The French have put faith in the curative powers of salt water for generations, believing it can heal everything from back pain to cellulite. Sarah Barrell takes the plunge in Biarritz

Therapy, by its very definition, is meant to be therapeutic: the restoration of mind and body administered by gentle healing hands. Whisper the word at a meditative pitch to conjure images of essential oils, massage and gentle soul-probing on soft cushions. But as I signed in for a thalassotherapy session on a chilly morning in the French coastal resort of Biarritz, it became apparent that somewhere along the line the “feel better” factor had got lost in translation.

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