The
thermal springs of Mont-Dore, now numbering twelve, were known to the Romans. The modern thermal establishment, which was built in 1817 by the French architect
Louis-Charles-François Ledru, features Byzantine and Romanesque design influences.
Sodium bicarbonate, iron and arsenic are the principal ingredients of the springs, which are used both for drinking and bathing. Hot baths are characteristic of the treatment; they are believed to be efficacious for
tuberculosis,
bronchitis,
asthma, and nervous and rheumatic paralysis. Due to the elevation and exposure of the valley, the climate of Mont-Dore is relatively severe, and the season only lasts from 15 June to 15 September. The bath-house was rebuilt in 1891–1894. ==Ski resort==