Montréal’s Griffintown neighbourhood has welcomed the official opening of RECESS, a pioneering wellness destination that blends thermotherapy, social connection, and immersive art. Positioned as Québec’s first social thermal station, RECESS introduces a new model of urban wellness designed to bring community and culture into the practice of sauna and cold-plunge rituals.
Founded by Adam Simms, a former tech entrepreneur, and Marilyne Gagné, a leader in Canadian health and wellness, RECESS is seeking to redefine how Montréalers approach both personal recovery and social interaction.
“We wanted to create a space where people can truly reconnect with themselves and with others,” said Simms in an interview. “RECESS is that pause where you refocus on what matters most: body, mind, and community.”
Reinventing Thermotherapy for City Life
Unlike traditional destination spas that often require a half-day excursion and come with a higher price point, RECESS aims to embed thermal wellness into the routines of city dwellers. Located at 217 Young Street in Griffintown, the 4,700-square-foot facility offers 75-minute guided sessions built around a circuit of sauna, cold plunge, and immersive lounge experiences.
“Québec has many spas that are beautiful, but they tend to be destinations,” explained Simms. “People may go once a quarter, or a few times a year. Our goal is to flip that model. RECESS is in the middle of the city at a much more accessible price point. Members can come multiple times a week or a few times per month and truly integrate the therapy into their lifestyle.”
The concept draws on centuries-old Scandinavian and Nordic sauna traditions but adapts them for modern urban life. Gagné emphasized that RECESS is built to resonate with demographics that wellness operators have often struggled to reach. “What’s special about this brand is that it has a masculine energy to it,” she said. “Men often get pulled into spas by their partners, but our concept is active, efficient, and designed to appeal to busy schedules. We’re seeing strong traction with men who want to experience this with friends, making it truly social.”
The RECESS Experience
Each guided session begins in a coliseum-style sauna, a circular space that can host 50 participants at once. Heated by a central oven and accented with dynamic lighting, the space allows guides to lead tailored sessions that incorporate essential oils, music, and even towel-waving techniques.
“It’s about creating a multi-sensory journey,” said Simms. “Guides curate experiences that can be energizing, deeply relaxing, or socially engaging, depending on the atmosphere they want to create.”
From there, guests move to a rinse and shower station featuring stone sinks and Aesop amenities before entering a 22-foot cold plunge pool. Designed to hold 14 to 16 people at once, the plunge emphasizes shared experience rather than solitary endurance. Breathing exercises led by trained guides support participants in managing the intensity of the cold immersion.
The circuit concludes in an immersive lounge featuring rotating exhibitions of digital and visual art. Here, participants can enjoy tea and conversation, extending the social aspect of the experience. “We wanted to integrate art into the wellness practice because when people are present in these heightened states, they’re more open to inspiration,” Simms said.
A Social and Cultural Shift
The social dimension is central to RECESS, reflecting both historic and contemporary influences. “For centuries, in places like Greece, Egypt, and Finland, the sauna was a gathering place,” noted Gagné. “Families would go together, communities would meet, and conversations would happen in the sauna. Canada hasn’t fully adopted that tradition yet, and RECESS is designed to bring that culture here.”
Simms added that the timing is ideal given the shifts in lifestyle and work brought on by hybrid arrangements.
“Griffintown has become full of condo towers with people working from home,” he explained. “Many of them are searching for connection. We hope RECESS can be a third space—a healthy, social alternative to the bars and cafés in the neighbourhood.”
Strategic Location in Griffintown
The choice of Griffintown is deliberate. Once an industrial district, the area has transformed in recent years into a hub of residential and cultural life. The neighbourhood now features restaurants, gyms, and creative venues that attract young professionals.
“When I moved here, nothing existed, it was just factories,” said Simms. “In the past decade, condos have gone up, and in the past five years, the commercial life has exploded. Griffintown is now one of the city’s most vibrant areas for young professionals and creatives.”
Gagné added that the area’s culture aligns with RECESS’s vision. “This is a generation that is tired of swiping on apps. They want to meet people in person. They want day activities that make them feel good, help them sleep well, and can be repeated regularly without breaking the bank. RECESS fits into that lifestyle perfectly.”
Founders with Proven Expertise
The co-founders bring complementary expertise to the project. Gagné is the founder of Dermapure, a Canadian network of 75 medical aesthetic clinics, which she scaled into a business with nearly $200 million in revenue. “After 16 years of growing Dermapure, I was ready for a new challenge,” she said. “This was my chance to bring another innovative concept to market, one that supports both wellness and community.”
Simms, meanwhile, comes from the technology sector, having helped scale Montréal-based Lightspeed and worked with collaboration platform Trello, which was later acquired for $400 million. He also teaches photography at Concordia University. “I wanted to prioritize health, wellness, and community in my work,” Simms said. “RECESS is about creating something beautiful in Montréal that doesn’t exist yet.”
Both founders also bring strong networks and partners. Simms’s partner, Dr. Marc-Antoine Rivard, a certified Wim Hof instructor, oversees the scientific and safety protocols at RECESS. Gagné’s daughter is also involved in marketing and operations, while partnerships with brands like Aesop further integrate design and sensorial detail into the experience.
Competitive Context
The wellness and recovery sector is expanding quickly across North America. Concepts such as Othership in Toronto and newer entrants like Revive Wellness in Toronto’s west end have demonstrated demand for urban wellness experiences. Internationally, Nordic-inspired thermotherapy has seen a resurgence as people look for alternatives to alcohol-based social spaces.
Even before its official opening, RECESS has drawn attention from industry peers. “Recently, the founder of Othership reached out to us while he was in Montréal,” Gagné recalled. “He came by to meet us and said, ‘Your brand is sharp, you’ve captured attention.’ That was very encouraging.”
Expansion Plans Beyond Montréal
While the Griffintown location is the flagship, the founders see broader potential. “We envision up to 10 locations across Canada,” said Gagné. “But they need to be precious, in very specific areas that reflect our brand.”
Interestingly, the expansion strategy looks beyond the United States. “We’re much more aligned with European cities,” explained Simms. “London, Paris, Berlin, these are places where the culture and lifestyle fit what RECESS represents.”
Gagné added that when training in Norway with leading thermotherapy experts, they were told that no global network had yet organized this concept sustainably. “That means there is still space to create a truly international model,” she said.
Pricing, Access, and Membership
A key differentiator for RECESS is accessibility. At approximately $50 per session, the pricing is designed to encourage repeat visits. Membership models will allow professionals and residents to incorporate thermotherapy into their weekly or monthly routines.
Sessions are capped at 50 participants to preserve intimacy, and private group bookings are available for up to 50 people. “We see strong potential for corporate team-building, brainstorming, and leadership development in this environment,” Simms explained. “It’s an ideal setting for innovation and collaboration.”
A New Category in Canadian Wellness
As the first social thermal station in Québec, RECESS represents more than just another spa. It is positioning itself as a new category of urban wellness — an accessible, repeatable ritual that blends health, art, and community.
“Every detail, from the scents to the architecture to the social flow of the sessions, has been carefully designed,” said Gagné. “This isn’t just about recovery, it’s about reconnection.”
Simms echoed that vision. “Our hope is to inspire people to build wellness into their everyday lives,” he said. “To create a space where people can feel better physically, connect socially, and leave inspired. That’s the essence of RECESS.”
