This town in southern France is a health resort, famous for its mineral springs and its bottled drinking water. During World War II, it was the headquarters of the French Nazi-collaborators. What is the name of this town?

The town in southern France renowned for its mineral springs and bottled drinking water, which also served as the headquarters for French Nazi-collaborators during World War II, is Vichy. This historic location has long been celebrated as a health resort, with its natural thermal springs attracting visitors seeking wellness since Roman times. Emperor Napoleon III significantly developed Vichy into a premier spa town in the 19th century, enhancing its reputation for therapeutic treatments. Today, its bicarbonate-sodium waters are utilized for various health benefits and are famously bottled as Vichy Célestins mineral water, distributed globally.

However, Vichy's peaceful image underwent a profound transformation during World War II. After France's rapid defeat by Nazi Germany in 1940, Marshal Philippe Pétain established a new French government, known as the Vichy Regime, with the town of Vichy serving as its de facto capital. This government, although initially governing the "unoccupied zone" of France, pursued a policy of active collaboration with Nazi Germany until 1944. Under Pétain's leadership, the Vichy government enacted authoritarian and anti-Semitic laws, participating in the persecution and deportation of thousands of Jews to concentration camps, often independently of German demands.

The town's association with this collaborationist regime indelibly marked its name, creating a complex legacy. Vichy thus embodies a striking duality: a place celebrated for its natural healing waters and a site forever linked to a controversial and dark chapter in French history. Its name continues to evoke both its long-standing tradition as a health destination and the profound moral challenges faced by France during wartime.