Ange tells us about her mother/daughter Sunday morning at Sento Spa

Looking for an energizing yet relaxing activity with the kids? Sento spa offers family Sunday mornings! From 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the spa is open to children aged 8 and over, allowing families (or duos, as was the case for us during this pleasant mother-daughter moment) to unwind in an ideal setting for taking a break from the daily grind.

A well-kept secret

I already knew about Sento, having come to enjoy it a few times a year with my boyfriend. It’s our favorite spa in the Quebec City and Lévis area – a well-kept secret, because it’s never too crowded. Then I had a totally renewed vision when I came to spend a morning there with my daughter, who was discovering a spa for the first time. She was filled with curiosity about this new space that was opening up to her, prompting me to find out more about the place myself.

Inspired by wabi sabi

I’d already asked myself why I liked CE spa more than any other, why I feel so at home here. Firstly, I love its distinctive architecture, which blends the Japanese style (which differs from other Nordic/Scandinavian spas) with the Victorian style of the heritage building in which it is set. Le Sento is inspired by wabi sabi, which values “beauty in imperfection and humility in the face of nature”. This philosophy immediately appealed to me, and it’s evident in the ambiance of the place, in the choice of noble materials (stone and wood), and in the way nature evolves with the seasons. Nothing is imposed, everything is integrated. You feel as if you’re in a comfortable refuge, bathed in nature, set back from modernity.

In short, to return to this superb sunny Sunday morning with my daughter, it was with great enthusiasm that we slipped on our bathing suits and sandals for the first time this year (at the end of April!), to relax and enjoy a peaceful moment together.

More flexible rules

Another nice thing about family Sunday mornings is that some of the spa’s rules are more flexible for children, and they’re allowed to talk in hushed tones. As a result, we were able to share our impressions and discoveries of the thermal baths, sauna, hammam, salt cavern (the only one of its kind in the region – 30 minutes in the salt cavern is equivalent to a day at the seaside, it seems, and the well-being is there for the taking), chromotherapy yurt and so on. Of course, everything is adapted to the children’s abilities, with plenty of hydration, no great contrasts between hot and cold, and no prolonged periods in very hot spaces.

A soothing effect

So we slowly basked in the sound of water on the rocks, the smell of the wood fire, with the sun’s rays warming our light-starved skins (due to the late spring ha!). In the rest areas, my daughter seemed truly contemplative and amazed, definitely the place had a soothing effect on her, on us. She also loved the bubble baths in the little wooden tubs.

We rounded off our delightful morning with a meal on site, and it was the ramen bowl that had us salivating, and rightly so – it was tasty and made an extra nod to Japanese culture. Other light meals, homemade snacks, teas and herbal teas are also available.

We left in such a state of calm and connection (both of us) that we’ll definitely be repeating this rejuvenating outing!

Text and photos: Ange Hébert-Corriveau