The new facility in Whistler, B.C., will be similiar to other Le Scandinave Spa facilities in Ontario and Quebec.

Photo courtesy Le Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain

Gestion Riviere du Diable (GRD) in Montreal, Que., has broken ground on an $8-million Scandinavian-style resort spa in Whistler, B.C., which should be open in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic games. It will be the fourth Le Scandinave Spa^™ GRD operates, after Mont-Tremblant and Old Montreal, Que., and Blue Mountain, Ont.

Construction of the 1,858-m² (20,000-sf) Le Scandinave Spa Whistler began in mid-March and will be located 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from Whistler Village. It will be built on 1.2 ha (3 acres) of woodland and will consist of six separate buildings housing saunas, steam baths, solariums, hot and cold baths, terraces, an outdoor fire pit and massage rooms.

The idea behind these spa resorts is twofold; a place offering a range of activities promoting physical health and well being, and a retreat surrounded by nature providing an escape from the stress and strain of everyday life.

The bathing experience at Le Scandinave Spa includes several stages, starting with dry heat sauna bathing, followed by a cool down period in a pool kept at 4.4 C (40 F) and a period of relaxation. The final stage is a choice of Thai yoga or hot stone therapy, where stones are placed on various areas of the body to restore energy flow.