Most of the participants in the Wim Hof method initiation had never bathed in cold water before this Saturday.

What better setting than La Brévine to learn to resist the cold. Even though the weather was warmer than usual for February 1st, a little more than twenty people took part in a seminar on Saturday to learn about the Wim Hof method as part of the 9th Fête du froid. This Dutchman has developed a method of resistance to low temperatures based on three pillars: exposure to the cold, breathing and mental attitude.

In La Brévine, the participants submitted themselves, with a smile, to a bare-chested walk. Some even dived into water that was one degree below zero. The funds raised on this occasion will be donated to the Zoé4Life association, which helps children with cancer. Report on the edge of the Lac des Taillères with the two certified instructors of the Wim Hof method, Xavier Riou and Arthur Taniyelyan.

Other people, more used to the exercise, also gave demonstrations of cold water swimming during this Cold Festival. The organisers had carved a pool in the ice to allow brave people to take a dip. Several Genevans who swim in the lake all year round came along for the occasion. The public therefore turned out in large numbers for these activities. Due to the lack of snow, the sled dogs and cross-country skis were not much in demand during this edition. /sbe