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Introduction
  Northern 
Atlantic
Southern
Interior
Corsica
NORTHERN FRANCE
  Hauts-de-France
     
Nord (59) Lille
Pas-de-Calais (62) Arras / Calais
Somme (80) Amiens
Oise (60) Beauvais
Normandie
 
Seine-Maritime (76) Rouen / Le Havre
Eure (27) Évreux
Calvados (14) Caen
Manche (50) Saint-Lô
Bretagne
 
Ille-et-Vilaine (35) Rennes
Côtes-d'Armor (22) Saint-Brieuc
Finistère (29) Quimper / Brest
Morbihan (56) Vannes / Lorient

After the name and number of each department, one or more notable towns is indicated in red. When just one town is indicated, that town is the préfecture (i.e., capital city) of the department. When more than one town is named, the préfecture is listed first.


The area that we have designated as Northern France extends from the border with Belgium west to Bretagne, better known to English speakers as Brittany. Most beaches in the region are on La Manche, which is the French word for the English Channel. Brittany, at the northwest corner of France, has coastline along both La Manche and the Atlantic Ocean.

In the east, there are the traditional regions of Flanders and Picardy. Part of present-day Hauts-de-France, specifically the part near the coast and bordering Belgium, is the Flemish (i.e., of Flanders) part of France, and this is where you'll find a culture that blends with Belgium and the Netherlands. Picardy is the region just north of Paris. Moving west, there is Normandy, an area that resonates with Americans for its World War II significance. West of Normandy is Brittany, a unique region where you'll encounter unusual and very un-French-sounding place names. Brittany is a Celtic area, and its culture and traditional language (Breton) are related to those of Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall (England) and Wales. The modern day political region of Bretagne includes most, but not all, of what is historically regarded as Brittany. Historic Brittany extends south into Pays-de-la-Loire, a region that we classify under Atlantic France.

Northern France has temperatures that are markedly cooler than those farther south. If you are on a beach in Normandy in July and it is sunny and 70° F (21° C), you've picked a good beach day, and it probably will not get much warmer. Inland temperatures are often several degrees warmer than temperatures on the coast.

Northern France has relatively few naturist resorts compared to points farther south, and those that are located here tend to be smaller scale than those in the south. However, nude beaches are abundant and range from wind-swept beaches with immense dunes to those that are situated below majestic chalky cliffs.

All in all, the north of France will probably not be your first choice if you are taking a naturist vacation per se. Most vacationers who plan to spend a big chunk of their time sans clothing head south. However, there are some wonderful naturist places in the north that are worthwhile excursions that can be combined with general sightseeing pursuits.



HAUTS-DE-FRANCE     [ ↑ ]

Nord (59)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage de Zuydcoote   51.0665N, 2.4613E 

LODGING

     Camping Natura International    50.1741N, 4.1455E 
          Beaurieux

     Aquadétente    50.0576N, 3.8969E 
          Boulogne-sur-Helpe

     Camping du Pont Charlet    50.6777N, 2.9317E 
          Houplines

     Centre Gymnique du Nord    50.4355N, 3.4137E 
          Saint-Amand-les-Eaux

Pas-de-Calais (62)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage de Wissant [T] 50.8958N, 1.6681E 

      Plage des Sables d'Opale [A] 50.4349N, 1.5670E 
Of the handful of nude beaches in Hauts-de-France, this one in Berck (a.k.a. Berck-sur-Mer) is the most notable. About 220 kilometers north of Paris, it is a popular nude beach getaway for Parisians.

LODGING

     B & B Oakland    50.4978N, 1.6238E 
          Cucq

Somme (80)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage de Quend [T] 50.3118N, 1.5438E 
The geography of this beach allows for an extended walk in the nude, leaving crowds far behind.

      Plage de l'Amer Sud [T] 50.1680N, 1.4810E 
This beach in Cayeux-sur-Mer is a rather stark kilometer-long stretch of pebbles that was approved for naturist use in 2012.

Oise (60)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

LODGING

     Club du Soleil de Creil    49.2780N, 2.8993E 
          Feigneux



NORMANDIE     [ ↑ ]

Seine-Maritime (76)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage de Dieppe [T] 49.9234N, 1.0541E 

      Plage de Varengeville-sur-Mer [T] 49.9173N, 0.9934E 

      Plage d'Antifer   49.6917N, 0.1727E 
Set beneath a sheer cliff, this beach has spectacular scenery. It's among the most beautiful beaches in Normandy.

      Plage de Sainte-Adresse   49.5208N, 0.0674E 

LODGING

     La Chênaie    49.4460N, 0.8927E 
          Anneville-Ambourville

     Club du Soleil de la Porte Océeane    49.7287N, 0.3093E 
          Yport

Eure (27)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

LODGING

     Maison Bord'Eure    48.8625N, 1.4180E 
          Ézy-sur-Eure

     Nat'hommes    49.2881N, 1.7846E 
          Gisors

     Le Bois Mareuil    49.4186N, 1.5145E 
          Lorleau

     Les Grandes Vignes    49.1194N, 1.4371E 
          Saint-Pierre d'Autils (Vernon)

Calvados (14)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage des Vaches Noires   49.3139N, 0.0424W 

      Plage de la Redoute [A] 49.2854N, 0.2263W 

      Plage de Meuvaines (Gold Beach) [T] 49.3462N, 0.5521W 

LODGING

     Le Manoir    48.8543N, 0.5625W 
          Condé-en-Normandie

     Nature et Soleil de Normandie    49.0156N, 0.3895W 
          St Laurent de Condel

Manche (50)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage de Biville   49.5974N, 1.8424W 
Sandy, backed by beautiful dunes and off the beaten path, this beach is a hidden gem.

      Plage de Hatainville   49.3874N, 1.8179W 

      Plage de St-Germain-sur-Ay [A] 49.2115N, 1.6297W 
This "land's end" beach is a huge area mud flats at an estuary. You can be naked in the great wide open, but attendance is light.

      Plage d'Agon   49.0029N, 1.5845W 

      Plage de Bréville-sur-Mer   48.8741N, 1.5749W 

      Plage de Genêts-Dragey [T] 48.6978N, 1.5101W 
While basking naked on this beach, you'll have a surreal view of Mont-St-Michel across the mud flats in the distance.

LODGING

     B&B near Mont-Saint-Michel    48.6598N, 1.3045W 
          Saint-Loup

     Fern Fields Naturist Retreat    48.7686N, 1.0256W 
          Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie

     Eden Baie B&B    48.6593N, 1.2808W 
          Saint-Quentin-sur-le-Homme



BRETAGNE     [ ↑ ]

Ille-et-Vilaine (35)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage du Verger   48.6979N, 1.8713W 

      Plage des Chevrets [T] 48.6932N, 1.9409W 
A beautiful beach with beautiful views, this popular beach is the premier nude beach of Ille-et-Vilaine and one of the best in Brittany.

LODGING

     Bois de la Paveillais    48.2078N, 1.8035W 
          Gévezé

     Bay Ouest    48.3558N, 1.8059W 
          Quebriac

Côtes-d'Armor (22)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage du Porry [T] 48.6780N, 2.3264W 

      Plage de Lourtuais [A] 48.6451N, 2.4812W 
For the best nude beach in Côtes-d'Armor, it's a tossup between this beach and Maez an Aod farther west. Both are beautiful. Lourtuais is larger and draws bigger crowds.

      Plage de Nantois [T] 48.6028N, 2.5176W 

      Plage de Maez an Aod [T] 48.7362N, 3.5506W 
For the best nude beach in Côtes-d'Armor, it's a tossup between this beach and Lourtuais farther east. Both are beautiful. Maez an Aod is smaller and more remote.

LODGING

     Camping La Bonnaie    48.5630N, 2.4646W 
          Hénansal

     Pallieter    48.5037N, 2.2350W 
          Plancoët

     Au 1772    48.2672N, 2.1603W 
          Saint-Jouan-de-l'Isle

Finistère (29)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Dunes de Keremma   48.6403N, 4.2958W 
This beach is a vast field of mud flats and sand dunes. Most nude bathing takes place in the dunes, and the crowd is mostly gay.

      Plage des Charettes   48.4191N, 4.7913W 
This beautiful cliff-backed beach draws many nude bathers despite the lack of an official naturist designation and also despite the fact that the coves are visible from the clifftop trail.

      Plage du Perzic [T] 48.3783N, 4.7612W 

      Plage de Lostmarc'h   48.2106N, 4.5536W 
This gorgeous, broad, sandy beach on the Atlantic ranks among the finest in France, and it is considered by many to be the best nude beach in Brittany.

      Plage de Tréguennec [T] 47.8690N, 4.3562W 

      Plage de Squividan   47.7918N, 4.2466W 

      Plage de Kerler [A] 47.8560N, 4.0570W 
The geography of this beach allows for an extended nude stroll.

      Plage de Keranouat [A] 47.8165N, 3.8732W 

Morbihan (56)      MAP     [ ↑ ]

NUDE BEACHES

      Plage des Kaolins [T] 47.7218N, 3.4870W 

      Plage de Kerminihy [A] 47.6332N, 3.2016W 
This popular beach is over 2 kilometers long, and all of it is designated for nudity. It's the best in Morbihan.

      Plage de Sainte Barbe   47.6011N, 3.1535W 

      Plage de Kerjouanno [T] 47.5310N, 2.8706W 

      Plage du Dotchot   47.3015N, 3.1751W 
This small, hidden, beautiful cove is located on the island of Belle-Île, which is 13 kilometers by ferry from Quiberon.

LODGING

     Camping La Pinède    47.6549N, 3.1362W 
          Belz

     Les Bruyères d'Arvor    47.8753N, 3.3652W 
          Lorient

     La Maison du Berger    47.7152N, 3.23490W 
          Plouhinec


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