Information is a bit hard to come by on this building, probably because I know only very basic French and therefore my Google search terms are limited. Designed by renowned architect Fernand César in the 1920s, the hotel closed down at a similar time to the other “wellness” hotels in the region, where spending a week in the forests and mineral water springs was replaced with cheap airfares to the beaches in Spain. In 2011 the building was bought by an Israeli businessman with plans to renovate it back into a grand spa and wellness centre but due to some shady deals and unpaid bills, the plan evaporated much like the steam in the spa. There is a rumour it will be turned into a retirement home but for now, it sits empty.
The explore
After a few hours in the car to this quaint old Spa town in northern France, this was the first of four hotels visited that day. After doing a walk around the area – there are four abandoned hotels within a 10 minute walk – we grabbed our gear and headed inside the building. A vast majority of the building had been stripped of walls and fittings, but the highlight was the old wrought iron elevator shaft sitting in the centre of the building.
The photos
Full gallery here (mild HDR warning): http://urbex.photosbydenn.is/fra-hotel-hercules/
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The explore
After a few hours in the car to this quaint old Spa town in northern France, this was the first of four hotels visited that day. After doing a walk around the area – there are four abandoned hotels within a 10 minute walk – we grabbed our gear and headed inside the building. A vast majority of the building had been stripped of walls and fittings, but the highlight was the old wrought iron elevator shaft sitting in the centre of the building.
The photos
Full gallery here (mild HDR warning): http://urbex.photosbydenn.is/fra-hotel-hercules/
01
02
03
04
05
06
