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 Posted - 06/30/2003 : 10:53:34 AM
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Reprinted from The Guardian - Saturday January 13, 2001
Phil Goddard sheds his inhibitions in a naturist resort
It's an unusually busy day at the bank in Cap d'Agde. The nearby cashpoint machine has broken down, so all the customers are having to come in to get their money. A smartly-dressed woman employee dispenses the cash, and a man beside her deals with the resulting tide of paperwork. A long queue of people snakes its way across to the door, but the mood is patient and relaxed. After all, they're here on their holidays, and they have all the time in the world.
It's just like any bank anywhere, except for one minor detail: many of the customers are naked. It's like one of those dreams where you're walking down a busy shopping street and half the people, yourself included, seem to have forgotten to put on any clothes.
This is the quartier naturiste of Cap d'Agde in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, and scenes like this are everywhere one looks. It is an entire self- contained naked town with its own shops, post offices, petrol station, and a choice of around 30 restaurants and bars. In the height of summer, tens of thousands of people flock here from all over the world.
The resort even has its own branch of the Spar supermarket chain, probably the only one in the world where clothed male checkout assistants struggle to stay awake as dozens of nude women await their attention.
Stripping off on Cap d'Agde's 2km of beautiful beach is no big deal. On a normal beach, you're wearing only one or two garments anyway, so wearing none at all seems pretty natural, especially when the temperature is in the 90s and everyone else is naked. But trundling a supermarket trolley around the aisles while clad in nothing but a baseball cap and a bemused smile is something you won't get used to in a month of Sundays.
The quartier naturiste is part of the much bigger purpose-built "textile" (ie clothed) resort of Cap d'Agde. To be honest, it's not much to look at. This may be the country that gave us Versailles and the chteaux of the Loire, but in the 60s and 70s France's architects seem to have undergone some sort of collective brainstorm. They built all those uniquely horrible ski resorts in the Alps, and they built Cap d'Agde.
The brutalist concrete apartment blocks are visible for miles around, and many of the apartments themselves are hardly big enough to swing a cat in. But no one comes to Cap d'Agde for the buildings. If the weather is good (which it invariably is in summer) you're out all day anyway, enjoying the resort's many attractions. And for those needing a little more room to move, there are always the pretty, bougainvillea-clad villas, the smart, modern three-star Hotel Eve, or the huge but tranquil and leafy campsite.
For a naturist resort, it's amazing just how preoccupied people are by clothing. One couple arriving at the same time as my wife and myself were struggling under the weight of five large suitcases. This is because when the sun goes down, the people dress up. A few hardy souls remain nude for the duration of their stay, sometimes being the only naked diners in a restaurant full of clothed people.
On the beach, the vast majority of people strip off; and official patrols come round and politely insist that you do so unless you have a very good reason. They are known as "black hats", because that is all they wear.
Away from the beach, some dress, others don't. During one heavy shower of rain we were treated to the bizarre spectacle of people walking around in raincoats with nothing underneath.
Clothes are also one of the main commodities sold in the shops. Many of these seem to be made of PVC and rubber, which raises the obvious question about a naturist resort: isn't there a sexual undertone to all this?
Well, many naturists will deny it, but there is, though the sex is pretty much corralled away from the eyes of the many thousands of people who come here for a wholesome family holiday. A small minority parade around in fetish gear later on in the evening; there are two couples-only, anything-goes "nightclubs", and hanky-panky of varying degrees of furtiveness occurs on the section of beach farthest from the resort. However, the beach is patrolled by police, and their new chief is reportedly much less liberal than his predecessor.
And what about gawkers? Yes, they do exist, because anyone is allowed in through the main gate provided they pay their entrance fee. Sometimes a group of spotty, sniggering and seriously-overdressed teenage males will sidle along the beach. But the great thing about Cap d'Agde is the feeling of safety in numbers. Nakedness is the norm, and it creates an extraordinary camaraderie; in this topsy-turvy society, it's the people with clothes on that feel out of place.
For this reason, too, women should feel fairly secure. There is a slight preponderance of males, not all of whom are very good at making eye contact when they speak to you, but the overall atmosphere is friendly and protective.
Cap d'Agde distorts your whole system of values, because it makes you feel this is normal and it's the rest of the world that's got it wrong. When you walk out of the main gate at the end of your stay, it clangs shut behind you with a depressing finality. Back in the real world, you get an inkling of what Adam and Eve must have felt like when they were expelled from Paradise.
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Admin
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 11:03:10 AM
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There are some additional comments regarding The Naked City over here on another thread. 
Please add your comments about Cap d'Agde by clicking Reply to Topic.
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Kimberly
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 11:31:23 AM
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Thanks for the report. So many people that have been there have been talking to us about it. We are planning on making a trip maybe this summer.
Kim =^.^=
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Country: Canada
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cheef
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 11:53:16 AM
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Someday I want to go to Cape d'Agde. The sad thing is that I am a night owl, and I don't like how I have heard the nightlife described there. I realize that much of it can be avoided if I just stay out of certain clubs, which I most certainly would. However, I understand that what happens in those clubs effects the atmosphere on the streets, which I would prefer not to have happen.
http://cheef.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nudist-news-group/
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Cheri
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 11:55:34 AM
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From a friend (Roule) who lives in France and is moderator of a yahoo group for clothes-free youngsters:
Unfortunately, the problems with Cap d'Agde are not a mere gossip, and are true. This has been shown on a french national television recently.
This place has attracted many X-rated commerces: sex-clubs for swingers, sex-shops etc, all targeted to a very diverse public: ranging from swingers to sado-mazo. One needs to know that Cap d'Agde, a naturist quarter of a small city on the Mediterranean coast, is managed by the city counsel, and, in my opinion, they profit from any commerce there.
Of course, the kids are not permitted to these clubs, but they can easily see their ads! At night, many strangely clothed people gather outside and inside.
But during the day, there are many real naturists, including the fine beach. The entire place is patrolled by local police, and I am not aware of the crime rate.
So, if you go with a family, you may avoid seeing all the strange fauna in Cap d'Agde, by staying in public places during the day, and going to your apartment during the night. There are many people who enjoy the place.
I would say there are 10 to 20% of non-naturists there.
In my opinion, there are better naturist places in France. Cap d'Agde is not recongnized as an official naturist entity by the Federation of French Naturism (FFN).
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
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Edited by - Cheri on 11/20/2003 11:56:32 AM |
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vealj
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 3:49:45 PM
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I recommend you read the book by Ross Velton, The Naked Truth About Cap d'Agde available here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0966268342/102-9298743-0161767?v=glance
It tells all about all forms of entertainment at the city. Cheri is right, all the rumors are true. There is sex on the beach, in the woods and in the clubs, however, there are also legitimate naturist campgrounds and families on the naturist beach during the day.
According to Ross, it also depends upon what time of year you visit. During the summer peak months there are more French police enforcing the laws which prohibit open sex in public even in Naked City.
I haven't been there but I gotta go just once to say "Been there, done that". Pick up the book, it is good.
Take care and ...
Keep it Bare !!!
- veal
http://www.vealj.com/naturist.html
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Kimberly
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Posted - 11/20/2003 : 4:23:20 PM
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Yikes! Thanks for the infor. Sometimes things too good to be true are.
Kim =^.^=
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Spontanudity
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Posted - 11/22/2003 : 12:01:06 AM
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Argh! How on Earth do you know its "true" without having been there??? Do you believe everything you read?
I was there two years ago and saw no sex on the beach, I saw no overt sexual behaviour and I was in no way effected by any nightclub or night activity.
If you want to see the sexual side of the city... Look for it! I didn't go looking so I didn't find it. Its just like every city in the world... I can tell you that Sydney has sex and swingers clubs, does that mean that you wouldn't visit the city?
The Cap d'agde is not unlike any other in the world, except its nude. Don't cast judgement until you've been there!
Cheers,
Spontanudity
"Forever Naked"
http://groups.msn.com/YoungSydneyNaturists
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Grunt
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Posted - 02/05/2004 : 7:33:19 PM
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My wife and I spent a day at Cap D'Adge last year, and didn't like what we saw.
We stopped at a bar and sat outside. Single men, mainly in swimming trunks, started arriving around us, causing an uncomfortable feeling.
It was brash and noisy, and those revolting piercings seemed to be everywhere.
It was great to get back to La Grande Cosse, the naturist resort we were staying at.
Cap D'Adge is not our sort of place.
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Kimberly
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Posted - 02/06/2004 : 12:23:40 AM
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Thanks for the info Grunt, and welcome to the forum.
Kim =^.^=
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Corasol
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Posted - 02/06/2004 : 05:10:11 AM
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For those who would like to know about Cap d'Agde,
I just found this link...
http://www.cap-d-agde.com/
Depending what you want, you can always find something positive where ever you are...
Twisted minded people? You can find them anywhere... but you don't have to join or to look at them...
When I go to a CO or nudist beaches, I do it for myself...
born to be free
Corasol
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nudepete2003
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Posted - 02/06/2004 : 05:53:40 AM
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I have been going to Cap de Agde for 40 plus years from when it was a camping field to the complex it is now. Its massive by naturist standards with even motorway signs pointing to it.
The last few years have seen a fall in stsndards, there are a number of ugly and decrepid half circle apartment blocks, most apartments are privately owned, and can be rented. some are nice others grotty.
There are supermarkets, nightclubs both gay and straight, clothes shops, restaurants etc all
can be used naked but most people will dress in the evening.
The campsite is super with 100;s of pitches with tress for shade , electricity and water, everyone here is friendly.There are a lot of static vans and tourers using the campsite but they have to be removed for storage in the winter.
The beach is sandy with many cafes and restaurants. The beach is long but at either end are textile areas, and the naturists are are tourist attraction with many coming to for a look.It is a tradition that when textiles come onto the beach the nudists start a slow handclap to embarass them and make them go away or strip off.
There is lots of sex at Agde especially in the dunes area with all sorts of goings on both straight and gay. open sex on the beach is common so are erections which you will see everywhere no one seems to mind, the police ignore most of it unless its blatent and upsetting people.
To go to Agde you need to be very openminded and not get upset by the things that go on there
if you are a prude its not for you.
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Kimberly
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Posted - 02/06/2004 : 1:14:51 PM
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Welcome to the forum nudepete, and thanks for the very imformative update on Cap d'adge.
Kim =^.^=
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irishred
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Posted - 02/08/2004 : 08:53:21 AM
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Interesting reports on the resort. I was near there a few years ago but did not have the chance to actually visit the beach.
irishred
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jham
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Posted - 07/13/2004 : 10:22:08 AM
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are there any hotels?or all apartments
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ethan-meng
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Posted - 04/04/2006 : 11:34:28 AM
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hi!!! my name is ethan from madrid and the next week we would like go to cap dŽadge, but we dont know how is it and which of beaches is naturist which are others. we would like found in cape dŽadge naturist with other people etc etc but we dont have enough information somebody can help us please??
Notice: This moderator, operating under username 'Moderator', has been terminated for repeatedly censoring or altering posts without providing a clear indication of which policy was being enforced. Her actions were not sanctioned by this organization.
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Edited by - Moderator on 06/07/2006 6:34:34 PM |
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Cap d'Agde naturist resort ("Naked City") - France
