By Ernie Alderete
The name of the city in French is a rather innocuous sounding “Cap d’Agde.” But its claim to fame as the world capital of nudism is anything but innocent!
Women go topless at most beaches in southern Europe, and men skinny dip at many places along the Riviera. But the Naked City is a horse of a different color. You can virtually live your entire life wearing nothing but a smile. Shop, dine, bank, visit a clinic, see a dentist, patronize a beauty salon, and much more, all in the buff.
The Naked City isn’t exactly a theme park like Disneyland, but it is a private, gated community, and everyone who enters has to adhere to the rules. Rather than a clothing optional enclave, it is a mandatory nudity zone. The token cover charge (about $10) is just fine, because it keeps the riff-raff, and curiosity seekers out.
The Naked City attracts an astonishing 300,000 visitors every summer, about 40,000 at any one time. Tens of thousands of unclad bodies carpet the three-mile long beach on a sunny day. With that many naked bodies you better believe there will be hundreds that suit your exact taste!
I never get tired of ogling, but there’s plenty to do besides gawking at naked bodies. The “Shake Your Groove Thing,” takes on a whole different meaning at Tantra Disco!
Besides complete nudity, which dominates in the day time, you can dress up in your favorite fetish wear, leathers and other intimate apparel for forays into discos, and swinger’s clubs at night.
Most people dress casually for dinner. You wouldn’t want to spill hot soup on your private parts, after all! But you can shop for souvenirs, do your banking, visit delicatessens, bakeries, fill your gas tank, and frequent dozens of other establishments, in your birthday suit.
Nudism, or naturism is not, of course synonymous with sexual activity. Many aficionados come simply for the feeling of clothes-free liberation they can enjoy here. And an al fresco sense of camaraderie.
Several discos and swinger’s clubs have intimate playrooms with multiple cubicles where you can consummate an attraction that you began on the dance floor, or at the beach.
While the great, clothed majority calls our naked brethren nudists, they have a name for us, textile guys!
There are major events in the Naked City all year long. August brings us the Open Water Swimming Cup.
The Naked City is located on the mild Mediterranean Sea, at the lower end of the Riviera, the warmest region of France. The only area of that country where being entirely naked town! Being naked around-the-clock is really an option, climate-wise.
Nearby Carcassone is the crown jewel of medieval France. A city still enclosed by its ancient, stone walls. Virtually, a living museum.
The Naked City is close to Nimes, Montpellier and Arles.
Most bon vivants reach the Naked City by air via the nearby town of Beziers. Or via a five-hour high-speed train ride from Paris.
Accommodations run the gamut, from nearby rustic nudist camping grounds, a bed and breakfast on a barge, to apartment and villa rentals, as well as a hotel in the resort itself.
Every swinger should make a pilgrimage to the Naked City at least once in his, or her life. There is no other place quite like it. It ranks at the very pinnacle of erotic travel destinations.
The Naked Truth about Cap d’Agde by Ross Velton is mandatory reading material. The book is loaded with tips, and reviews of restaurants, bars, clubs and accommodations.
Or you can order a 40-minute videotape directly from the resort to preview the facilities and activities.
www.naturist.de
www.cap-d-agde.com
Your comments are always welcome: ErnieAlderete@charter.net