An entire house
between Lyon and Saint-Étienne
For two people, in a spa town awarded the Plus Beaux Détours de France label. On the agenda: a bath room on the ground floor, a kitchenette on the first floor, a bedroom above the rooftops.
Where to find a room with a private jacuzzi
Looking for a room with a private jacuzzi in Rhône-Alpes often means hesitating between several départements. The Loire has its riverbanks, the Rhône its built-up area, the Ain its hills and the Isère its mountain ranges. Saint-Galmier belongs to the first of these but is easily reached from the others. The town lies about twenty-five kilometres from Saint-Étienne, an hour from Lyon, and fifteen minutes from the Château de Bouthéon.
Au Creux des Bulles is not a hotel room. It is an entire townhouse, 4 impasse Saint-Roch, rented to a single group, two people maximum. This detail changes the way you stay. You have three levels: a dedicated bath room on the ground floor, a kitchenette and a round table on the first floor, the bedroom on the top floor. No neighbours on the landing and no fixed breakfast time. Booking is done online.
Placing Saint-Galmier on a map
Saint-Galmier lies in the Loire département, east of the Forez plain and north-west of the Monts du Lyonnais. The Coise, a small river, runs through the commune. The Saint-Étienne built-up area begins about twenty kilometres away. Lyon is about an hour’s drive. Montrond-les-Bains and its thermal establishment are about ten minutes away, the Château de Bouthéon a quarter of an hour, the Loire gorges and the Lac de Grangent twenty-five minutes.
If you arrive by car, access is via the motorway or the departmental road from Lyon or Saint-Étienne. Parking is free on the street, with no reserved space. If you are hesitating between a town address and a village address, note that Saint-Galmier is a town of character: fourteenth-century ramparts, a church built between 1420 and 1471, a 7,000 m² rose garden beside the Coise. All landmarks that help you decide.
An entire house rather than a room
When looking for a private bath, the question of privacy soon comes up. An entire house means the bath is not shared with other travellers. The whirlpool bath occupies its own room on the ground floor, with chromotherapy, a textured midnight-blue wall, a countertop basin on a light wood unit and a heated towel rail. This layout has a practical advantage: the bedroom stays upstairs, away from the damp and the noise of the pump. You sleep in a dry, quiet space.
The rest of the accommodation confirms the approach. On the first floor, a kitchenette with a ceramic hob, microwave, mini fridge, wine glasses and crockery, along with a round wooden table for two. No oven or washing machine. On the top floor, the bedroom: sage green and water green walls, a king-size 180 bed, a painted headboard, wooden wall lights, a large screen with national channels, a window over the rooftops. The bathroom with shower and WC is on the same level. Arrival is self-check-in via a key box.
Forty minutes around Saint-Galmier
Within a forty-minute radius, there is plenty to choose from. At about twenty-five minutes, the Loire gorges and the Lac de Grangent offer views over the water and hiking trails. The Pilat Regional Nature Park is about forty minutes away, with its fir forests and mountain passes. The Forez golf course at Craintilleux is nearby. Saint-Étienne brings together museums and cultural venues at twenty-five minutes. Lyon, an hour away, completes the picture for a day in the city.
Closer to home, Saint-Galmier has its own spa history. The Badoit spring rises in the commune; Saturnin Badoit began exploiting it in 1837. A public draw-off kiosk lets you stop there. The façade of the old factory is a listed historic monument; tours of the factory only take place on weekdays, as production stops at weekends. Also worth seeing: the ramparts, the church and its stained glass by Alexandre Mauvernay, the rose garden, the Joseph Desjoyaux racecourse, the Le Lion Blanc casino. Pierre Marion works blown glass there.
What this address offers you
The renovation has introduced light wood, white and eucalyptus green. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi and heating are installed. Linen is provided, beds are made, with one towel per person. In the bathroom, shower gel, shampoo and soap are available. A few coffee capsules are included. The house has a rating of 4.79 out of 5 from 28 reviews. For a stay for two in Rhône-Alpes, these details weigh in the decision.
Then there is the question of choosing between several départements. A hotel room offers nearby services and a permanent reception. An entire house offers flexibility on timings and on how you move around the accommodation. Au Creux des Bulles falls into the second category, with the limit of two people that guarantees a stay for two. If you are still hesitating, start by checking your travel times from home to Lyon and Saint-Étienne: Saint-Galmier sits between the two.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Saint-Galmier in relation to the main towns of Rhône-Alpes?
The commune is in the Loire, about twenty-five minutes by car from Saint-Étienne and about an hour from Lyon. Montrond-les-Bains is about ten minutes away, the Château de Bouthéon about fifteen minutes, the Loire gorges and the Lac de Grangent about twenty-five minutes, the Pilat park about forty minutes. A central location for exploring.
Is the whirlpool bath truly private and in a dedicated room?
Yes. The corner whirlpool bath occupies an entire room on the ground floor of the house, with chromotherapy, a textured midnight-blue wall, a countertop basin on a light wood unit and a heated towel rail. As the house is rented to a single group, two people maximum, use of this room is reserved for the guests present. The bedroom is upstairs, separate from the bathroom.
What activities can be reached within forty minutes maximum?
Within that radius, you will find the Loire gorges and the Lac de Grangent, the Pilat Regional Nature Park, the Forez golf course at Craintilleux, the town of Saint-Étienne and its heritage. Locally, in Saint-Galmier, there are the fourteenth-century ramparts, the church with its stained glass, the 7,000 m² rose garden, the racecourse, the casino and the Badoit spring draw-off kiosk.
Can you book for more than two people?
No. The house is rented to a single group, two people maximum. This limit is part of the spirit of the place. It guarantees an entire house for two, with the bath room on the ground floor, the kitchenette and the round table for two on the first floor, then the bedroom on the top level. Booking is done online.