Dax, Thermal spa town in Landes, France
Dax is a town in the Landes department of southwestern France, set along the Adour River between pine forests and coastal plains. The settlement spreads across flat terrain with low hills, surrounded by farmland and crossed by several waterways.
The Romans founded a settlement here in the 1st century because of the hot springs, which were already used for healing purposes at that time. During the Middle Ages the town was fortified and served as a stage on the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.
The gates in the old center still carry traces of their Roman origins and frame the paths that run through the town today. Shopping streets follow these historical axes, while fountains flow with warm water from natural springs.
Most thermal facilities are located west of the riverbank and can be reached on foot from the center. The riverside promenade offers a continuous path along the Adour with benches and shaded sections for breaks.
At the Fontaine Chaude water bubbles from the ground at around 64 degrees Celsius, and passersby can dip their hand in without paying admission. The thermal mud basin on the edge of town is filled each year with fresh sediment from the Adour and then matures for several months.
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