More than 200 properties in France and Belgium will celebrate a ‘Weekend of Wellness’ 23-24 September, with mindfulness and movement activities including massages, workshops, cooking classes and tutorials.

Organised by Jean-Guy de Gabriac, founder and CEO of consulting firm Tip Touch, the weekend will include free events at day spas, beauty centres, thermal spas, thalassotherapy centres, yoga and Pilates studios, and martial arts centres to encourage people to experience what it feels like to be well – in the hope that they will want to do it again.

“Major professional associations and federations, such as CIDESCO France, CNAIB, and Label Spas de France are supporting this pro-bono event, precisely at the time when people need to boost their vitality and gain more serenity, as the days get shorter, dimmer and colder – as we know, winter is coming,” said de Gabriac.

The event has the support of many mayors and tourism offices in France and Belgium, and Regis Boudon-Doris, founder of Youspa, has announced that he will organise a Weekend of Wellness for Italy in 2018.

De Gabriac says he thinks the concept will grow throughout Europe.

“Mayors and tourism offices are clearly seeing the big picture of the rise of wellness tourism, wellness communities and well cities,” said de Gabriac.

Weekend of Wellness has also started a new social media campaign centred on the ‘Wellfie’ – a selfie people can create using two hands, which come together to create a ‘W’ for wellness.