Time For Reflection
At a wellness clinic beside pristine Lake Geneva, Lucy Halfhead enjoys healing treatments for body and soul
Whizzing silently in a blacked-out Mercedes along the north shore of Lake Geneva, gazing at scenic views of Evian-les-Bains and the Unesco-listed Lavaux vineyards, I immediately felt a sense of calm descend after a hectic family Christmas and over-indulgent New Year. I was bound for Clinique La Prairie, an ultra-luxurious Swiss medical and wellbeing retreat. Founded in 1931 by Professor Paul Niehans, it has since hosted world leaders, royalty and Hollywood celebrities, all looking for the secret to a longer, healthier and better life. (Of course, privacy and discretion are paramount, so the clinic won’t name any names, and all the buildings on site are linked by underground tunnels to shield high-profile guests from prying eyes.)
While some areas of Clinique La Prairie are spaceship-like in their modernity, with brilliant white curving walls and floor-to-ceiling windows, my room was in the original part of the clinic, whose peach-coloured corridors and electronic keys with tassels and smiley faces made it feel as though I’d stepped into a Wes Anderson film. The spacious suite came with a huge bed covered in thick linens and a pillow menu – I chose the youth-restoring option, a super-soft cushion treated with vitamin E, apparently excellent for preventing wrinkles. There was a bowl filled with colourful, nutritious fruit, including finger bananas and lychees, and a balcony offering calming views over the manicured gardens, the small harbour and the moody waters of the lake beyond.
I had signed up to sample the week-long Master Detox programme, designed to eliminate toxins and rebalance the mind, so I put on a towelling robe and slippers and made my way to the main spa area. Here, the serene swimming pool is flanked by Jacuzzi beds, a sauna, a steam-room, an ice fountain and a walkway lined with large pebbles that stimulate pressure points on the soles of your feet. There’s also a relaxation-room, where I spent a restful hour lying on a water bed with a massage function, wearing headphones that play classical music on a loop.
That afternoon, I was met by the clinic’s charming nutritionist Christine to talk through the nourishing menu that I would be served over the coming days. The regime kicks off with three days of vegan dishes, and a ban on alcohol, processed sugars and caffeine (for anyone suffering from coffee-withdrawal symptoms, a potent brew made from chicory is available as a substitute). As well as a special detox tea served four times a day to flush out my kidneys and liver, I was to expect lots of plant protein, vegetables, fruits and wholegrains at every meal. On the first night, this translated into a surprisingly delicious three-course dinner of vegetable soup, glutenfree pasta filled with hummus and whole chickpeas with a tomato and basil sauce, followed by warm berries and a puréed fruit sorbet. Each meal was washed down with a large bottle of hydrogen water, whose pH is believed to boost energy levels and slow down the ageing process. The breakfast buffet was another highlight: I was taught to put together a healthy plate by choosing one third proteins (tofu, tempeh, homemade chia bowls) and one third wholegrains (gluten-free toast or oats for porridge), with the remainder made up of fibres, vitamins and antioxidants from fresh or poached fruits.
Of course, at Clinique La Prairie food is only half of the story. The next expert I crossed paths with was Nigel Franklyn, also known as the ‘Spa Whisperer’, whose job it is to travel the world in search of the most innovative therapies to bring back to Switzerland. On his recommendation, I embarked on a whirlwind of treatments, from the traditional (reflexology, lymphatic drainage and herbal compresses) to the pioneering (a Hydrafacial and red-light therapy). I also tried cryotherapy for the first time – three minutes sealed in a chamber cooled to a temperature of minus 130 degrees, wearing only underwear, boots and mittens – and noticed a significant reduction of muscle pain and increased energy in the days that followed. But it was the Tibetan shirodhara massage, an ayurvedic ritual during which warm oil is dripped onto the forehead – or ‘third eye’ – that made the strongest impression, leaving me clear-headed, calm and utterly relaxed.
To complement the spa programme, I attended daily mat Pilates and stretch sessions, ventured out of my comfort zone with an aerialyoga class, and went for long, meditative walks around the lake, with only ducks and the odd seagull for company. The final piece of the puzzle was a ‘heavy metals’ test that revealed I had a magnesium deficiency, followed by a nutritional presentation by the in-house dietician Olga, who advised me to supplement my meals with nuts, seeds and spirulina powder. By check-out, I was looking healthier and feeling brighter, and I left determined to keep up the good work at home. If, like me, you believe that the foundations of your health lie not only in your DNA, but also in the hands of the professionals you trust with them, then Clinique La Prairie is ready to welcome you with open arms.
Clinique La Prairie (www.cliniquelaprairie.com); the week-long Master Detox programme starts from about RM 79,000.