Baignade sauvage en France

Un couple d'amis qui ont réservé avec nous cet été m'a fait découvrir le concept de la nage sauvage.

Le premier était un marathonien qui ne semblait pas savoir se détendre et faisait une course exténuante tous les matins. Un jour, il découvre le lac de baignade de Saint-Saud et a pu ajouter des séances de natation en plein air épuisantes à sa routine. Chacun pour le sien. Cependant, sa famille aimait aussi le lac et a pu prendre un bain de soleil et pagayer sur la plage de sable artificielle pendant que papa sillonnait au loin.

La deuxième amie travaille pour le NHS, et elle a également mentionné la natation sauvage comme une "chose". Il y a même un communauté de natation sauvage au Royaume-Uni. 

Why is wild swimming so good?

Apparently, wild swimming has lots of benefits for your health, mental health and wellbeing, including:

• Less muscle soreness – improves recovery.
• Reduces body pain and inflammation.
• Boost your immune system.
• Improved circulation.
• Boost your brain power.
• Potential weight loss (though not guaranteed) through improved metabolism.
• It boosts dopamine levels – immersing the body in cold water boosts dopamine levels and increases the release of endorphins.
• Ecotherapy – being outdoors and connecting with nature has a proven, positive impact on mental wellbeing.

Should I shower after wild swimming?

Cold water swimmers have apparently been known to faint in hot showers. It’s been said that you should wait until you’ve warmed up again before showering. And, you shouldn’t attempt to drive or ride a bike until your core temperature has recovered.

More of a mild swimmer than a wild swimmer

Now I used to swim for the county when I was a teenager and, aged 10-16, spent most evenings staring at the bottom of a chlorinated pool. I’ve never really warmed to the outdoor variety (pardon the wild swimming pun!) with its lack of heated water, lane ropes, hot showers and ability to see the bottom. The last time I swam in the North Sea, its freezing filthy brown waves convinced me that the Mediterranean would be the most northerly saltwater body I would swim in future. But this summer really changed my opinion on that.

We are blessed in Haute Vienne with an abundance of lakes, many of which are run as swimming lakes for the public. They tend to follow the same format: lots of free parking under shady trees, lifeguards on duty, artificial sandy beaches, a circular walk around the perimeter of the lake and refreshment outlets. They are just delightful. Not truly “wild swimming” as such, but outdoors nonetheless. The edges have been engineered so as to provide a shallow area for safe swimming and some, like our local Saint Saud and St Estephe lakes, have a very shallow roped off area for paddling.

J'ai passé de nombreux jours heureux à ces lacs cet été. Mes enfants ont même réussi à me faire sortir de ma profondeur à quelques reprises. Je ne peux pas nager sans lunettes, cependant; les virages en culbute sont difficiles sans mur à partir duquel pousser. Je suis peut-être plus un nageur modéré qu'un nageur sauvage.