Solstice sauna | Dive into our Nordicness

In the last month, I swam in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Diable River and Lake Massawippi. I have done it with septuagenarians, teenagers, relatives and new friends. Together, we remade a world for ourselves.

In the Magdalen Islands, the Baigneuses de la Grave meet every day at 9:30 a.m. My heart swelled the morning I took two women over 70 by the hand to enter the the sea agitated by impressive winds. The rosy cheeks, the sparkling eyes, the playful smile, they were everything I hope to become. Stellars.

While we were enjoying the benefits of the biting water and the magical decor, Pauline-Gervaise Grégoire, the instigator of the group, told me that she didn’t understand why no one was creating facilities facilitating Nordic swimming in the area. . Tourists looking to connect differently with the territory would be happy to make the trip for that. After all, it can be seen elsewhere in the world.

It was while visiting Stockholm in 2017 that Frédérik Nissen discovered floating saunas which allow users to enjoy the heat before diving into the fjord. When COVID-19 struck a few years later, Frédérik and his partner Ismaël Ulvik had to put the activities of their gourmet guided tour business on hold. Floating saunas came to mind… Why didn’t we have anything like that here?

By doing research, the entrepreneurs learned that in Norway we are seeing more and more mobile saunas. Interesting ! When travel could resume, they went to Oslo to test 12 installations in six days. When they returned, they proposed a unique model in the country to the municipality of North Hatley: from October to May, they would install two mobile units on the shore of Lake Massawippi, namely a changing room and a small sauna. Interest was immediate and the two-year pilot project began in January 2023.

Since then, more than 2000 people have visited Solstice sauna. The duo is now working on similar installations for the Louise Basin, in Quebec City.

It’s true that the day is cloudy. On this Saturday in November when I visit Solstice sauna for the first time, we are close to the freezing point and the water is at 9°C. I am lucky to be accompanied by my lover – who has bathed in cold waters a few times –, my sister, her husband, their two children (the oldest of whom followed me once in the frozen river) and the latter’s blonde. This is because groups are welcome here.

“There is a lack of meeting places in winter,” adds Frédérik. In summer, we have parks, but when it’s cold, we isolate ourselves. And with teleworking, it’s worse. »

Its sauna is therefore a space to chat. Like in Finland, where they are dedicated to socialization. A few days before our meeting, an episode ofInfoman was precisely about the political use of saunas. Heli Suominen, head of communications for the Finnish Prime Minister, taught Jean-René Dufort that they are practical during difficult negotiations: “We abandon our daytime costume, so it’s easier to leave our roles and fixed ideas [de côté], then understand each other better. »

If no important decisions are made in the sauna, that day, we still respect the idea that we connect more quickly by sweating.

Six participants are added to my family. We spend the 75 minutes of the activity chatting, the 13 together or in subgroups. It has nothing to do with the “spa, silence, you have to relax for 20 minutes before doing another hot/cold cycle” experience that we are used to. In fact, when we get too hot, we jump into the water, go back into the mobile sauna, and then start again. Everyone goes at their own pace. My 13-year-old godson, at first very doubtful, takes a liking to it. My brother-in-law, my nephew and his girlfriend end up dipping their heads in the lake and coming out with their arms in the air, proud of themselves. My sister immerses herself for longer each time. Everyone evaluates their limits, tries to tame them, to go beyond them with daring or to respect them with kindness.

We are having fun. And, surprise, we never look at our cell phones.

This is what pleases Marie-Claude Lyonnais, a regular at the place who has visited it nearly ten times with her daughter Anya: “It’s a moment when the children confide in each other. There’s nothing to do but talk in a distraction-free environment. It allows us to live in the present moment. »

On a completely different level, she adds that she still hasn’t found a better combo than “alpine hiking, sauna and beer.” Anya says she appreciates the relaxation inherent in the exercise and the discussion with the participants: “I especially like the fact that it’s social! »

I understand it. Playing in a gang erases the gray of autumn.

Moreover, as we dive one last time into Lake Massawippi, the sky takes on its most beautiful orange colors. We watch the sunset, toes clenched and a smile on our lips. Then I hope to experience the beginning of something bigger than us, something like the birth of a culture that would invite us to explore our Nordicness hand in hand.

From December 27 to January 7, Solstice Sauna is organizing the Mobile Sauna Festival. Two new mobile saunas will appear on Pleasant View Beach, which will double the site’s capacity. A number of activities will be offered: yoga, guided rituals, conscious breathing workshops, New Year’s Polar Bath and even a 100% Scandinavian Nordic dinner.