Alantra advises the founders of WellNess and the Pechel fund on the sale of the French premium gym network to Waterland Private Equity

Jan 2025

Sell-side advisory

Paris – Alantra acted as the sole financial advisor to the founders of WellNess Sport Club and investment fund Pechel in the sale of WellNess to Waterland Private Equity. Founded in Lyon, WellNess Sport Club is a fast-growing network of premium fitness clubs operating in France and Switzerland, contributing to the expansion of the high-end segment in the fitness industry.

As part of the acquisition by Waterland Private Equity, the two founders of WellNess and Pechel have sold their entire stake in WellNess Sport Club. Building on WellNess’ success, Waterland aims to establish a leading premium fitness brand in France, with the ambition of expanding across Europe.

Currently present in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Île-de-France, western France, and Switzerland, WellNess strategically locates its clubs in city centers. The network already covers major cities such as Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and Geneva, with plans to expand to Lille, Toulouse, Nice, and beyond.

Each WellNess club offers a unique concept: state-of-the-art strength training and cardio areas, a dedicated wellness space featuring a pool, sauna, and hammam, an immersive cycling studio, and an extensive program of 160 group classes per week. The network stands out with its unparalleled group fitness offering, led by highly qualified instructors, and its wellness facilities, which are especially popular for aquatic classes. Spanning over 1,800 m², WellNess clubs feature stylish, modern interiors and cutting-edge fitness equipment. It is the only structured fitness chain in France and Switzerland to provide such a comprehensive range of services. In recognition of its exceptional offering, WellNess Sport Club was named Best Fitness Brand 2024 by Capital magazine.

Sébastien Duvanel, CEO of WellNess Sport Club, said: “Our gym network operates in a highly active and demanding premium market. This transaction presents a unique opportunity to continue expanding our concept in France and Europe, offering the best facilities, the best classes, cutting-edge equipment, and true comfort for our members.”

Laurent Clamaron, co-founder of WellNess Sport Club, commented: “We are pleased to have chosen Alantra as our advisor. Oriane and her team made the right decisions at the right time, demonstrating creativity, ingenuity, and determination in overcoming challenges. Their ability to anticipate, clear vision, and hard work saved us a great deal of time in closing the transaction.”

Jean Gore, Partner at Pechel, added: “We sincerely thank the Alantra team for their professionalism and commitment throughout this process. Oriane skillfully managed this transaction amid the complexities of shareholder sensitivities, leading to a promising partnership between WellNess and Waterland.”

Oriane Durvye, Managing Partner at Alantra, concluded: “We are delighted to have successfully executed this transaction, especially in a private equity environment that remains particularly challenging for consumer assets, even for high-performing businesses like WellNess. The strength of WellNess’s business model, its operational excellence, solid financial performance, and experienced management team, now partnering with Waterland, an investor with a deep understanding of market trends and a clear strategic vision, suggest a very bright future for the company.”

This transaction follows another high-profile deal in the European wellness sector, where Alantra recently acted as corporate finance advisor to Therme Group on its acquisition of Therme Erding, the largest wellbeing destination globally, located near Munich in Germany.