guide
No French department has shaped the history of naturism like the Gironde. At the tip of the Médoc, between the estuary and the ocean, the large estates under the pines have welcomed families from all over Europe for more than seventy years. Here is how to choose between them, where to swim and how to organise your stay. For the general rules, see our guide to naturist camping.
In 1950, Christiane and Albert Lecocq founded the Centre Hélio-Marin in Vendays-Montalivet, Europe’s first naturist holiday village. Three years later, in 1953, the International Naturist Federation held its founding meeting there. Euronat followed in 1975 in the neighbouring commune of Grayan-et-l’Hôpital. These estates made the Médoc coast a benchmark destination: long sandy beaches, pine forest for shade and a long-standing family naturist culture.
| Estate | Area | Beach | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHM Monta (Vendays-Montalivet) | 200 ha | 2 km, 2 direct accesses | The historic site, indoor pool and water park |
| Euronat (Grayan-et-l’Hôpital) | 335 ha | 1.5 km, 3 direct accesses | Europe’s largest naturist village, lagoon and slides |
| La Jenny (Le Porge) | 127 ha | Direct access to an endless beach | 756 chalets, 1,000 m² pool, naturist golf course |
CHM Monta will appeal to those looking for the original spirit: nudity is compulsory on the beach by municipal order, and in most shared areas whenever the weather allows. Around 3,000 pitches and rentals are spread under the pines.
Euronat works like a small town: a 2.5 km central avenue links the entrance to the beach and serves several accommodation “villages”, with large shaded plots that preserve privacy even in high season.
La Jenny, between the Arcachon basin and Lacanau, focuses on chalets: around 756 chalets in 14 categories, for 2 to 6 people. The estate is about sixty kilometres from Bordeaux, convenient for arriving by train or plane.
Naturist Gironde does not stop at the coast. In Frontenac, 45 km east of Bordeaux, Château Guiton occupies an 18th-century former wine estate, with around thirty pitches of 150 to 250 m², a pool at the foot of the château and treehouses. The estate is adults only: a quiet option for couples, 2 km from the Roger Lapébie cycle path that runs all the way to Bordeaux.
Beyond the beaches in front of the three estates, Gironde Tourisme lists the Plage du Gurp and the Plage Dépée, near Soulac-sur-Mer, among the department’s naturist spots. As everywhere, check the signs and the limits of the area before settling in: our article on naturist beaches in France explains how to recognise an authorised beach.
The Arcachon basin attracts many holidaymakers, but it has no official naturist beach. South of the Dune du Pilat, La Lagune beach is used by naturists, with no guaranteed status: stay discreet and ask locally. For a relaxed naturist stay near the basin, La Jenny in Le Porge remains the closest option.
Find all the sites in the department on our page naturist campsites in the Gironde, and more widely in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
CHM in Vendays-Montalivet, founded in 1950 by Christiane and Albert Lecocq. It is Europe’s first naturist holiday village, and the International Naturist Federation was founded there in 1953.
CHM is the historic site, very attached to nudity everywhere; Euronat is the largest estate, organised like a small town; La Jenny offers only chalets and is the closest to Bordeaux and the Arcachon basin.
The basin has no official naturist beach. La Lagune beach, south of the Dune du Pilat, is used by naturists with no guaranteed status.
Yes, Château Guiton, in Frontenac in the Entre-Deux-Mers, is adults only and set on an 18th-century former wine estate.
The ocean there is powerful, with strong currents. Only swim in supervised areas and follow the flags.
