Fitness Challenges produces two magazines (Fitness Challenges and Coaches Challenges) as well as this annual event, attended by over 300 industry professionals. 22 sponsors exhibited at the event in the south of France.

Attending a presentation in the auditorium – with 3d glasses.

Outdoor dinner at the event

The exhibition

Busy exhibition space

Outdoor networking
Keynote speaker was Emma Barry of New Zealand (now living in Los Angeles) who has become a sought after expert in the boutique sector.

Keynote speaker Emma Barry
Fred Hoffmann, and American living in Paris, is also active on the global speaker circuit, and talked about technology and social media.

Fred Hoffmann presenting
Fitness Industry Insights: France
The French market has some strong chains, led by Basic Fit with about 200 installations (part of the Amsterdam publicly listed company with almost 700 own installations). However, there are more CrossFit lines (1200, see table).

Top 10 Fitness chains in France, Cross Fit is Nr. 1
Comparing studios and mid market clubs, a strategy canvas highlighted distinct differences, and a comparison of data across Europe shows that there is still plenty of growth for the French market.

Strategy Canvas: Studios vs. Mid Market Clubs

France vs. Europe market numbers
Recommended Reading: France Fitness Market
Shared by Christophe Andanson, Owner of Planet Fitness, and compiled by Roland Berger. A french study titled: “Le Sport, une industrie en forme! Les défis d’un marché en mutation”. A look into the diversity of the market and how new players are changing the ecosystem:
You can download the France fitness report here.
Thanks to a good drilling in grammar in high school in Toronto I am able to „flip a switch“ and speak/understand French even when only confronted with the situation/environment once per year.
Till next time!
Hans