La représentation des sexes dans le milieu thermal

Abstract

Although somewhat neglected by researchers, the spa environment is nevertheless an interesting field to investigate through the study of gender representation, whether it be through geography or management sciences. Carole Carribon began to show interest in this question but her works are primarily about the Belle Époque and the Roaring Twenties. This article completes her precursory work (Carribon, 2009, 2011) by focusing on the medical use of spa, formalised in 1947 with the creation of Social Security. After presenting our methodology, we will consider if men’s and women’s viewpoints diverge on the thermal practices of today, whether at the level of crenotherapy or that of well-being. Finally, we will explore the communication methods employed by spa establishments. Is the feminine figure always at the heart of their marketing? If so, has her representation evolved? In conclusion, we will show that spas continue to cater to the feminine, albeit with changes to the way in which they treat the feminine figure in line with changes in society and an increasingly present masculine clientele in the wellness sector.

Keywords

• spas
• well-being
• gender
• spa communication
• tourism practices