Lily of the Valley, which we’ve already introduced to you on several occasions, has been a Luxe Wellness Club favorite since it opened in 2019. It continues to create sensations, and to move us, with each of our stays… This hotel blends pleasure and well-being, as its owner Lucie Weill told us when we first met. Philippe Starck‘s creative imprint combined with this unique setting makes this an extraordinary destination with a strong aesthetic dimension. What about wellness? Pascal Languillon, director of Luxe Wellness Club, gives you the full story of his three stays at Lily of the Valley in 2019, 2022 and 2024! Good to know: Luxe Wellness Club guests benefit from a guaranteed room upgrade.
A different Côte d’Azur: away from the crowds
Located just a few kilometers from Saint-Tropez, the Lily of the Valley hotel’s first surprise is the calm and beauty of its natural surroundings. It is surrounded by greenery, right in the heart of the green lung of the Var coast: Cap Lardier. I was immediately struck by the ubiquitous vegetation, and particularly appreciated the hotel’s successful integration into its surroundings. Another highlight, perhaps even more striking, is its exceptional panoramic view of the sea and the Levant island in the distance.
Gigaro beach is just a few minutes away by shuttle, and here again, the panorama is a complete surprise. A beach so unspoilt on the Côte d’Azur? I didn’t think it was possible. Our stays took place in December 2019 and November 2022 respectively, so we were able to enjoy the beach almost alone with our coach, multiplying that wilderness feeling tenfold.
Ultra-cosy rooms with soothing views
From one stay to the next, we’ve had the pleasure of discovering rooms of different categories, which will enable us to guide you according to your preferences. Choosing a room is always very personal. In 2019, I stayed in room number 16, a “Deluxe Mer” room, about 35 m². As its name suggests, it offers a magnificent view of the pine trees and the sea in the background, which can be admired in particular from the comfortable bench seat on the private terrace.
Mirrors on either side of the terrace extend the feeling of space. In 2022, Ambre set her sights on a Deluxe room, 14, located in the corner of the building, offering a privileged view of the azure sea and the vegetation displaying its first autumn colors. This light-filled room offers a vantage point for watching the sunrise from the terrace’s daybed. For my part, I stayed in a Shape Club Suite that was marvellous in every way.
The interiors of the rooms have been designed in an ethno chic spirit, emblematic of Philippe Starck, which instantly confers a warm and cosy dimension. There’s a very comfortable bed, ultra-soft slippers, a huge TV, a tablet to control it and access information about our stay and our wellness program in the blink of an eye, an office area for working in an exceptional setting, a table, chairs and a mini-bar.
The bathrooms are spectacular. They feature a silver version of marble, with mirrors maximized and omnipresent, blurring our perceptions of space and allowing us to observe ourselves from all angles, to judge the work still to be done during coaching sessions, or to admire the progress we’ve already made… An enveloping bathtub prolongs relaxation, while a walk-in shower provides an energetic wake-up call.
Le Shape Club
The Shape Club is a 2,000 m² space featuring a magnificent semi-Olympic outdoor heated swimming pool, a fitness room equipped with the latest Technogym equipment, a coaching room and a group exercise room, 7 treatment and consultation cabins.There’s also a wet area with saunas and steam baths, a relaxation room and, last but not least, our own Club House, an educational space for talks on well-being, and a beauty salon.
The Shape Club reception area offers personalized support, complemented by a boutique with a selection of skincare products (Biologique Recherche, Aime, Cut by Fred), and activewear (yoga and sportswear, sneakers, caps, swimwear).
Let’s be clear: Lily of the Valley is not a medi-spa, but a luxury wellness hotel. As soon as you arrive, you’ll be taken care of by the Shape Club team. You’ll start your package with a diagnosis in the form of an ultra-precise Accuniq impedance assessment (electrodes with eight contact points) highlighting your areas for improvement and points to watch out for.
A Shape Club associate will interpret the results for you. The check-up includes several sections: body composition analysis (water, protein, minerals, fat), muscle vs. fat analysis, obesity analysis and abdominal obesity assessment. The most telling results are the segmental analysis of lean and fat mass, which displays the results in the form of a spider diagram. Anne-Sophie Vasselin interpreted and contextualized our results with a great deal of pedagogy and empathy.
Lily of the Valley is a luxury wellness hotel and weight loss expert. Lily’s methodology is the TGV approach developed by nutritionist Jacques Fricker.
According to hotel manager Stéphane Personeni, the whole spirit of Lily of the Valley’s weight-loss approach is “to learn how to eat healthily, rather than to lose a lot of weight at once, only to put it right back on”. Here, the focus is on lasting wellness, rather than detox for an immediate but ephemeral effect. And above all, weight loss is a pleasure!
Other themes include sports performance, better aging and burn out. The wellness programs are offered over four, seven, fourteen or twenty-eight days, and orchestrated by Anne-Sophie Vasselin, the Shape Club manager, a passionate professional who listens attentively.
We followed a low-fat diet, coupled with yoga, gentle outdoor sports, as well as a protocol of treatments promoting relaxation to regain a feeling of lightness and well-being.
A spa with a surprising decor
When you enter the spa, you’ll immediately be struck by the beauty of the spaces, designed with harmony and fluidity! A warm, almost quirky atmosphere reigns supreme here. Here again, Starck has worked wonders, succeeding in giving the entire wetland area a highly original touch. The changing rooms feature floor-to-ceiling mirrors and copper accents, while the long corridor leading to the treatment rooms is dotted with armchairs and small lamps in a subdued atmosphere inviting you to relax.
The intoxicating scents diffused in the two saunas and the large hammam, the aromatherapy spray in the showers, the recovery room with detox teas and antioxidant snacks… The attention to detail hits the nail on the head.
Another original point: in addition to the now traditional ice fountain, the spa has a snow shower, which in my opinion is more pleasant than ice on the skin. Mission accomplished: I slept like a baby on my first night.
We both benefited from individual coaching by Loïc, one of LOTV’s expert coaches. He is extremely professional, stimulating and at the same time a good listener who respects others. An excellent opportunity to push yourself to the limit, with in-depth work and convincing results.
Senso Shiatsu massage
The spa offers energetic massages based on Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic massages and massages with signature protocols for athletes. Senso shiatsu is a massage that combines the dynamic manoeuvres of energetic massages (Shiatsu, Tui Na) with the gentler strokes of relaxing neuromuscular massages.
Accompanied by soft music in the background, I experienced this massage as a veritable symphony, letting myself be completely carried away by the finger movements. I appreciated the therapist’s perfect technique and total involvement in the present moment. He paced the massage with his own breath and seemed to be relieved with me as he released my own tensions, so that at one point our breaths were as if synchronized. At the end of this timeless hour, the conclusion was clear in my mind: this was clearly one of the best massages of my life!
Foot reflexology
Then I met Marine, who practices both naturopathy and foot reflexology. It’s not just about massaging the foot, it’s about relieving tension in the rest of the body. Indeed, in ancestral Chinese medicine, each so-called “reflex zone” corresponds to an organ or part of the body that projects onto the soles of the feet. A specific touch locates and releases tensions. Certain points on the foot hurt, but if you insist on them, the pain disappears and the organ concerned relaxes too. For my part, the therapist dislodged residual acidity and helped relax certain points related to the kidney and intestine. The session was pleasant at the time, but the most important thing to remember is that the benefits of this treatment are felt for days on end.
Soin Visage Expérience by Biologique Recherche
First, I was given a “Skin Instant Lab” diagnosis, a technology developed by French brand Biologique Recherche to identify the “Instant Skin” of the moment, so that we can recommend the best suited facial care to each individual. It’s a machine that measures the skin’s moisture content, pigmentation level, elasticity and so on. The diagnosis takes around twenty minutes.
Afterwards, Katell, the beautician, explained to me that my skin was suffering above all from dehydration, and that the most important thing was to deeply rehydrate it.
These top-quality products are tried and tested. It’s no coincidence that Biologique Recherche can be found in the world’s finest luxury spas. Once the treatment was over, my first glance in the mirror was unmistakable: my skin had regained its radiance and looked almost ten years younger. Just like in TV commercials. Very impressive!
Vinyasa Yoga Classes
Among the 70 sports classes a week on offer, I was able to take part in a group vinyasa yoga class. It was almost like a private lesson, since there were only two of us at the time. Many guests discover yoga during their stay at the hotel, as this vacation setting allows many to discover a practice they haven’t yet taken the plunge into in their daily lives. The teacher put a lot of emphasis on breathing, then on positioning and alignment during the posture sequences. She gently led us from a purely physical practice to a mental coaching on letting go and compassion.
INDIBA Body Target Area
I also tested a back treatment with the INDIBA device, which performs cellular biostimulation with therapeutic radiofrequency. This recognized technology, used by top athletes, promotes collagen and elastin synthesis, reduces cellulite and improves tissue oxygenation and skin hydration. In research published in scientific journals, INDIBA has also been shown to have a positive effect by increasing deep blood flow.
In terms of sensations, my treatment felt like a warm oil back massage, infinitely relaxing. Indeed, the device’s tip gives off a very pleasant heat, and the therapist also sweeps his hands over the skin to create a subtle blend. The results lasted several days, with deeply relaxed back muscles.
Pressotherapy
Finally, I was able to try out a pressotherapy treatment, which is a slimming technique involving mechanical drainage using a pressure system. This time, only the machine is involved, and the therapist only intervenes to set its parameters. The legs are inserted into tubes that inflate in a precise sequence, exerting pressure to move blood and lymph from the feet to the pelvis.
Longe-côte
On our last morning at LOTV, we had the pleasure of trying out one of the hotel’s signature activities: longe-côte. All the conditions were in place, with the weather in November being particularly mild. Supervised by Joël, we embark on a short shuttle trip, perfectly equipped with wetsuits and Lily tote bags with bathrobes, flip-flops and water bottle to keep us well wrapped up after our activity. Destination the emblematic Gigaro beach, almost deserted, with beautiful sunshine, fine sand and small waves to carry us.
Everything is planned by the teams to ensure you have an excellent time, and we joined the sea for a hike in the water along the coast. We didn’t feel the distance as we were so busy observing the peaks, the rocks, the waves, our feet through the crystal-clear water. It’s the perfect way to reconcile yourself with physical activity and take part in sports without realizing it.
The temple of slimming gastronomy
In the kitchen, we find Vincent Maillard, a renowned chef who has worked alongside Alain Ducasse. A lover of the Côte d’Azur, he celebrates and sublimates local products. At the “Vista” table, he offers a gastronomic menu featuring healthy options (salads, fish) and meat dishes (foie gras, entrecôte).
During my first stay I tasted sautéed squid with chickpeas, lemon and rosemary. For my second stay we tasted a delicous “gastronomie minceur” of grilled wild bass, fennel and saffron from the Haut Var region. At lunchtime, this is available as a starter and main course, always tasty and healthy, and in the evening we had the pleasure of extending our dinner with a fruit salad in the colors of the Lily of the Valley territory.
At our first lunch, we were served a starter based on fennel and bottarga, a powerful, fresh combination with plenty of character. This was followed by an exquisite piece of veal with a lemon drizzle and delicious seasonal vegetables. In the evening, the chef offered us a variation on minestrone, followed by fish accompanied by stuffed and seared mushrooms, extremely comforting.
The fruit salad featured figs, delicate grapes, pears and energizing kiwis. The next day, for lunch, we offered a starter based on bulgur and vegetables, and for the main course, a combination of shrimps and avocado. For Ambre, a variation on the same base, but with perfectly cooked white meat.
As far as breakfasts are concerned, the detox version is available in sweet or savoury versions. The savory version consists of around 100g of protein-rich foods, 30g of cheese and 100-150g of raw vegetables. The sweet version includes 200g of skyr or 0% fromage frais and 150g of fresh fruit, in both cases with a sugar-free hot drink: tea, coffee, herbal tea with or without milk, sugar-free.
Finally, here’s the video I shot at the hotel during my first stay, without any tricks 🙂
And another video that better presents the hotel shot in 2022:
Our feeling
A wellness destination not to be missed! A wellness hotel that has no equivalent in France, and even ranks among the very best in Europe. In fact, in our opinion, it’s the only one that manages to combine nature, sport, exceptional treatments and a warm atmosphere so well.
Luxe Wellness Club
Book Lily of the Valley with guaranteed upgrade
Rates : From 400 euros per night in low season and around 900 euros per night in high season. Weight loss programs from 2,500 euros per person for 4 days, or 4,500 euros for 7 days excluding accommodation. Luxe Wellness Club customers benefit from a guaranteed room upgrade.
Contact us using the form below to plan your wellness stay and make a reservation:
Call us for the USA: +1 (646) 980 6652 or for the UK: +44 20 4577 3258 to discuss your holiday plans.
