Key takeaways
- A naturist beach is official when a municipal order authorises it; others are merely tolerated, with no legal guarantee.
- Before undressing, check the signs and the limits of the area, and if in doubt ask the town hall or tourist office.
- On the beach, the rules are those of naturism: no photos of other people, a respectful distance, no sexual behaviour.
- 13 campsites in our selection open directly onto a beach, including the large estates of the Médoc, the Landes, the Hérault and Corsica’s east coast.
Swimming naked in the Atlantic or the Mediterranean is one of the great pleasures of naturism. But you need to know where it is allowed: not all “naturist beaches” have the same status, and a few metres can make the difference between a peaceful swim and an offence. Here is how to find your way, and where to camp with your feet in the sand. For the basics of naturist camping, see our complete guide.
Official, tolerated or bordering an estate: three different situations
French law does not punish nudity itself, but sexual exhibition imposed on others (article 222-32 of the Criminal Code). On a beach, the question is therefore whether nudity is accepted there. There are three cases.
- The official beach. A municipal order authorises naturism there, sometimes on a precisely marked section. This is the safest situation.
- The tolerated beach. The practice is accepted by custom, without any legal text. It can last for decades, but tolerance can be withdrawn at any time, for example after complaints.
- The beach bordering a naturist estate. The shore remains public, but the section in front of a large naturist centre is usually covered by an order: at CHM Monta in Montalivet, nudity is compulsory on the beach by municipal order.
How to know whether you can swim naked
- Look for signs. Official beaches are usually signposted at their access points, with the limits of the area.
- Spot the limits. A beach can be naturist for a kilometre and clothed right after: the same nudity, a few metres further on, can become an offence again.
- Ask locally. The town hall, the tourist office or the reception of a naturist campsite know the exact status of nearby beaches.
- Beware of old lists. Statuses change: a beach tolerated yesterday may no longer be today. Collaborative lists, such as Wikipedia’s, are a starting point, not a guarantee.
The rules on a naturist beach
They are the general rules of naturism, applied to a public space where naturists and clothed walkers often cross paths.
- No photos of other people, neither close up nor with a zoom lens.
- A respectful distance between towels, especially when the beach is quiet.
- No sexual behaviour: this is what turns nudity into an offence and threatens the survival of naturist areas.
- Respect for dunes and vegetation, often protected on these coasts: stay on the marked paths.
- Extra sun protection: skin that is never exposed burns very quickly.
On the Atlantic: the Médoc and the Landes
The Gironde and Landes coast gathers the large naturist estates under the pines, backing onto long sandy beaches.
- CHM Monta in Vendays-Montalivet, Europe’s first naturist centre, covers 200 hectares of pine forest directly behind 2 kilometres of naturist beach.
- Euronat in Grayan-et-l’Hôpital reaches the ocean through three direct accesses to a 1.5-kilometre naturist beach.
- La Jenny in Le Porge borders the ocean directly, with access to a seemingly endless naturist beach.
- Arnaoutchot in Vielle-Saint-Girons in the Landes links the campsite to the beach through three accesses without crossing a road.
Be careful in the Atlantic: rip currents and waves are strong. Swim in supervised areas and follow the flags.
On the Mediterranean: the Hérault
- The Centre naturiste René Oltra is part of the Cap d’Agde naturist village, 100 metres from the beach.
- Le Sérignan Plage Nature opens directly onto a fine-sand naturist beach, within a dune belt protected by the Conservatoire du littoral for almost 5 kilometres.
In Corsica: the east coast
The eastern plain of Corsica, around Bravone and Linguizzetta, lines up several naturist estates facing very long beaches.
- Bagheera runs along 5 kilometres of sand, and nudity is compulsory on the estate’s beach.
- Les Eucalyptus is bordered by a five-kilometre naturist beach accessible from the whole site.
- Riva Bella, Corsica Natura and Calella also open directly onto the beach.
- Between Bagheera and Corsica Natura, Club Corsicana opens onto a gently sloping 4-kilometre naturist beach.
- In the south, La Chiappa, near Porto-Vecchio, faces the Cerbicale islands, not far from the beaches of Palombaggia.
Why camp next to a naturist beach
Staying on an estate that opens onto the beach changes the holiday: no need to get dressed to reach the sea, nor to look for the edge of the area. You go from your pitch to the sand without crossing a road, and the same rules apply everywhere. Find the 13 sites concerned on our page naturist campsites with direct beach access, or widen your search to naturist campsites by the sea.
