In Vichy, the number of hair salons per capita rivals the largest French metropolises. So much so that the spa town ranks among the top cities in France for the number of hairdressers, just behind Cannes. But what explains this local passion for combing?
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Comparing the number of hairdressers in relation to the population, Vichy is the second city in France in terms of hairdressing salons, just behind Cannes. This ranking was established, using INSEE data, by Smappen, a young start-up specializing in the analysis of geographic data for the establishment of businesses. Some streets have up to four hair salons. By a hair's breadth, there are more than 80 salons for 25,800 inhabitants, which testifies to the attention of the people of Vichy to their hair beauty. “It’s a pleasant moment of relaxation”confides a customer who is a regular at Vichy salons. “We chat and escape our daily lives.”
Vichy therefore ranks second city in France for cut, curls and color, a phenomenon that astonishes even professionals. Candice Arnaud, hairstylist, comments: “It’s a small town. It’s not Lyon, Paris or Bordeaux. That surprises me a little.” The prize for the best-coiffed city goes to Cannes. To find out more, we visited the Carlton, one of the oldest salons in Vichy. “My mom came here for years. I followed her, and so did my sister,” confides a customer.
The scissors silver medal could be related to heritage or age. Marie-Claude, a loyal customer, comes to this salon every week. “At my age, it’s the only thing I have left”she jokes.
What if the profusion of hairdressers came from the city's roots? Philippe, a customer, gives his analysis: “During the glory days of Vichy, there were more than 100,000 spa guests. It's huge. Both men and women needed to be pampered, apart from the treatments of the cure. So we needed a lot of hairdressers for so many people.”
Didier, a hairdresser for over 40 years, brushes aside these arguments and goes further: hairdressing is a real treatment, a gesture that brings color back to life. “Often, when people come out of hospital or convalescence, their first visit is to the hairdresser, because it boosts their morale.”
In Vichy, the Allier river is very smooth, and with one salon for 313 inhabitants, gray, brown or white hair can be quietly tousled by the autumn wind.
