About us
"Alone we go faster, together we go further.
- African proverb
In 2017, I started out on my own, guided by a deep desire to help others. I accompanied friends and family, sometimes facing health and well-being challenges. Finding solutions to the problems of those around me has always been a real obsession.
I met many women who shared my story: separated, with children, and a life to rebuild. These women had lost their vitality and no longer a taste for adventure. Some had never even experienced adventure.
I decided to take them by the hand, and help them overcome their fears through the path of the cold. Take them out into the wild, under an icy, rumbling waterfall, immerse themselves in the very source of the Brute Force. source of Brute Force: that was my vision. To restore their vitality and taste for adventure.
In 2019, Andreas, my partner, joined me to organize our first weekends dedicated to health through cold, breath and mind. Together, we built a unique and transformative experience.
The DNA of VitalICE, which I founded, lies in this small, dedicated, international team offering activities focused on the Mind-Body connection.
We invite you to push back your limits in a caring, body-friendly environment. The tools are important, but so are the channels of transmission: we value diversity, openness to others, varied horizons and complementary approaches. With Team V, we offer a complete, timeless experience. The body breathes, moves and experiences its full potential. Each immersion in the ice becomes a rite of passage, each breath an act of rebirth. Together, we explore the hidden power within each of us, transforming fears into strength and challenges into opportunities.
Lydie-Anne LAVILLE - Founder VitalICE
Lydie-Anne Laville - France
Founder & Certified Wim Hof Method Instructor - Pranayama training in progress
A severe burn-out brought me to WHM. The power and chemistry generated by the exercises acted as a great reset. A direct route to the raw power of the body-mind.
Cold baths in waterfalls, rivers, lakes and breathing routines have given me simple and powerful resources to combat the deep anxiety, sleep deprivation and chronic stress of my single parent life.
My desire is to show a natural and simple path through our own physiology. Overcoming limiting beliefs and rediscovering innate tools to express the strength of our nature. Exposed to the cold, the vulnerability of our body provokes a reflex of adaptability common to all. And from there our strength explodes and provokes a positive response!
Contact
VitalIce
Andreas Gustafsson - Sweden
Certified Wim hof Method & Pranayama Instructor
Andreas is originally from Stockholm. He grew up just a stone's throw away from the Tyresta National Reserve with its lakes and wild forests. The discovery of Wim Hof transformed him. Step by step he was able to leave heavy medication, under the watchful eye of doctors in Sweden, and start a new way of living. He organises and leads the VitalIce courses in Sweden and co-leads the courses in France.
During a workshop, his calm and soothing presence inspires us to enter into ourselves. He guides us with his deep sounding drum and his deep and calming breathing methods. He teaches Pranayama first and foremost, offering "meditative journeys" to the sound of the drum. His story inspired Wim Hof and his daughters asked him to leave a testimony of his transformation experience in the bestseller "Wim Hof the Wim Hof Method" - written by Wim Hof himself.
They talk about their experience
Katrin Berndt
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
It was interesting and definitely a day I will never forget. I did manage to do more than I thought was possible for myself and I survived, thanks to the wonderful instructors. I am very happy with the workshop and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about pushing their own imagined boundaries.
Influencer - Sweden
Diane Mautin
Consultant & Coach
I came across Vitalice when I was looking for a place to do a Wim Hof internship; I was finding sites that were very (too?) well marketed but that conveyed an "exploit" or "competition" image that wasn't what I was looking for.
Vitalice exuded a more complete image, gentle, generous and profound. And that's exactly what I found!
Lydie-Anne, with her acolytes Roni and Andreas, takes us into the Wim Hof philosophy and experience with a professionalism and knowledge of the subject that compel admiration.
Everything came together to make our stay perfect: the location is magical, with a magnificent view, Roni prepares copious and delicious meals and allows us to discover gaga dance and movement, which are original and fun, Andreas helps us enjoy breathing sessions and a magic gong, and Lydie-Anne takes us progressively and safely through the various breathing sequences and immersion experiences of different kinds; she masters her subject to perfection and shares with us the theoretical keys to the method, as well as a logbook which will also serve us for the rest of the trip.
In short, I really recommend it: you have an excellent weekend, it's exciting and fun, you have a great time and you feel very pampered by our hard-working instructors! And, of course, we'll be leaving motivated to continue the experience and put Wim Hof into our daily lives!
Many thanks for your sincere desire to take us gently and convincingly into this fascinating universe! You've really succeeded!
Nathalie Padée
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
Your simplicity and the depth of your testimony are precious. This day really brought me closer to my limits,
Of my fears, of experiencing all this, in the beautiful, safe setting you offer.
Indeed, more emotionally than physically, and I'm delighted to have immersed myself in it, despite the fact that it opened a door for me,
and I went home very relaxed...with a desire to continue experimenting with the tools, which I'll call "resilience tools",
That's what I'm looking for at the moment, given the current climate drama; and as I was saying, beyond ice baths, it would be useful to tame the cold for the winter, simply...as a way of working on the mind, I was thinking of one-day workshops, to breathe together, walk outside...and no doubt it must also work to tame the heat of scorching summers...
I send you my love and look forward to many more days in the Drôme with you...and the 3 of you.
N&th
Jean Baptiste Chandesris
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
This weekend definitly gave a good kick to my practice.
Lydie-anne has a great instructor life in front of her.
Mountain guide
Tom & Dorte Munk
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
As Tom reserved for the whole family, here is the feed back from each one of us.
Five star experience (& 5* instructors!)
A new beginning for me! The Journey to reconnect with my own body and mind has just begun and I'm excited about it.
BIG THANKS to Lydie and Andreas (hi guys, if you read this) who clearly had things in hand and worked exceptionally well as a tandem team, with Lydie in the lead. And this despite 1) a nasty thunderstorm crashing through during one of our breathing sessions (thanks Andreas for saving all our boots!) and 2) a waterfall that had swollen to such gigantic proportions quick re-group and change of waterfall was needed: Bravo guys for your agile thinking and reaching the objectives! Tell you what: I'll be back once that magnificent waterfall has "calmed down a bit" and allows for safe immersion :-D
Cheers
Tom
Startup Co-founder, Management Consultant & Author
Adrien
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
Just a short message about our weekend in the mountains.
I am delighted with this experience and I am glad to have met you.
Well beyond the "technical" method, it is your approach and your finesse in the inner attitude that particularly touched me.
It's amazing for me to see how I'm able to be very right in my mindset in certain areas, and yet fail to transpose it into other areas. In intimate relationships, our field of work, we're used to saying that "the subject is not the subject", that it's the inner attitude, the intention we're in before the interaction, that creates the experience and ultimately the result.
It is your background, far beyond the WHM, that gives me this feeling of reasoning with you. I have the feeling that we've studied similar areas around the unconscious, the inner child, bodily feelings and how to get in touch with the life force that drives us to live and make sense by helping others, despite all life's difficulties.
And I think I deeply needed that. Needed to feel hope, needed to recognize myself in you/you with Andreas, needed this approach that creates connection rather than confrontation or separation.
You've given me a gift of great value: to remember to re-invite tenderness, acceptance, balance and trust into my life, especially when things go wrong. I don't yet know how, but I do know that I'd like to continue on this journey with you, and I'd also be delighted to help our skills grow and bear fruit.
Researcher in alternative medicine, specializing in the mind-body connection
Testimonials on your experience
I felt boosted, energized and with a sense of great inner strength. I'd already taken part in a wim hof initiation, but with a memory of my hands being paralyzed... Will I be able to do this bath again without this feeling? It was much more pleasant this time! I was able to overcome my apprehensions and welcome the cold (with the group, I find it easier than on my own). Everything was well organized, everything had its purpose in the course and especially the Breath with Andreas, his way of sharing and the benefits for me.
Discovered during the "Clowns Givrés" course, a human adventure above all. Thanks to Lydie's professionalism, confronting the cold is a real process of acceptance and re-appropriation of the self. Thank you and well done! Bonne route à vous 2!
Thank you all 3 for this enchanted interlude, this moment out of time, these discoveries that take us out of our daily lives and out of ourselves. I loved everything about it: the team, the place, the practices, the immersions, Roni's good food, Lydia's enlightening explanations, Andreas's vibes (I hope he's feeling better). I tell everyone about it, but I want to keep it preciously inside me. It's hard to come back down to earth, we were so well surrounded by our snowy peaks! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Julie
Lydie Anne is a marvellous, yet intimidating guide to this cold experience. She knows perfectly how to bridge the gap between body, science and mind in a very didactic and clear way. I love her gentle yet committed approach. It's not about strength and achievement, but rather about experience for the long term. You get the feeling that his experience enables him to coach calmly and with confidence. You feel you have the right to experiment and bring back what's good for you, individually. Many thanks also to the team around Lydie Anne. Ronie for taking us into the flow and teaching us to let go. Andrea for her in-depth training in breathing. Daphné
An incredible day where I was able to take a moment for myself, breathe and challenge myself in the cold. Thank you Lydie-Anne for your kindness, joy and desire to help others, and thank you Andreas for being there to help and support !
Superb day with Lydie, Andréas, Luisa and Sylvain. Beautiful day shared with my 16-year-old son. I highly recommend doing it as a family, it's very powerful. Lydie is a remarkable guide, surrounded by her great team. team. Come without moderation. A great experience. Thanks to the whole team.
Thank you Lydie-Anne and Andreas for such a wonderful day ! I really enjoyed the place, the food, connecting to such beautiful people, the loving-kindness of the teaching team ! This workshop gave me a real boost of vitality and helped me reset ! I feel fresh, alive and much more resilient at this time of the year where I usually tend to become more lethargic. That's some amazing work and knowlegde you are spreading. Thank you so much, Franck
Second weekend with Lydie-Anne and the Vitalice team. Thank you again for this new experience, always more beautiful and stronger each time. You are love, warmth and strength at the same time and you help us to pick up the cold as a real gift. The gift of the present moment. See you soon. With much love. Jennifer
The team was exceptional : caring, thoughtful, empowering, positive and very precise in the teaching sessions. Great job and great experience!
Lydie is a wonderful instructor of the Wim hof method Available, attentive .... I had an excellent 3 day course I highly recommend Patrice
I recommend this workshop with Lydie-Anne! For her presence, her care in the accompaniment, her clear transmission, both theoretical and practical and her great generosity! We were pampered, welcomed in a wonderful place! A fantastic weekend that I will not forget.
An incredible weekend. A learning adapted to the rhythm of each person, listening, teaching and human. Thank you Lydie-anne and Andréas for the transmission of your knowledge, done with love and kindness.
Lydie-Anne has found her way in the instruction and discovery of the WHM. She is passionate about her life experience!
What an enriching experience! Thank you for the atmosphere of benevolence and emulation that allowed me to which allowed me to go beyond my limits. The site of the course is in the middle of nature: decompression guaranteed!
This course was a very good experience. Step by step, we discovered the breathing techniques, then the exposure to the cold until the ice water bath. The bath under an "invigorating" waterfall will remain an outstanding memory. Lydie-Anne is an excellent instructor who knows how to adapt to the different students. The atmosphere was very pleasant and friendly, and beyond the discovery of the WHM, this course allowed me to discover beautiful people. I would like to do it again.
The weekend was a real Wim Hof EXPERIENCE. The nature elements (location, river, waterfall, tipi) were very well chosen and more impressive than the ice bath. It was a pity that we could not get to the Druise waterfall due to the heavy rainfall, but the alternative was as spectacular. Lydie-Anne is a very pleasant person, she clearly explained the various steps and made sure that everyone in the group was feeling comfortable and was able to follow. I would definitely recommend Lydie-Anne's workshop to everyone who is interested in practicing the WHM and we might come back for another EXPERIENCE!
Hi Lydie-Anne, thank you for a great course. I came as the mother of the family and knew very little about Wim Hof and the method. I left impressed and convinced. Despite the very bad weather Sunday morning you managed to change the program on the fly to give us a great experience. Also a great thanks to Andreas, his drumming as accompaniment to your music and voice made the breathing exercise very special. Should I give a little critic, then I would have liked to start a little earlier Sunday morning, my impression is that most people was ready by 9 am, but it may be a question to ask each group. Thank you for a great experience.
- Instructors were exceptionally observant to my needs and how to adjust the practice to my physiology, I felt totally safe the whole time - Andeas was fantastic in explaining the method in easy to grasp terms. - Sharing experiences with other participants felt really important, its good that we took time to learn about other's experinces!
Well done, especially with regards to it being their first in Sweden.
One thing that hit me was that I felt so safe. After the first bath we went in and danced to music and I jumped around like a lunatic. You only do that when you feel absolutely safe. There was a separate changing room for women, that was nice. I enjoyed the tea, the fruit and the nuts. I had very good comforting speach at the ice bath. It was a good packing list. The lights by the lake made it magical and much more easy to endure the cold!
Share your story
VitalIce
Site design and referencing by
