Great success for the opening of new padel courts at Forest Hill clubs in Paris and Île-de-France !

The excitement is nationwide: padel has become the must-try sport in 2023. France now counts 500,000 players with nearly 1,273 courts, and the numbers keep growing. In response to this strong demand, Forest Hill Clubs inaugurated 30 new padel courts on September 4 (12 outdoor and 18 indoor) across the clubs in Marnes-la-Coquette, La Défense, and even in central Paris at Aquaboulevard, an iconic sports and leisure venue in the 15th arrondissement.

High-end facilities and services inaugurated on September 4

In response to this ever-increasing demand, Forest Hill Clubs are rolling out a new sports offering within exceptional sports settings. These courts will add to the existing variety of sports offered in the clubs (tennis, fitness, badminton, squash, climbing, bodybuilding, dance, aquagym).

The innovative infrastructures – clubhouses, facilities, and equipment – will be available starting September 4, with 20 courts at Forest Hill Country Club La Marche in Marnes-la-Coquette, 5 courts at Forest Hill Aquaboulevard, and another 5 at Forest Hill La Défense.

“Our ambition, with the creation of these new courts, is for Forest Hill to become the top padel club in Paris and Île-de-France in terms of sports offerings. I’m pleased to offer this optimal playing experience to Parisians and Ile-de-France residents eager to practice their sport in the best conditions,” explains Michel Corbière, President of Forest Hill Group.

A unique website has been made available since September 4 for booking slots: reservation.forest-hill.fr.

Note that private lessons, group lessons, beginner programs, and coaching will also be offered for all levels, from beginners to advanced players, across the three Forest Hill Clubs.

“Fifteen days after the padel courts opened, the impressive attendance, which can be explained by the ease of access (metro, tram, and bus), confirms the exceptional enthusiasm for this sport and the demand. I’m thrilled that Parisians are getting passionate about this highly social sport,” Michel Corbière analyzes.

Padel: A Growing Sport

Originally from Mexico, padel has become one of the most popular sports in Europe and France. Combining competitiveness and sociability – it’s played in pairs – and mixing aspects of tennis and squash, padel is played on a rectangular court measuring 10m x 20m, surrounded by glass walls and divided in the middle by a net. The balls used are similar to those for tennis, in a solid yellow or white color (only the pressure differs).

The point system is the same as in tennis. It takes 6 games to win a set and 2 sets to win the match.

From 80,000 to 500,000 players in 4 years: How padel has conquered France

Padel is the fastest-growing sport in the world. But why has it attracted so many followers? Because it offers an unprecedented sports sociology:

• It’s a social sport, where the concept of “play” really shines. It’s fun and playable in pairs, encouraging quick and fun exchanges and an ever-growing number of potential partners.
• It’s an intergenerational sport: Easy to play, padel doesn’t leave anyone behind. By not prioritizing power and technicality, it allows for a wider variety of skill levels and ages, from 7 to 77, compared to other ball sports like tennis, squash, or badminton.
• It’s a mixed sport: Padel attracts more and more female players because it can be played with family or friends, with or without children. Proof of this was seen at the “Pad’Elles” evening held on March 8 at Forest Hill Marnes-la-Coquette Club, where over 100 female players signed up in less than 5 days, and the organization of the first women’s edition of the competition at the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major.
• It’s a sport accessible to all, regardless of one’s profile: keen tacticians, ball game enthusiasts, seasoned athletes, or amateurs, this sport appeals to a wide range of players.

Even Sports Personalities

Professional athletes who have fallen for padel are countless…

Nasser al-Khelaïfi, President of PSG; Tony Parker, recently inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame; Teddy Riner, judoka; tennis players Arnaud Clément, Lucas Pouille, Arnaud Di Pasquale, padel ambassador for the French Tennis Federation; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; and Patrick Vieira, former footballer and current coach of Racing Club de Strasbourg, are all regular padel players.

Their enthusiasm for the sport provides excellent promotion for the practice.

A “Teambuilding” Activity Gaining Popularity

Sociable, accessible, and fun from the first hit, padel is increasingly chosen by HR managers for organizing teambuilding and other corporate events. It emphasizes team cohesion by bringing together employees with diverse profiles for the same activity. It also requires constant interaction with a partner and developing strategies together to win points.

Affordable and played in pleasant spaces, padel also offers employees the opportunity to discover each other differently and create a unique dynamic within a team or company.

Forest Hill: Partner of the 2nd Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major

With its strong sports positioning and its partnership with the Roland Garros tournament, Forest Hill has naturally become the sponsor of the world’s largest padel tournament.

“Padel creates a naturally warm atmosphere, so this tournament was especially convivial. The level was stunning, including for women, and we got to see shots that no one else plays and passionate rallies. The crowd really got into it, with the scoring system, identical to tennis, making it easy to understand the game. And if we were to compare the two sports, I’d say padel is starting stronger than tennis did 40 years ago (for comparison, Roland Garros winner Françoise Durr won 80 euros, while the winners of the padel tournament this year pocketed 47,250€!). Moreover, the tournament was broadcasted by Canal+ Sports, giving it great visibility,” analyzes Michel Corbière.