Aromatherapy - France

[soawlisee]

Hi - I am new to Healthy Pages. I will be moving to France in September and wandered if anyone had any information regarding working as an aromatherapist in France or practising Indian Champissage. I know you have to be careful using the word massage there!

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Sue

 

[coffebean]

hi,

since I am French and regularly visiting, I think I can advise you.
I have researched the matter for some time, and here it is:

the Uk and Ireland are the only European countries were you can practice legally as a therapist: self-employed person who gives a treatment aimed at healing/helping to heal or improve a physical problem.

In France: don't even think about it. The medical lobby is the strongest in the world, the pharmacetical companiea very powerful, ie: they have entire monopoly on the care of people with health problems.

For massage, yes avoid the word like the plague. Only Physiotherapists (kinésithérapeutes) have the right to give a massage. Personnaly I think this is a joke as having been through quite a few physio as a child in France, I was never given a massage! only made to do some exercises by bossy physios, a very unpleasant experience.

Having contatcs with some shiatsu (etc) practitioners inFrance, I can tell you what they told me: a physio even found himself sued and condemned because other physio were jealous of his massages (probably more holistic than clinical)!

HOWEVER, there is hope: you must target the (only legal) area of "well being" (bien-être), and the salons where you may find work are called Spas (they are not what we call spas in the UK, the water clinics are called "thermes"). You can go self-employed as well, but it may take some time to make people understand what you actually do....

To have an understanding (I hope you understand French), enter "spa+aromathérapie+reflexologie" in google.fr, adding the name of a big town, and you will see a result of spas.

This sector is booming in France, I have just been told.

The difference in philosophy with the UK is that here you go to a "treatment room", where the therapist can talk about and has experience with health problems, whereas in France, the essential idea is "we all need to have a bit of delight and touch with nature".The Health aspect is still included, but it is rather like an "obvious" concept.

So, I hope I have not discouraged you....where are you moving to?

 

[Getspaferhate]

Hello Fadette,
Many thanks for your very informative reply.

I had thought that this was the case. Perhaps I will just look after the bien-etre of my closest friends and not practise after all.

I am enjoying the courses. We are moving to a small village in Pas de Calais - Ligny sur Canche. Do you live in France or England?

Thanks again.

Sue

 

[...Ashley]

I live in England (south west

concerning your practice of aromatherapy: you could still practice in a "spa" or advertise for your services but need to be very cautious in the brochure you give; use words like "modelage du corps; enveloppement aux huiles essentielles...". Any problem/question, you can email me!

 

[frostyg02uk]

Unless you are a doctor, you cannot be an aromtherapist in France unless you want to be burned at the stake or worse. I hear most AT is underground there. I feel it is unethical to practice where it is 'illegal'.
It's your choice - just do massage or learn reflexology!
Good luck.