Dreaming of a wellness break during your stay in Fez? A hammam or spa session will give you an authentic Moroccan experience and leave you with unforgettable memories, baby-like skin and total relaxation. And if it’s your first time, don’t hesitate to knock at the door of the Essencia Spa of the Palais Faraj for a gentle initiation.
The hammam, when a tradition becomes a love story
A direct descendant of Roman thermal baths, the steam bath known as the hammam has been known in Morocco since at least the 8th century, with the oldest surviving example found in Volubilis.
And it is indeed a thousand-year-old tradition that Moroccans are literally in love with. Ask them, and both men and women will tell you without hesitation: ‘Once you’ve tried it, you can’t live without it! Whether it’s a small neighbourhood hammam or a luxury spa, everyone has their own habits according to their tastes and budget, but it’s not unusual for enthusiasts to visit every week.
A place for body care, combining cleansing and relaxation, with a broad social dimension, bathing is a precious time for socialising and relaxing with friends and family. It is also the setting for religious or social rituals, such as the hammam of a young bride with her friends and family just before her wedding.
An ancient skincare ritual based on natural products
While contemporary spas offer a wide range of high-end treatments, including marvellous massages, the popular hammam sticks to the very essence of the ritual: preparing the skin with steam, scrubbing, body and hair care with clay or henna, then moisturising the skin and resting.
Each stage is an opportunity to use the treasures offered by the Moroccan terroir.
Black soap, or beldi soap
Attention, national treasure (and pride)! This is THE secret to soft, perfectly exfoliated skin. Its recipe has remained unchanged for centuries: black olive residue crushed and worked with salt, potash (from wood ash) and water.
It is applied all over the body after a quarter of an hour in the hottest steam room, followed by a deep, vigorous exfoliation of the skin with a scrubbing glove called a kassa. It leaves the skin soft, supple and clean.
“Washing clay”, or rhassoul
This volcanic clay is extracted from the world’s only known deposits in the Middle Atlas Mountains, around 200km south of Fez. Its name means ‘which washes’ in Arabic, and it is renowned for its very high absorption capacity and great gentleness.
In the hammam, it is diluted with water, sometimes scented with floral water, and applied as a paste to the body or hair. It cleanses deeply by absorbing sebum and impurities.
ess.
Henna, the green gold of the desert
Originally from Mesopotamia and southern Iran, henna was already used on mummies in ancient Egypt. In Morocco, it is found in the desert regions, notably in the Drâa Valley.
Today, it is known the world over for its ornamental use on the skin in ephemeral tattoos. In the hammam, it is used for hair care and dyeing, but also on the skin for its antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Argan oil, the beauty elixir
This precious oil is extracted by cold pressing the nuts of the argan tree, native to the Agadir region.
Used in cooking in its roasted version, it is extremely rich in essential nutrients for the skin and is a big hit in the cosmetics industry for its moisturising and anti-ageing properties. In the hammam, it deeply nourishes the skin after treatments and can be used for massage.
Essencia Spa of Palais Faraj : the spirit of the hammam, the luxury of treatment
An authentic Moroccan atmosphere, top-of-the-range treatments, qualified staff, a personalised welcome and all-natural, certified organic treatment products make our spa an exceptional place to spend a moment of relaxation and well-being in total serenity.
To schedule your treatment in our Essencia Spa, take a look at our services online or ask directly at the spa.
