Gymnase Club, the French chain that encompasses more than 200 facilities, has been acquired by Club Mediterranee, the French tourism giant, from its former owner, Nexity, for approximately $40 million. Founded in 1979 as a single club, Gymnase currently owns and operates 38 clubs under the Gymnase name; franchises 147 under the Moving brand; runs a number of upscale facilities in Paris under the Vita and Waou brands; and manages 15 on-site corporate fitness centers for companies such as Air France, Exxon, Renault, and Sony. A number of suitors had evidenced interest in Gymnase, which, following a difficult period, had renovated many of its clubs and rationalized its operating systems, making it an even more attractive property.
The acquisition is regarded as an astute move for Club Med, which will now be able to leverage synergies between the Gymnase clubs and its worldwide resorts. Among the possibilities that have already been discussed: the sale of Gymnase memberships to Club Med vacationers; the sale of Club Med vacations to Gymnase members; the use of Gymnase to maintain year-round contact with Club Med clients; the sale of Club Med’s extensive line of branded merchandise to Gymnase members; and joint training sessions for employees of both divisions. “With the acquisition of Gymnase Club, Club Mediterranee continues to pursue the strategy it has followed since 1998, focusing on the club concept, and the strong feeling of belonging felt by its members, enabling it to embody a whole style of living,” observes Philippe Bourguignon, chairman of the board of directors of Club Mediterranee. “Fitness will make an effective contribution to Club Med’s refocusing on the club concept and provide a coherent and legitimate contribution to the leisure offer given to the Club Mediterranee’s members, including those of Gymnase.”
Tops in Fitness in France
Operator No. of Clubs
Gymnase Club 200 (147 franchised)
Gymnasium 29 (11 franchised)
Fulltime Fitness 20
Forest Hills 13
Compagnie Bleue 3
Odyssee (Balance Fitness) 3
Source: Mintel research report
