Nudity in France

[naked buff]

France may be the home of some nude beaches, some large nudist campgrounds, and even a nude vacation town, but I found that the country's allegedly laid-back attitude to nudity is exaggerated. In the first place, the people are very staid and controlled. Even in the largest city, Paris, there are not enough naturists to keep any kind of nudist association that caters to families, or even single adults, going the way there are in most American cities. There is no place, public or private, in Paris for nude sunbathing, and only one pool that permits nude swimming--and that only two evenings per week. In July, when the municipal government deposits sand in front of the Hotel de Ville and along the quais of the Seine for the "Paris plage" (Paris beach), their is no area fenced off for nudists. And, as in most countries, more men are interested in going to nude events than women are.
The majority of French people are very slim, which suggests that they care about their bodies (actually, this is due to their better and healthier diet). The prevalence of nudity and eroticism in so many French films, combined with the high rate of extramarital affairs, confirms that it is not a prudish society.
So, why such a pro-naturist image in the eyes of a provincial like me? France is the center of Europe, and the summers can actually be relied on to be summery, unlike Germany and Northern Europe. Since her Atlantic coast is rather poor and the coastline not particularly built up, it is easy to establish more nude beaches--no residents with views of the nudity from their high-rises to complain about it. And France proves that to be interested in nudism one is not necessarily interested in sexual license. The French are less puritanical sexually, at least in attitudes if not in actual practice, but this does not lead them to practice nudism. In fact, France's example lends support to the idea that those who want to be lewd will not be the majority in a nudist association.
For more than a century, the invisible cultural influence on American society has come from Germany. We are basically Germany's cousins or godchildren blessed with a better climate. France is beautiful, but remember that Spain has a better climate, better prices, better accommodations and plenty of fine nude beaches. France, including her renown for embracing body freedom, is as much hype as truth.

[naked buff]

France may be the home of some nude beaches, some large nudist campgrounds, and even a nude vacation town, but I found that the country's allegedly laid-back attitude to nudity is exaggerated. In the first place, the people are very staid and controlled. Even in the largest city, Paris, there are not enough naturists to keep any kind of nudist association that caters to families, or even single adults, going the way there are in most American cities. There is no place, public or private, in Paris for nude sunbathing, and only one pool that permits nude swimming--and that only two evenings per week. In July, when the municipal government deposits sand in front of the Hotel de Ville and along the quais of the Seine for the "Paris plage" (Paris beach), their is no area fenced off for nudists. And, as in most countries, more men are interested in going to nude events than women are.
The majority of French people are very slim, which suggests that they care about their bodies (actually, this is due to their better and healthier diet). The prevalence of nudity and eroticism in so many French films, combined with the high rate of extramarital affairs, confirms that it is not a prudish society.
So, why such a pro-naturist image in the eyes of a provincial like me? France is the center of Europe, and the summers can actually be relied on to be summery, unlike Germany and Northern Europe. Since her Atlantic coast is rather poor and the coastline not particularly built up, it is easy to establish more nude beaches--no residents with views of the nudity from their high-rises to complain about it. And France proves that to be interested in nudism one is not necessarily interested in sexual license. The French are less puritanical sexually, at least in attitudes if not in actual practice, but this does not lead them to practice nudism. In fact, France's example lends support to the idea that those who want to be lewd will not be the majority in a nudist association.
For more than a century, the invisible cultural influence on American society has come from Germany. We are basically Germany's cousins or godchildren blessed with a better climate. France is beautiful, but remember that Spain has a better climate, better prices, better accommodations and plenty of fine nude beaches. France, including her renown for embracing body freedom, is as much hype as truth.

Thank you for verifying something I said quite a while ago. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I have spent many happy holidays in France, enjoyed the beaches and yet never once encountered a naked adult. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

There are more nude beaches in Spain (although most Spanish beaches by far don't allow nudity /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ) and most of these are occupied by other Europeans.

I think many American naturists see Europe as a place where nudity on beaches is commonplace when in reality it isn't. I spite of its reputation for an uninhibited attitude, I have yet to see a naked adult on a Danish beach - and I have been to dozens of them the length and breadth of the country. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Stu

[luvnaturism]

We were last in Paris about 1 1/2 years ago. During a cruise on the Seine we observed several nude adults sunning themselves along the banks of the river. At Nice we observed women swimming and sunning topless.

When we were in Copenhagen the weather wasn't inviting for swimming and sunning, but even so we did see three or four adults take their clothes off and go for what must have been an INVIGORATING! swim in the North Sea.

But I think Stu is right that one doesn't routinely see hordes of naked people running rampant throughout Europe. What is so appealing to me about the European attitude is that, in so many places, no one really cares one way or the other. That's in contrast to the US, where people who want to wear swimware get so upset if there is someone else who has a different inclination.

[Rik]

Of course you don't see hordes of people running naked in Europe but I think you're right, to a point, when you say "..the European attitude is that, in so many places, no one really cares one way or the other." However I'd have to qualify that by referring to mainland European attitudes which are markedly more relaxed than British attitudes.

In complete contrast to Stu's experience I have encountered many, many, many naturists on the beaches of France during the last 20 years or so. Mostly you can approach just about any regular beach, turn left or right and walk a few hundred metres and you'll find people sunbathing nude. Even on non-naturist beaches you will often find people quite happily changing into and out of swimwear without the usual 'towel tango' performed by their British counterparts. This is the 'attitude' you were referring to - even if people don't want to be naturists themselves they have no problem with the naked human body (their's or anyone else's). Certainly I think most French people would not like to be thought of as as 'prudish', an adjective which Stu seems proud to use in relation to himself. By definition 'prudish' implies excessive (or even obsessive), rather than normal, concern to keep the body hidden.

As for Paris, I guess it's pretty much the same in most capital cities. Certainly in London the number of naturist facilities is tiny in proportion to the population when compared with provincial Britain.

Rik

[MikeJB]

Maybe when stu goes to these beaches, he stays in a part that is generally textile and doesnt have alot of nudity, im sure those beaches over there have their more textile based people and a few 100 feet away they have their nudist based people or people who are more accepting. Also maybe when he visited the beach it was not a very practical time of year for nudity or not that many people that were there chose to be nude or just not that many nudists were there. Im sure there could be alot of factors to explain this, thing is europeans are generally more accepting of the body than the us people are.