Club Med Opio spa receptionists
Club Med Opio spa receptionists

In 2007 I was invited to Club Med Opio, which is 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Nice airport, high in the hills above Cannes, in a truly delightful corner of Provence. I quickly learned one of the most popular places is the spa, complete with a mosaic-tiled Hammam steam bath and sauna. Like most spas, this one offers a wide range of services. I signed up for a 35-minute relaxing massage with essential oils (it smelled like Citronella) for 62 Euros ($85).

I arrived for my appointment and one of the pretty receptionists handed me a robe and showed me to the men’s locker room. I put my clothes in a locker, donned the robe, and went out to the waiting room overlooking the beautiful Roman pool—and sat there with just my robe on, trying to make sure the dragon didn’t make an unscheduled appearance.

My masseuse was a woman, and she escorted me to the room. She said something in French, which I didn’t understand, and then said, “Voila.” Usually, after being led into the treatment room, the masseuse steps out so you can get your naked body on the table and under a towel so no one has to witness what’s beneath the robe. But when she said, “Voila!” again and motioned for me to get on the table, I gathered she was telling me to drop the towel and hoist my naked ass up onto the table.

I didn’t want to look like a prude American, and I figured I would never see her again, so I did as I was told and just …well, dropped the towel. WHOA NELLY! You should’ve seen this scene. I don’t know who was more surprised—the masseuse or my reaction to her reaction.

After I let it all hang out she let out a little scream and quickly turned around. I instantly grabbed the paper covering from the table and covered you-know-who. With her back to me and one hand over her eyes, she handed me some paper underwear. It turned out that the women at the front desk had “forgotten” to give me this important cover-up. Talk about embarrassing. Yikes!

To make matters even worse, their disposable underwear turned out to be a black thong! Nice little French flair, right? Wrong! I’ve never worn a thong before so I wasn’t quite sure which way it went on until I put it on the wrong way. Trust me, you’ll know. When I finally put it on the right way, I felt more naked then when I was actually naked. Oh my! This was one massage I won’t forget and it’s safe to say I won’t be going back to Club Med Opio anytime soon.

Club Med Opio pool
Club Med Opio pool
Club Med Opio spa receptionists
Club Med Opio spa receptionists
Club Med Opio spa pool
Club Med Opio spa pool
Excited for my Club Med Opio massage
Excited for my Club Med Opio massage
Club Med Opio massage table
Club Med Opio massage table

 

8 Comments On "A Massage I Will Never Forget — Club Med Opio in France"
  1. Debbra Dunning Brouillette|

    Sounds like the “dragon” was quickly tamed. ;) LOL! ROFL! You gave me my laugh for the day! This one will surely make it into both your “worst” and “most humorous” travel moments!”

  2. naoma foreman|

    Years ago I was a Club Med member and used to go to their Clubs “around the world” several times a year. Even won a contest once (from a female hair remover cream) which was any Club Med in the Western Hemisphere and $200. Have not been to one in eons because they changed from being “ADULT CLUBS” to “family clubs.” Had some great times and met a lot of wonderful people. Never had a massage at one in those days.

  3. sandalsdownunda|

    I had such a good chuckle at this post! My first massage was really awkward but also the best one I’ve had to date. I have yet to find a masseur as good.

  4. Mimi|

    Ah, the memories of Club Med are etched in my brain, along with the song “Hands Up.”

  5. claudia|

    best massage i ever had was at a beach hut in puerto vallarta, it was $50 for 1 hr for both my husband and i and the masseuses were 2 young small girls we never thought them capable of the vigorous massage they gave us! things can be very deceiving when you are abroad!
    I’m surprised they reacted so strongly at the spa, they are not easily scared of nudity in France!

  6. Andrea|

    So how was the massage??

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Not too good

  7. bj|

    My husband and I scheduled massages in a little spa town outside of Lucca Italy up in the hills, we were told to wait on the bench outside the spa and a 2pm someone who come for us. The whole little town was on lunch break so we waited as told, then 2 ladies came walking up the hill in their white clinical outfits and led us into what looked like a hospital ward from an bad italian movie, everything stark white, etc. Then we each went with our separate ladies into a very stark room, all white with a long table nothing on it but the cover sheet. She hands me something in plastic, I think it’s a shower cap, but she motioned (oh neither spoke english, and we no italian) that it was for me to cover my bottom (a paper thong) so after I figured it out and got on the table, she gave me a massage, breast and all with only olive oil, and it was the most relaxing one I’ve ever had. PS my husband had the same experience with the thong etc. We laughed all the way back to our villa and told the tail to our friends we were staying with, what a story.

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