Limousin Ladies Wild Swimming

Gillian Harvey bravely takes the plunge on our behalf...

Anyone who lives near a lake in France will have dipped a toe in the water from time to time. But while some may have a little swim in the summer, not many can claim to be all-year rounders. Charlotte Van Rooyen (58), from Bujaleuf in Haute-Vienne, is seemingly made of stronger stuff. Since 2020, she’s hit the Limousin lakes twice a week, whatever the weather, with a group of friends.

Group leader Charlotte wears the pink hat while Gillian is in the red hat

So why did the group start in the first place? “I started getting interested in cold water therapy in November 2020,” says Charlotte. “It was the end of the first lockdown, my relationship had recently ended, and I was listening to a lot of podcasts including one featuring Wim Hof – the cold-water guru! I became interested in cold water therapy and started taking cold showers. Then I spoke to a couple of friends who’d tried swimming in the lake.”

As well as being a great physical experience, the feeling of comraderie within the group is part of what binds them together. “What goes on at the lake stays at the lake. It’s a great place for us to get rid of emotions, get rid of things that are annoying us,” says Charlotte.

“I bought myself a wetsuit and decided to give it a go. Without gloves or swim socks, I was freezing. But I absolutely loved it. Then I got the right kit and I started regularly swimming at Lac St Hélène in Bujaleuf and occasionally Sussac lake. The group has grown to 8 or 9 regulars of whom 3 or 4 swim without fail twice a week.”

The ladies have also had their share of memorable moments, such as having to break the ice at Sussac before swimming one January; singing ‘Bat out of Hell’ during a swim in memory of the recently deceased Meatloaf, and the unfortunate moment when someone’s towel dropped unexpectedly when changing in the carpark – giving some passers-by a more scenic view than they bargained for.

As for the swimming itself: “I love the sensation. In the summer it’s the feeling of pure freedom and of being at one with nature. In the cold water, every single part of your body is tingling. But you feel alive, it’s incredible,” Charlotte explains.

JOINING IN

Like most, my first reaction on discovering her chilly pastime was to ask: ‘why would anyone want to do that’? But, after reading up on the benefits of wild swimming I found myself agreeing to don a wetsuit to give it a go. After all, I decided, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Right?

As the day I’d agreed to meet with Charlotte grew closer, I began to regret my decision. Would I be able to wade into a freezing lake? Would I be able to tolerate the conditions? And, as someone who’s not a particularly strong swimmer, would I actually be able to keep myself afloat? A friend kindly lent me a wetsuit, with a ‘rather you than me’ and the consensus amongst friends and family was that I must have been completely and utterly mad to say I’d do it. I tended to agree.

Read the full article in the latest issue of Living Magazine to see if Gillian took the plunge after all!