Waterland Private Equity partners with WellNess to accelerate the growth of France’s leading premium fitness club network

Paris, 5 February 2025 – WellNess Sport Club is joining forces with investment fund Waterland to fuel its rapid expansion. Originally founded in Lyon, the premium fitness club network is growing quickly across France and Switzerland, strengthening its position in the high-end fitness market.

A Strategic partnership to build a market leader
Waterland Private Equity has acquired a stake in WellNess Sport Club with the ambition of making it the leading premium fitness club chain in France — and eventually across Europe. Already established in major regions such as Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Paris area, western France, and Switzerland, WellNess focuses on prime citycenter locations. Today, its clubs can be found in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and Geneva, with plans to expand into Lille, Toulouse, Nice, and beyond. WellNess clubs offer a unique, all-inclusive experience: cutting-edge strength and cardio areas, a dedicated wellness space featuring a swimming pool, sauna, and hammam, an immersive cycling studio, and an unrivaled selection of 160 group classes per week — delivered by top-tier coaches. A key differentiator is its outstanding wellness and aquatic class offerings, highly sought after by members. Each WellNess club spans over 1,800 m², combining stylish, contemporary design with state-of-the-art fitness equipment. It is the only structured gym network in France and Switzerland to provide such a premium, allencompassing fitness experience.

“Our network is thriving in a highly dynamic and demanding premium market. This partnership is a unique opportunity to accelerate our growth across France and Europe, offering the best facilities, the best classes, cutting-edge equipment, and unparalleled comfort for our members,” says Sébastien Duvanel, CEO of WellNess Sport Club.

“We are thrilled to bring our expertise to WellNess, building on our investments in LifeFit Group and FitOne in Germany, as well as our past involvement with HealthCity/Basic-Fit. WellNess’s positioning and commitment to premium fitness services are perfectly aligned with the key trends driving this fast-growing industry,” explain Louis Huetz and Pierre Naftalski, Partner and Investment Director at Waterland Private Equity.

“We would like to thank the management and teams at WellNess for their outstanding achievements since 2017. The network’s strong growth is a testament to their dedication and the strength of the WellNess model. We wish Waterland and the WellNess teams continued success as they enter this next phase of expansion,” adds Jean Gore, Partner at Pechel.

About WellNess Sport Club
WellNess is a premium fitness club network with clubs in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and Geneva, and is rapidly expanding across France and Switzerland. Named Best Fitness Brand 2024 by Capital magazine, WellNess Sport Club offers a unique concept that combines fitness, strength training, wellness, and an extensive range of group classes. Each club, spanning over 1,800 m², features dedicated spaces for different activities, including cross-training, strength training, cardio, cycling, and an aquatic zone. Members also benefit from a wellness area with a swimming pool, hammam, and sauna, as well as 160+ group classes per week, all led by certified coaches. For more information, please visit: https://www.wellness-sportclub.fr/

Press Contacts:
Naël Madi – waterland@the-arcane.com | +33 6 21 93 22 14
Laurence Van Doosselaere – vandoosselaere@waterland.be | +32 473 88 05 21