Fern Fields is a small naturist retreat in Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie, in the Manche, in Normandy. It was created by Mark and Caroline, who have lived in France since 2020 and welcome visitors themselves on this rural plot surrounded by woods, ferns and granite boulders. It is not an association but a small, individually run business, deliberately kept to a limited number of simultaneous stays.
The offer ranges from grass camping, unnumbered and limited to five groups, to a stone gîte made of granite and open all year, with five hardstanding pitches for motorhomes and caravans, two furnished bell tents and two equipped caravans for hire in between.
Fern Fields describes itself as a clothing-optional place: everyone chooses to stay dressed, undress, or simply watch, at their own pace, with no pressure or complicated code. The atmosphere aims to be family-friendly, respectful and welcoming to all ages, with clear etiquette around privacy and discretion in shared spaces.
All the outdoor options, from the bare pitches to the equipped caravans, run in season, between spring and late summer; only the stone gîte hosts guests all year round, including in the depths of winter.
What the site says about its approach to naturism: “Clothing-optional site: everyone stays dressed, undresses or watches at their own pace, with no pressure. Family place: visitors with intimate piercings or genital jewellery are asked to remove them or cover them discreetly at the pool, in the hot tub and in shared spaces. Day visits possible depending on availability.”
The communal spaces stay deliberately simple: a shared sun-warmed pool and a hot tub, reserved for adults after 8pm, shared showers and toilets, a covered washing-up area and a covered lounge area to relax between two moments outside. Wi-Fi is available on site, with limited bandwidth given the rural setting.
The two rental caravans are connected to electricity and come with a fridge, hob, crockery and bedding, but have no clean water supply of their own: tenants use the site’s shared facilities. The gîte, open all year, has two double bedrooms with an en-suite bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen, a wood stove and a private garden; its guests enjoy private access to the heated hot tub from October to March.
No restaurant or bar is offered on site. Payment is by bank transfer or cash on arrival only, no card payments. For everyday shopping, the villages of Gathémo and Saint-Pois are close by.
The grounds are there to explore freely, between paths, granite boulders, meadow and pockets of ferns, without much imposed sports infrastructure. Visitors also mention a badminton area and a table-tennis table on site, alongside the pool and hot tub.
Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie is a village shaped by the history of ‘Bleu de Vire’ granite, traced by the Parc-Musée du Granit with its demonstration quarry and sculpture park. Nearby, Vire and its Porte de l’Horloge are about twenty minutes away, Avranches and its Jardin des Plantes half an hour, the medieval town of Domfront 40 minutes, and Mont-Saint-Michel roughly an hour’s drive.
The Manche also has several official naturist beaches reachable by car: the Pointe d’Agon in Agon-Coutainville, in a protected natural site where swimming remains banned by municipal order, and the Pointe du Banc in Saint-Germain-sur-Ay, with its marked 300-metre naturist zone. For visitors crossing the Channel, the ports of Caen-Ouistreham and Saint-Malo remain the closest.
Outdoor season from 1 April to 30 September; the gîte, meanwhile, welcomes guests all year round.
📍 Les Bourdonnières, 50670 Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie
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