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Reimbursement of a thermal cure: what French health insurance covers

Updated4 min read

Thermal package, travel, accommodation, sick pay: what is covered for a cure in 2026, on what conditions, and what you pay yourself.

It is the question that comes up most, and the one that attracts the most misinformation. No, a French thermal cure is not “free”. Yes, a substantial part is covered. Here is what, and on what conditions, for a cure prescribed in 2026.

The three basic conditions

To open any right to reimbursement, the cure must meet three conditions together:

  1. be prescribed by a doctor — your GP or a specialist;
  2. concern a condition recognised by French health insurance, within one of the station’s approved orientations;
  3. take place in an approved thermal establishment — which the Luxeuil-les-Bains baths are.

And one procedural condition that sinks a good many applications: the request must reach your fund before you leave. A cure started without prior approval is not covered, even if every other condition is met.

1. The treatments: covered, no income test

This is the foundation, and it does not depend on your income.

  • The thermal package (the treatments themselves, the establishment) is reimbursed at 65% of the agreed tariff.
  • The spa doctor’s fees, for the compulsory consultation at the start of the cure, are reimbursed at 70%.

The remainder is frequently covered by complementary insurance, often in full, sometimes up to an annual cap. That is the first call to make: ask your insurer what they cover on a thermal cure, because the answer varies enormously from one policy to another.

2. Travel and accommodation: means-tested

This is where most guests are disappointed, and it is better to know before setting a budget.

For a cure prescribed in 2026, your 2025 income must not exceed €14,664.38, increased by €7,332.19 for your spouse and for each dependant.

If you are below that limit:

  • Travel is reimbursed at 55%, on the basis of the second-class return rail fare, within the limits of what you actually spent. Whether you come by car or by train, that is the scale applied.
  • Accommodation gives a fixed allowance of €150.01, reimbursed at 65%, that is €97.50 for the whole cure.

Two honest remarks. First, that limit excludes a large share of retired spa guests. Second, even when you qualify, €97.50 covers a fraction of the real cost of three weeks’ accommodation. The help exists and is worth taking, but it does not change the nature of your budget.

3. Daily allowances: for people in work

If you are employed and the cure prevents you from working, daily allowances may be paid, under a separate and much higher income limit — €48,060 as of 1 January 2026. Your doctor must justify it, and the sick leave follows the usual rules.

What is never reimbursed

Plainly:

  • comfort extras at the thermal establishment (treatments outside the package, wellness services);
  • the local tourist tax;
  • your shopping, meals and travel while there;
  • the difference between the accommodation allowance and the real price of your let.

The steps, in order

  1. See your doctor. They complete the coverage request form (form S3110), naming the station, the orientation and the period.
  2. Send it to your health insurance fund. Include the income declaration if you are claiming travel and accommodation cover.
  3. Wait for the approval. No reply within the stated period generally counts as agreement, but do not leave without checking.
  4. Book your treatment dates, then your accommodation.
  5. On your return, send the receipts: the thermal establishment’s invoice, your host’s stay invoice, your travel receipts.
Keep your invoices We issue a detailed stay invoice as a matter of course, in the guest's name, with the exact dates, for both our cure lets. That is the document your fund will ask for. Ask your host for one if they do not offer it — some private landlords simply do not think of it.

The amounts change every year

Income limits, allowances and rates are revised annually, usually in January. The figures given here apply to a cure prescribed in 2026; they will differ in 2027.

We are not your health insurance fund, and this article has no official standing. Before settling your budget, call your CPAM or your scheme and ask what applies to your situation. It is a quarter of an hour on the phone that avoids a fifteen-hundred-euro surprise.

For the accommodation side, our rates are quoted as a three-week total, with no commission and no service fee: the figure you see is the figure you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Is a thermal cure free in France?
No. The thermal package — the prescribed treatments — is covered at 65% by French health insurance, with complementary insurance often covering the rest. Accommodation, travel and living costs are yours, unless you qualify under the income test.
What is the reimbursement rate for a thermal cure in 2026?
The thermal package is reimbursed at 65%, and the spa doctor's consultation at 70%. Travel, where covered, is at 55% of the second-class return rail fare, whatever means you actually used.
Is accommodation during a cure reimbursed?
Means-tested only. The basis is a fixed allowance of €150.01 reimbursed at 65%, that is about €97.50 for the whole three weeks: a contribution, not a refund of your rent.
What is the income limit for travel and accommodation cover?
For a cure prescribed in 2026, the limit is €14,664.38 of net annual income, increased by €7,332.19 per dependant. The figures are revised every year, and your fund has the final word — call them before fixing your budget.
Which documents should you keep after a cure?
The invoice from the thermal establishment, the invoice for your stay from your host — named and dated — and your travel receipts. Ask for the stay invoice when you book: not every private landlord issues one unprompted.

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