He discovered that he had “healing hands” in his 20s, when he would often massage friends and acquaintances – one was Picasso, who later tried to hire him as his personal masseuse. Another fan was the mafia boss who offered Pallardy £1m to work exclusively for him He refused both. In the 1970s he treated the billionaire obsessive-compulsive recluse Howard Hughes. His own brand of unshakeable conviction plus an ability to deliver brutal truths with cheerful affection have played a big part. Also, I am sleeping well for the first time for years.”There is no shortage of people with similar stories.

But it’s not just advice on healthy abdominal practices that has led to regular appearances in the pages of Paris Match. “Pierre was very strong with us when we started,” declared the wife as they were about to leave. “‘You have read my books,’ he said, ‘but here you are having coffee and orange juice. Why?’ When he did the massage, he was not gentle.” Now, however, they couldn’t be more full of praise “The food was wonderful,” says the husband “We both have so much more energy. When I came I had a pot belly, now it is gone.” His wife was equally enthusiastic: “My neck and back have been painful ever since a car accident some years ago Now they are so much better. What had he seen that I wasn’t even aware of?I’d certainly fared better in my introductory session than two French school inspectors, a husband and wife, who had arrived a week earlier. There were tips on breathing exercises, an observation that my metabolism was fast, so I might be short of certain vitamins and minerals, and there was a warning to eat more slowly.

The feared massage was firm but not uncomfortable, with only a couple of twinges. I didn’t get away entirely scot-free, however; unless I sorted out certain still rather mysterious imbalances in my stomach, I could look forward to a chronic disorder 10 or 15 years down the line. Avoid the usual dietary suspects, take your time over your meals and chew food slowly: “Saliva is the best medicine in the world.”Personally, I felt pretty healthy, but I wasn’t entirely relaxed as I stood in front of Pallardy. He is a stocky figure in his 70s, but looks a decade younger, with a visage that’s more boxer than healer; he’s a dead ringer for Gene Hackman. I had been waiting outside the treatment room in the chic French resort of the Isle de R?off the west coast, when the previous client emerged She looked close to tears. “That’s one of the most painful things I’ve had done to me,” she croaked, as the rest of us waiting pressed her for details.My own session wasn’t such an ordeal.