault
The Président Hénault reports that in 1735 he fell ill from a "colique de foie" and was sent by his doctor to Plombières. Since he suffered several relapses, he was obliged to make four separate trips (
Mémoires, chpt.15) As it was the custom to spend two separate seasons at the spa, he took the opportunity to travel between cures. On the first occasion he was received by La Galazière at Lunéville and on the second he was the guest of the Bishop of Langres; in 1746, he accompanied Mme d'Argenson to Strasbourg and for his fourth soujourn he stayed with the marquis de Paulmy in Switzerland. In 1744, he also stopped off en route to visit Mme du Châtelet and Voltaire at Cirey; on this occasionVoltaire sent on a flattering
Épître to await his arrival in Plombières.
Hénault, who was a member of Marie Leszczyńska's close circle, seems to have visited the court of King Stanislas on a number of occasions.
The duc de Luynes, reproduces a letter of his from Strasbourg dated 12th July 1746:
I cannot tell you, Monsieur, how enchanted I am by the King of Poland!..... We regret everyday that we never saw Henri IV. Well, you only have to go to Lunéville, Einville, La Malgrange, to find him there. This prince is rational and cheerful in conversation, always full of pleasantries and stories; he has a good eye and the most fertile, agreeable imagination - as you yourself could judge if you saw all his houses, visited the singularities of La Malgrange, which are never ending and have increased since you were there. Since the latter is not at all built in our style, I ended up fearing I was in Turkey; but then I was reassured by seeing in the woods the figure of Saint Francis, rather than that of Mahomet.
Mme de Boufflers and Mme du Châtelet 1748
At the end of August 1748 a reluctant Marquise du Châtelet was obliged to accompany Mme de Boufflers to Plombières whilst Stanislas and Voltaire returned briefly to Paris. Stanislas, who feared his mistress might be bored, had also innocently invited her current paramour, the vicomte d'Adhémer to join the party. Mlle de la Roche-sur-Yon, had arrived on 16th August to take the waters under the direction of Doctor Deguerre (See Maugras, p.339). Voltaire's long-standing friend d'Argental and his ailing wife, who were regular visitors, were also in the town, though it seems that the duc de Choiseul, who accompanied them, had already fled in disgust.
Émilie spent ten miserable days in the town, bored and missing Saint-Lambert. She certainly did not appreciate the primitive conditions, complaining that they were housed like dogs: "We are lodged fifty in one house; I have a farmer general who sleeps next to me, separated only by a wall hanging; however quietly one speaks, everything can be heard, and when someone comes to visit you, everyone knows and can see right into your room." [D3739, To Saint-Lambert, 31st August 1748].
1754 Voltaire (again)
In 1754 Voltaire, then marooned in Colmar, decided that Plombières was a convenient safe haven to meet with Madame Denis, who had been writing since February that she wished to accompany the Argentals on one of their visits (D5653, D5658). On 9th June he left Colmar, where he had been languishing in bed for several months, taking with him only a single servant and a copyist. He intended to stop off briefly at Senones with Dom Calmet but, having been warned by Mme Denis that Maupertius and La Condamine were expected at the spa, he tarried three weeks with the Benedictine fathers.
From Senones he wrote:
"I will wait until I have recovered my health a little before I going for a cure at Plombières. I will take the waters though I don't believe in them, in the same way as I read the Church Fathers." [D 5860: To the marquise du Deffand, 2nd July 1754].
Finally, on 2nd July, with Maupertius safely departed, he resumed his journey, "with little faith in the waters, but much in friendship". When he arrived at Plombières on 4th July the Argentals were already there. It was a joyous reunion. Mme Denis and Mme de Fontaine arrived the following day.
Voltaire was to spent a happy three weeks in the little town. According to one young visitor from Dijon, the président de Ruffey, the philosopher's arrival inspired a great number of verses and songs. Voltaire himself gives a brief glimpse of a lively and convivial society at the now fashionable mid-century spa; he reports a "prodigious crowd", "the whole court of France"; the main activities appeared to be eating and gambling - "that's what they call 'taking the waters'" (D5850; D5881;D5897). Despite being ostentatiously sceptical about the benefits of the waters, he seems to have drunk at least once from the fountains, writing to Mme Denis that they would "wash out their blood" together (D5788).
For further details, see René Pomeau, De la Cour au jardin (1991) p.203-4.
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| "Residence Voltaire", 1 place du Bain Romain. |
The fullest account that I have been able to find is the summary given by the 19th-century doctor Léopold Turck in his book, Du mode d'action des eaux minéro-thermales de Plombières (1847), p.xxvi-xxvii::
Opposite the lower angle of the Arcades is the house where Voltaire lodged, in the chamber facing the road on the first floor [Residence Voltaire, 1 place du Bain Romain]. Two houses further up lodged the duc de Richelieu and later, at the time of the Empire, the queens of Spain and Holland; it was there that Montaigne too lodged, when it was called l'Hôtel de l'Ange. Opposite the pavilion of the Bain des Dames, chez M. le capitaine Lambert, the son-in-law of the former inspector of waters, M. Martinet, the Empress Josephine lodged [Maison Martinet (Maison Resal), today 4 rue Stanislas].
It was in the house of Madame Duroc[k], below the Arcades, that Stanislas himself stayed....Madame the duchess of Angoulême and madame the duchess of Orléans lodged in the pavilion of the Bain Royale.
On the side of the Arcades, opposite the corner of the Bain tempéré, chez mademoiselle Bourgon, lodged the chevalier de Boufflers, They have preserved his armchair, which also served Richelieu. It might even have served Montaigne since it was very old and came from the house where he had resided.
The "Residence Voltaire" which Dr Turck identifies, was up for sale in 2017, and is now, at least in part, an AirBnB. See Pascale Debert,
Couleurs XVIIIe [blog]
post of 27.03.2017 The American singer Louise Bialik commented on Instagram that she wanted to buy Voltaire's house; whether she did or not, I am not sure; but certainly she currently resides in Plombières.
References
Jean-Dominique Haumonté, Plombières, ancien & moderne (1905 ed.)
Appendix IV .p.361-87: "Relation de François Géhin, Ancien Fermier des Bains".
Société d'Art et d'Histoire, Plombières-les-Bains, "Les Hôtes illustres de Plombières-les-Bains"
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