Angela is a fitness enthusiast. At 60 years old, she is full of energy. As soon as she finishes an aquagym class, she moves on to a jumping session. For forty-five minutes, exercises on a trampoline fixed in the pool at Aquaboulevard in Paris (XVe) follow one after another. “The coach is in the water with us, correcting our movements. We also have fun. In the evening, it feels like being in a nightclub,” she smiles before diving in.
Since the beginning of the school year, Europe’s largest urban water park, opened in 1989, has been offering a new range of water-based sports activities. This is the work of Vital’Eau, a start-up that “develops pedagogical methods for children and innovative aquatic activity concepts,” explains Jérôme Lessert, the president.
Among the twenty or so classes offered are Aqua Pilates, circuit training with a trampoline, boxing in the water, and even longe-coast in the outdoor pool. Some concepts are “unique in France.”
By partnering with this company, which has been operating in Verrières-le-Buisson (Essonne) for fifteen years, Aquaboulevard now offers 2,500 swimming lessons for children aged 4 and over, and over 7,000 places for water sports.
To reduce the site’s energy consumption, Vital’Eau does not overheat the water and recommends that children wear a suitable wetsuit.
This new offer, sponsored by former Sports Minister and former swimming champion Roxana Maracineanu, has attracted Dorothée, a mother of an 8-year-old girl who lives near Convention (XVe). “I was looking for swimming lessons for my daughter on Wednesday afternoons. It’s not easy to find a spot in Paris.” Julie, who is taking a class while her daughter learns to swim, shares the same sentiment. “I am doing a cardio and muscle strengthening class.”
Each session is broadcast on a large LED screen adapted to the aquatic environment. 2,500 exercises and 250 complete sessions have been recorded. “The coach no longer strains himself by giving demonstrations and performing movements. He is close to the practitioner and supports them,” highlights Jérôme Lessert.
This day, Alexis, a 25-year-old instructor, leads the sports sessions in the indoor pool at Aquaboulevard. “I am in the water during the classes and not on the platform. The clients follow the class on the screen and I come to help them if needed,” comments the young man, who can work a whole day without getting exhausted. “We get to know everyone, it’s very friendly.”
The start-up has invested over 200,000 euros to establish itself in the south-west Parisian water park and has already committed to three years within the facility. “It was a shame to see such a place closed at certain times of the week,” remarks Jérôme Lessert. However, this additional activity is controlled from a consumption point of view. Heating the pools is a real issue.
Children are offered the option to wear a suit designed by Decathlon (the store is located on the ground floor) specifically for this offering, at the expense of the parents. “They are more resistant to chlorine in the long term,” explains the manager. Safety is also a priority, with “adapted armbands and the possibility for parents to attend the classes.”
In terms of pricing, an unlimited monthly subscription for an adult costs 49.90 euros (or 29.90 euros per month for two weekly sessions), and an annual package (September 4th to March 31st) for children costs 340 euros.
In just a few days, without any marketing campaign, Vital’Eau has registered the enrollment of a hundred children and several dozen adults. The goal is to reach one thousand subscribers of all ages by the end of the season. “The idea is to create a buzz in the heart of Paris for people who want to swim and burn calories even in winter,” concludes the director.
This new offer brings new life to a site that is eagerly awaiting renovation. By 2026, Aquaboulevard is expected to undergo significant redevelopment work estimated at several hundred million euros, including increasing the commercial area by 4,500 m2, modernizing the sports center, cinema, and improving access to the Suzanne-Lenglen Park. It’s more than just a fresh coat of paint.
