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|
SOUTHERN FRANCE
The area we have designated as Southern France includes two regions: Occitanie, which borders Spain and lies along the western half of France's Mediterranean coast; and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, which lies along the eastern half of France's Mediterranean coast and borders Italy. These two regions have the overall warmest weather in continental France, comfortable for naturism beginning in May and extending all the way through September and even into early October.
The terrain near the coastal area of Occitanie is largely flat, and the beaches of this region are sandy and expansive. There are even a few beaches where you can drive on the compacted sand and strip off at your car. All of France's Mediterranean seaside naturist retreats are located in Occitanie, including Cap d'Agde, the "naked city" that is the world's largest and most famous naturist resort. Going into the interior of the region, there are hilly areas with warm inland micro-climates as well as some mountainous areas. There is a generous assortment of small-scale naturist retreats scattered throughout the interior of Occitanie.
The Camargue is a vast delta region where the Rhône River flows into the sea. The western part of the Camargue is where you'll find Plage d'Espiguette, a vast beach that draws the largest crowds of nudists in France and is said to be Europe's longest nude beach. East of Espiguette, the border of Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA for short) bisects the Camargue. As you head east toward Italy along the coast, things begin to change, especially past Marseille. The coastline becomes mountainous, and the closer you get to Italy, the more mountainous it gets.
PACA is home to two of the most storied areas of France, both of which are included in the longish name of the region. First is Provence, a romanticized area of medieval hilltop villages made particularly famous to English speakers by Peter Mayle's 1989 book A Year in Provence. The boundaries of traditional Provence are not definite, but the term Provence usually refers to the interior rather than the coast. Traditional Provence extends a little across the Occitanie border toward Nîmes, and the Alpine region of the French and Italian border is often not included as part of traditional Provence. Provence is home to a number of small-scale naturist resorts.
The second notable area of PACA is the Côte d'Azur, better know to English speakers as the French Riviera. Not all of the PACA coastline is considered the Riviera. Determining the eastern end is easy. The French Riviera ends at the Italian border, where it become the Italian Riviera. The western end is less definite. Saint-Tropez, Toulon, Hyères and Cassis (near Marseille) are often offered as boundaries. The nude beaches of the Côte d'Azur are often pebbly and tucked into mountainsides, and they are among the most scenic beaches in France.
OCCITANIE [ ↑ ]
|
| Pyrénées-Orientales (66)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage du Bocal du Tech [T]
42.5928N, 3.0442E 
| This beach in the Perpignan vicinity is the first well-established Mediterranean nude beach north of the Spanish
border. It comes complete with a broad area of sand and a great view of the Pyrénées. The south end of the beach is notable as a
gay beach. |
Plage de Torreilles [T]
42.7549N, 3.0377E
| Not quite as popular as Bocal du Tech, this beach is spacious and draws steady crowds of nudists, and it is a little closer to Perpignan. |
LODGING
Mas de la Balma
42.5150N, 2.6411E
beach
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda
Le Ventous
42.4402N, 2.6241E
Arles-sur-Tech
Le Clos des Oliviers
42.7211N, 2.9298E
Bompas
Le P'tit Bonheur
42.5336N, 2.3117E
Escaro
La Clapère
42.4791N, 2.8046E
beach
Maureillas
Le Patio du Père Vigne
42.6897N, 2.8901E
Perpignan
Les Reflets d'Or
42.6007N, 3.0343E
Saint-Cyprien
|
| Aude (11)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage des Villages Naturistes de Port Leucate [A]
42.8799N, 3.0504E
| This beach abuts three small naturist resorts. |
Plage de Cap Leucate
42.9185N, 3.0600E
| Although nudist attendance is sporadic, this is a rare beach of Occitanie that is located at the base
of a cliff. It is a change of scenery from the other nude beaches in the region. |
Plage des Montilles [A]
42.9877N, 3.0507E
| This is a site where you can drive on the compacted sand and disrobe at your car. However, winds here are strong,
and Plage de la Mateille farther north is a much more popular driving beach. |
Plage des Salines [T]
43.0897N, 3.1057E
| One of two nude beaches in Gruissan, this one draws smaller crowds. |
Plage de la Mateille [T]
43.1217N, 3.1350E
| One of two nude beaches in Gruissan, this one is the more popular. This is a site where you can drive on the
compacted sand and disrobe at your car, or you can walk a kilometer if you don't want to drive on the beach. |
Plage de Pissevaches [A]
3.2007N, 3.2209E
| Guests of La Grande Cosse naturist resort have direct access to this expansive beach. Others access the beach by a
20-minute walk from either end. |
LODGING
Les Aulnes
43.2011N, 2.3896E
Carcassonne
Entre Lac et Cité
43.1931N, 2.3961E
Carcassonne
Domaine de la Porte de Fer
43.1972N, 2.3816E
Carcassonne
La Tour d'Ugo
43.1731N, 2.3185E
Cavanac
Le Clapotis
42.9593N, 2.9960E
beach
La Palme
Villages Naturiste de Port Leucate
42.8770N, 3.0469E
beach
Port Leucate
Aphrodite Village
42.8784N, 3.0485E
Oasis Village
42.8760N, 3.0478E
Ulysse Nature
42.8832N, 3.0505E
|
| Hérault (34)
MAP [ ↑ ]
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| |
NUDE BEACHES
Sérignan-Plage [A]
43.2597N, 3.3229E
| This popular beach abuts two naturist resorts—large Le Sérignan Plage and smaller Le Clos de Ferrand.
An isolated part of the beach beyond the authorized naturist area is also visited by nudists. |
Plage de Cap d'Agde [A]
43.2923N, 3.5292E
| This is the beach of Cap d'Agde, the much ballyhooed "naked city" that is the world's largest naturist resort.
Immensely popular and crowded, non-resort guests can park at the resort (for a fee) to visit the beach for the day. |
Marseillan-Plage [T]
43.3015N, 3.5381E
| This is the northeastern extension of the beach of Cap d'Agde, beyond the resort boundary. It can be accessed
without going through Cap d'Agde. This beach is rather notorious as a meeting place for Cap d'Agde's more "amorous" visitors. |
Plage des Aresquiers [T]
43.4636N, 3.8229E
| This beach has a rather unusual usage pattern: a short naturist zone, a textile area, then another more isolated
naturist zone that is continuous with the next beach below. |
Plage de Maguelone [T]
43.5024N, 3.8783E
| This beach is continuous with Aresquiers (the beach above), but this end of the beach is far more popular. This is
the closest nude beach to Montpellier, and the west end is a notable gay beach. |
Lac du Salagou
43.6530N, 3.3621E
[int]
| This serene, off-the-beaten path lake, about an hour inland from the coast, draws small crowds of nude
bathers. |
LODGING
Cap d'Agde Naturist Quarter
43.2962N, 3.5257E
beach
Agde
Centre Naturiste Oltra
43.2999N, 3.5312E
Heliopolis
43.2954N, 3.5281E
Heliovillage
43.2963N, 3.5274E
Hôtel Eve
43.2959N, 3.5215E
Le Jardin d'Eden
43.2950N, 3.5298E
Le Jardin de Babylone
43.2979N, 3.5265E
Les Villas de Port Nature
43.2933N, 3.5271E
Natura Beach
43.2961N, 3.5292E
Natureva Spa
43.2978N, 3.5254E
Oz'inn Hôtel
43.2966N, 3.5260E
Port Ambonne
43.2955N, 3.5256E
Port Nature
43.2941N, 3.5259E
Port Soleil
43.2958N, 3.5224E
Port Vénus
43.2951N, 3.5217E
Le Hublot 34
43.3102N, 3.4709E
Agde
Villa Cascada
43.2979N, 3.4666E
Agde
Villa Littoral
43.2840N, 3.4537E
Agde
Villa Peacock
43.2860N, 3.4566E
Agde
La Source Saint Pierre
43.6757N, 3.5662E
beach
Aniane
Villa Balao
43.4530N, 3.6810E
Balaruc-les-Bains
Aloha
43.3639N, 3.4200E
Bessan
La Cactée Singulière
43.3542N, 3.2915E
Béziers
Ô Chai d'Œuvres
43.5346N, 3.4995E
Campagnan
Mas de Lignières
43.3409N, 2.7076E
Cesseras
Le 9
43.5709N, 4.0868E
La Grande Motte
Maison La Tour
43.6502N, 3.1505E
La Tour-sur-Orb
Domaine de Lambeyran
43.7363N, 3.2645E
Lodeve
Villa Flamingo
43.3637N, 3.5245E
Marseillan
Le Jardin de Gretuvs
43.6049N, 3.3262E
Mourèze
Le Village du Bosc
43.6604N, 3.3208E
Octon
Terre de Soleil
43.4031N, 3.5364E
Pinet
Chez Patrick
43.5020N, 3.3160E
Roujan
Cinq et Sept
43.5060N, 3.3108E
Roujan
Le Sérignan Plage
43.2623N, 3.3233E
beach
Sérignan-Plage
Les Salisses
43.2984N, 3.4171E
Vias
|
| Gard (30)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| | The three naturist retreats and the two interior beaches listed below are located in the northern area of
Gard, which abuts the department of Ardèche in Rhône-Alpes, listed under Interior France. There are a few locations in Ardèche that are very close to the interior sites of
Gard.
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage de l'Espiguette [A]
43.4756N, 4.1587E
| Less than 40 kilometers from Montpellier, this is a seemingly endless beach with immense dunes where the
crowd often exceeds 1,000, with almost everyone naked. Arguably the most popular nude beach in France, you'll tire of trudging through the
thick sand well before the scattered bare bodies end. This beach draws many families and couples, and the farther reaches are very popular
with gay men. |
Rivière la Cèze, near Ran du Chabrier
44.2688N, 4.3842E
[int]
| This is a publicly accessible area of the river downstream from the three naturist retreats listed below. |
Rivière la Cèze, Montclus-Bernas
44.2642N, 4.4330E
[int]
| Nude sunning occurs on rock ledges above the river at this quiet, very hidden location. |
LODGING
Appart Gymnos
43.5678N, 4.1935E
Aigues-Mortes
Les Plaisirs de Camargue
43.6872N, 4.2048E
Aimargues
Les Granges des Camar
43.7551N, 4.1501E
Aubais
Le 49
43.7747N, 4.2330E
Boissière
Bastide de la Dougue
43.7781N, 4.1612E
Congénies
La Bergerie d'Eric
44.0806N, 4.2302E
Euzet
Domaine de la Quiquier
44.2107N, 4.4028E
Goudargues
La Genèse
44.2676N, 4.3717E
beach
Mejannes-le-Clap
The Lotus Tree
44.2719N, 4.4220E
Montclus
Inn 4 Bears
43.8589N, 4.3501E
Nîmes
Villa Wilde
43.8370N, 4.3000E
Nîmes
Domaine de la Sablière
44.2675N, 4.3581E
beach
Saint-Privat-de-Champclos
Le Ran du Chabrier
44.2690N, 4.3760E
beach
Saint-Privat-de-Champclos
Villa Ragazzi
43.7513N, 4.2591E
Uchaud
|
| Ariège (09)
MAP [ ↑ ]
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| |
LODGING
Les Trois Pins
43.0646N, 1.8068E
Tourtrol
Millefleurs
42.9931N, 1.6777E
Varilhes
|
| Haute-Garonne (31)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
La Mariette Guesthouse
43.3623N, 0.9296E
Ambax
Les Aillos
43.5210N, 1.7591E
Caraman
Le Moulin de Titet
43.2159N, 1.2129E
Montesquieu-Volvestre
Du côté de chez Marc
43.5780N, 1.3910E
Toulouse
|
| Tarn (81)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
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LODGING
La Couliche
43.9705N, 1.9863E
Cestayrols
Le Fiscalou
43.9920N, 1.6508E
Puycelsi
B&B in Tarn
43.7574N, 1.6739E
Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe
Presbytère de St-Pierre de Messenac
43.9243N, 1.6754E
Salvagnac
|
| Aveyron (12)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
Le Pas de Ceilhes
43.8369N, 3.1219E
Fondamente
|
| Hautes-Pyrénées (65)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
L'Eglantiere
43.2655N, 0.5225E
beach
Castelnau-Magnoac
|
| Gers (32)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
Bears n Breakfast
43.9884N, 0.3339E
Condom
Deveze
43.8918N, 0.8287E
Gaudonville
Domaine de Sarraute
43.7565N, 0.1472W
Le Houga
Au Clos des Secrets
43.6095N, 0.2289E
Peyrusse-Grande
Le Lézard Bleu
43.9129N, 0.7859E
Saint-Creac
|
| Tarn-et-Garonne (82)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
Camping Le Mérou
44.2978N, 1.7824E
Saint-Projet
Les Manoques
44.3603N, 0.9212E
Valeilles
|
| Lot (46)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
Le Champ de Guiral
44.7743N, 1.4098E
Gourdon
Lalbrade
44.4203N, 1.6952E
Lugagnac
Le Clos Barrat
44.4310N, 1.0691E
Sérignac
|
PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D'AZUR [ ↑ ]
|
|
Three regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur border the coast—Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Alpes-Maritimes. If you are looking
for an expansive sandy beach for nude bathing, Var has the best options. Except for one beach in the Camargue wetlands, the beaches of
Bouches-du-Rhône are rocky (but beautiful). The beaches of Alpes-Maritimes (in the vicinity of Cannes, Nice and Monaco) are mostly rocky
as well, and only one is a designated nude beach. Var has a much wider selection of nude beaches. The four we consider best are Jonquet,
Layet, Cap Taillat and Vénus.
|
| Bouches-du-Rhône (13)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage de Piémanson [T]
43.3437N, 4.8028E
| Reached through a long drive the the heart of the Camargue wetlands, this beach is lined with caravans, most of
which are left here year round, making it a permanent informal beach community. This is one of a handful of Mediterranean beaches where
driving on the compacted sand is possible. The geography of this beach is vastly different from all the other nude beaches of
Bouches-du-Rhône. |
Plage du Rove
43.3510N, 5.2789E
| At this site, there are two very tiny coves below the arches of railroad bridges. Nudity is customary, but
attendance is sporadic, and access can be tricky. |
Plage du Mont Rose [T]
43.2295N, 5.3486E
| Located on the east end of Marseille, this is essentially the city's gay beach, even though it is not a sandy
beach. Nude sunbathers spread out on massive rock ledges. This is the the west end of the Calanques, an area of deep fjords that
extends about 25 kilometers from Marseille to La Ciotat. It is a stunningly beautiful area, and the next two beach below are in the heart of
this scenic region. |
Calanque des Pierres Tombées [T]
43.2114N, 5.4570E
| A long but worthwhile hike that begin at a university campus leads to this stunning location in the most scenic
area of the Calanques. |
Calanque de Port-Miou [T]
43.2041N, 5.5141E
| On the west side of lovely Cassis, nude sunbathers spread out on rock ledges at this beautiful location. |
Cap Canaille
43.2051N, 5.5488E
| On the east side of Cassis, this beach is at the base of Cap Canaille, a massive headland that is one of the
scenic highlights of the Bouches-du-Rhône coastline. |
Plage du Liouquet
43.1805N, 5.6686E
| This beach is located just beyond the eastern end of the Calanques. |
LODGING
Ô Lapin Felin
43.5591N, 5.2542E
Coudoux
Le Jas du Sarraire
43.6879N, 5.6853E
Jouques
Messidor
43.6443N, 5.4566E
Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade
Le Pin Parasol
43.3089N, 5.4983E
Marseille
|
| Var (83)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage du Jonquet [A]
43.0611N, 5.8662E
| This popular and scenic beach is the best choice for nude bathing in the immediate vicinity of Toulon. |
Plage de la Mitre
43.1037N, 5.9325E
| Tiny compared to sprawling Jonquet, this beach is within the city limits of Toulon. |
Plage du Monaco
43.1026N, 6.0096E
| This beach has an officially designated naturist area at its northwest end that has existed only since 2016. Nude bathers also gather at a hidden area southeast of the main beach. ("Monaco" is just the name of the beach. The principality of Monaco is over 150 kilometers away!) |
Plage du Bau Rouge [A]
43.0790N, 6.0385E
| With neither sand nor pebbles, this "beach" is really just a collection of rocky shelves, but it has been set aside for naturists since the late '70s. |
Plage des Vieux Salins [A]
43.1164N, 6.2093E
| Nudists have gathered at this beach in Hyères for decades. Although nudity was formally banned in 2004, that decision was reversed in 2009 when a small area of the beach was designated for naturists. |
Plage des Grottes [A]
43.0122N, 6.4345E
| This small beach is the only sandy beach on Île du Levant, an island south of Le Lavandou that has a
naturist history that dates to 1931. The island is full of small naturist hotels and guesthouses, and nudity is allowed almost
everywhere. |
Plage du Layet [T]
43.1483N, 6.4202E
| This small sandy beach in Cavalière is exceptionally easy to access, just a few minutes' walk from parking
along the coastal road. Many consider this the best nude beach of Var. It is at least among the top few. |
Plage de Brouis
43.1724N, 6.6085E
| Accessed from Gigaro on the south end of Presqu'île de Saint-Tropez (a squarish peninsula, the north end of
which is home to the famed city of Saint-Tropez), this beach requires a 2-kilometer hike. It is visited by nudists mainly at off-peak
times. |
Plage du Cap Taillat [T]
43.1725N, 6.6394E
| On the southeast corner of Presqu'île de Saint-Tropez, this unique beach is an isthmus of sand with water on
both sides. Like Brouis (the previous beach), a long hike is required, but, unlike Brouis, Cap Taillat gets consistent nude use, as do the
nearby rocky coves. The stunning scenery alone makes it worth a visit. Of the three nude beach on Presqu'île de Saint-Tropez, this one is
the best. |
Plage de Pampelonne [T]
43.2163N, 6.6626E
| This 4-kilometer long beach is the most famous beach of Presqu'île de Saint-Tropez. Most of it is textile,
but there are a few short stretches where nudity is permissible. |
Plage du Gros Pin [T]
43.2842N, 6.5966E
| Halfway between Saint-Tropez and Sainte-Maxime, this beach is hidden yet exceptionally easy to access, just 100
meters from the parking area. |
Plage des Esclamandes [T]
43.4074N, 6.7344E
| This beach is large, sandy, easily accessible and near an urban area—the only nude beach on the French
Riviera with all four of these attributes. This is among the most popular nude beaches of the region of Var—if not the most
popular. |
Cap Roux
43.4527N, 6.9205E
| Situated in a beautiful, mountainous red-rock area, this cove is quite hidden even though it just below the coastal highway. |
LODGING
Île du Levant
43.0188N, 6.4384E
beach
Bazar du Levant
43.0187N, 6.4393E
Camping La Pinède
43.0182N, 6.4382E
L'Eden
43.0212N, 6.4402E
Le Gecko
43.0175N, 6.4369E
Le Youkali
43.0194N, 6.4396E
Héliotel
43.0208N, 6.4392E
Hôtel Gaëtan
43.0184N, 6.4399E
La Brise Marine
43.0199N, 6.4391E
Résidence l'Escapade
43.0173N, 6.4395E
Studio 80
43.0202N, 6.4374E
Villa Eglantine
43.0193N, 6.4395E
Villa La Réclusière
43.0194N, 6.4363E
Villa Marie Jeanne
43.0197N, 6.4357E
Le Baou
43.6215N, 6.5678E
Bargemon
Le Mas Saint Sauveur
43.5357N, 6.0228E
Barjols
Domaine de l'Escride
43.2324N, 6.0012E
Belgentier
La Fenouillère
43.4162N, 6.0236E
Brignoles
La Haute Garduère
43.5538N, 6.5601E
Callas
Le Domaine Magique
43.5276N, 6.4205E
Draguignan
La Tuquette
43.5847N, 6.6665E
Fayence
Casa Milo
43.3847N, 6.2642E
Flassans-sur-Issole
Les Lodges
43.4963N, 6.5258E
La Motte
Casa Hélios
43.3590N, 6.3213E
Le Luc
Le Coco Loco
43.3983N, 6.3021E
Le Luc
Pegase
43.4692N, 6.3103E
Lorgues
Beach Boys
43.3162N, 6.0832E
Rocbaron
La Villa Rouge
43.3095N, 6.6232E
Sainte-Maxime
Villa Chantebrise
43.1184N, 5.7826E
Sanary-sur-Mer
La Bergerie du Moulin
43.4567N, 6.4238E
Taradeau
Villa Bacchus
43.4098N, 6.4485E
Vidauban
Villa CéGi
43.4261N, 6.3925E
Vidauban
Villa Ohlala
43.4092N, 6.4591E
Vidauban
|
| Alpes-Maritimes (06)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Crique de l'Aiguille
43.5047N, 6.9544E
Plage de la Batterie [T]
43.5509N, 7.0574E
| This tiny beach at the eastern edge of Cannes is the city's only nude beach. There is just a small area of sand,
and there is a disconnected gay area of the beach a few hundred meters away. |
Jetée du Port
43.6914N, 7.2871E
| There are sporadically nude bathers on the rocks of this long jetty in Nice, but this location is minor compared
to the other locations in the area. |
Plage de St-Laurent d'Eze
43.7210N, 7.3789E
| There are more rock ledges than there is actual beach here, but this is the most popular gay beach of the French
Riviera. This beach and neighboring Plage des Pissarelles are just a few kilometers west of Monaco along a dramatic part of the coast. |
Plage des Pissarelles
43.7230N, 7.3837E
| Less than one kilometer away from Plage de St-Laurent d'Eze (the above beach), this small beach is more or less
the straight alternative to its all-gay neighbor. |
LODGING
Le Haut Chandelalar
43.8632N, 6.7323E
Brainçonnet
La Connexion
43.4567N, 6.4238E
Peymeinade
Origan Village
43.9584N, 6.8608E
beach
Puget-Théniers
|
| Vaucluse (84)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Rivière de l'Ouvèze
44.1740N, 4.9722E
[int]
LODGING
Domaine de Bélézy
44.1316N, 5.1887E
Bedoin
Les Anges
43.9417N, 5.0845E
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
David Guesthouse
44.1890N, 4.8411E
Sérignan-du-Comtat
|
| Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
LODGING
Castillon de Provence
43.8855N, 6.5126E
beach
Castellane
Verdon Provence
43.7547N, 5.9498E
Esparron-de-Verdon
Domaine des Lauzons
43.9728N, 5.7381E
Forcalquier
Le Vallon des Oiseaux
43.8727N, 5.6359E
Reillanne
Domaine du Petite Arlane
43.8389N, 6.0197E
Valensole
|
| Hautes-Alpes (05)
MAP [ ↑ ]
|
| |
NUDE BEACHES
Plage des Pintrons
44.5236N, 6.3517E
[int]
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