Trying a Thai Massage in Paris

Let me confess something straight away. Personally, I have never fancied the idea of a massage. I remember once, on a visit to Bordeaux with my mother, she pleaded with me to go for a massage with her. I said no and watched a movie instead.

But today is different. It started with pain in my neck every time I moved. Soon the pain spread to my shoulders and lower back. Sleeping became almost impossible. At first I opted for the obvious solution – painkillers and sleeping pills. With my fear of injections and prescribed drugs, I managed to convince myself that I did not need to see a doctor. Predictably, it only made me feel worse. With every posture while praying, the pain in my legs increased. It did not hurt to stand upright, but the lower I bent, the more it hurt.

I decided that it was either a trip to a doctor or to a massage salon.

I found Ban Kasalong on Yelp. My criteria were location (15th arrondissement) and price (reasonable). I also wanted a massage salon opened on Sunday that accepted credit cards and, of course, enjoyed high ratings. On Yelp there were four reviews and all recommended Ban Kasalong and promised a “complimentary face massage” that should never be turned down. The owner was described as “talented, caring and friendly” — also a plus. But the main reason I chose Ban Kasalong was the customer who wrote that she “nearly burst into joyful tears” during her massage. I was sold.

Image credit: Ban Kasalong. 

I set out for Ban Kasalong on a cold Sunday afternoon and arrived there at exactly noon. To my surprised, it was closed. Calmly, I called the number on the door. I got the owner, who was very apologetic for the inconvenience and set an appointment for me two hours later. I used the two hours to grab coffee at the nearby Starbucks and stroll down rue du Commerce.

At 2:05 pm, I was standing inside the massage salon with the owner, Suree, who went over what they offered. One-hour massages were priced at €95, while a 90-minute massage costs €115. She asked where my problem areas were. When I described my pain, she recommended the 90-minute huiles aromatiques massage. During our small talk, after asking me where I was from and where I'd heard about her salon, she offered me a 90-minute massage for a discount price of €95.

We didn't converse much during the massage. I was humming to the music I was listening to, but every now and then she asked if it hurt and reminded me to tell her when it did. It was soothing most of the time, except when she put pressure on my ankle, upper neck, and lower back. When I complained politely, she explained that these areas shared a nerve that was knotted in the three different spots. Still, the unknotting was too painful. I asked her to stop. The rest of the massage was so relaxing that I could have slept right there. As the Yelp customers had predicted, I was offered a free face massage and took it without thinking twice.

After the massage a cup of tea and a piece of cake awaited me in the reception area. Suree told me she attended Thailand's best massage school where she learnt about the nerves in our bodies. Leaving the salon I felt much better than I had earlier that morning. I promised Suree that I would return so she could finish unknotting the nerves. I will definitely go back there in a week or two when I’m ready. And I will definitely recommend Ban Kasalong to friends.

Ban Kasalong
114 rue de la Croix Nivert, Paris 75015
Telephone: 01 45 33 99 72