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Naturists

(79 Posts)
minette Wed 05-Sept-12 11:31:05

Got chatting to an old friend who I bumped into in the supermarket yesterday - and she mentioned she was just back from a naturist holiday. I was stunned! Would never have had her down as the type to whip off her clothes in public. Made me wonder whether I have been too judgemental about the whole idea of naturism. It's not that I'm a prude - just self conscious and with wobbly bits to boot. Mentioned it to my husband last night and he thought it sounded great. Now I am panicking that he may want to give it a go some time.

Has anyone ever tried it? How long did it take you to be able to relax and enjoy it?

minette Wed 05-Sept-12 11:31:46

Me again - also...I may be being silly about this bit...but is there a hygiene issue with lots of bare behinds using the same chairs and what have you?

petallus Wed 05-Sept-12 11:37:10

According to a friend who tried it, they carry around little towels to sit on.

So Minette no worries on the hygiene front and you're all set to go.

Let us know how it goes grin

janeainsworth Wed 05-Sept-12 11:39:41

We once revisited a beach in Cornwall that we hadn't been to for many years and found it had been taken over by naturists.
It was a sight to behold.
And yes, I think there might be a hygiene issue, though of course you're still at risk on many of Britain's beaches anyway from seagull droppings, dog poo etc.

Anagram Wed 05-Sept-12 11:40:49

I can't imagine anything worse! I feel chilly at the best of times, with clothes on...confused

Littlenellie Wed 05-Sept-12 11:43:34

I would be worried about sitting on a leather chair and my b*m sticking to it,or on a hot chair in the sun and burning my b*m...seriously I had often wondered about the hygiene side of things.

Elegran Wed 05-Sept-12 11:47:24

An episode of "The hotel Inspector" featured a naturist spa and hotel. They had white leather armchairs (or maybe vinyl, difficult to distinguish on the screen) ans the proprietor seemed to spend most of his time washing them down (in the altogether). The place was immaculate.

minette Wed 05-Sept-12 12:09:58

yes I had a sudden flashback to an episode of Sex and the City where Charlotte was appalled that her husband (?) sat on white chairs with a bare behind. Elegran I am not sure I shall look at white upholstery in the same way again. I am also giggling at the idea of walking around with a little towel.

Oh dear - if we ever do go for it I am sure I shall spend half my time hiding behind a curtain and the other half in fits of giggles. I refuse to consider the idea of leaning over the freezer in the on site supermarket

granjura Wed 05-Sept-12 13:08:24

We became naturists by 'accident' once - and it turned out to be one of the best family holidays we ever had. We went to Argelès on holiday and went to the local beach - it was awful, noisy, music blaring, litter, smokers, and topless + g-string type bikinis. After a couple of hours we had enough - and we spoted another beach about 1 km to the East that seemed much less crowded. So off we went- and then we realised it was a naturist beach, so we turned back.

After another hour of misery on the other beach- we laughed and said 's** this for a game of soldiers' and back we trampled. It felt a bit weird for the first hour or so - but it was so quiet and lots of kids playing, that we soon relaxed. Our girls were about 7 and 5 - and they were perfectly happy. Never been so brown all over in my life again - and OH did get sunburnt where he shouldn't have - but it was great. Never did it again, and never felt the 'urge' as it were. But never say never.

Elegran Wed 05-Sept-12 13:48:32

We were camping in Le Lavandou in 1961, and heard that there was a naturist colony on the Isle de Levant, just off the coast from Hyeres, and that it had superb beaches, so we took a boat trip over, expecting that the naturists were in a secluded cove somewhere. There were a lot of very tanned people on the little boat, with knapsacks.

We approached the little landing-stage and went ashore. The first thing we saw was a stand selling "le minimum" - tiny G-strings in male and female versions - manned (no, definitely womanned) by a bronzed beauty. Most of the passengers were stripping off as they disembarked.

After the first shock we felt distinctly over-dressed, and removed all but the trunks and bikini we were wearing under our clothes. By the time we had walked for a couple of hundred yards in the sun along sandy paths bordered by perfumed maquis we were so blase that when a couple walked toward us with matching long hair held back by red-indian style headbands we were so impressed by the coiffure that we did not notice that was all they were wearing.

It was a paradise, marred only by the occasional plump white slug with a camera, lurking in the dunes.

flopsybunny Wed 05-Sept-12 13:57:05

I have a friend whose parents used to go to their remote cottage in France every summer and spend three weeks entirely in the nude. Dangerous when you are self-catering, I would have thought - you certainly wouldn't want to do any deep-fat frying.

My friend incidentally, is lovely but quite weird.

granjura Wed 05-Sept-12 14:06:22

One family on the beach was North AFrican, and played sand ping pong near us every day. Our youngest did comment, very loudly, but in English that the daddy had a huge 'zizi'! Unfortunately it seems he did understand English - and sort of blushed. Must say it was impressive and had never seen anything like it blush

Now for a serious question. If you had to be accused of being 'boring' or 'weird' - which would you prefer. I'll go for 'weird' lol.

Nonu Wed 05-Sept-12 14:10:00

Neither ! LAL . Going out now for a cuppa and a natter with friend . bye

Anagram Wed 05-Sept-12 14:14:34

Hmm...certainly wouldn't like to be 'boring', but you have to be careful with 'weird'. I mean, there's good weird and bad weird grin
I'd settle for eccentric!

ayse Wed 05-Sept-12 15:01:13

Iv'e been naturist camping several times in the past and had a great time. No clothes is a great leveller along with getting a great tan. Two most memorable were south of Bordeux (?) on the Atlantic coast and in the Ardeche. We met so many interesting people, sharing food, wine etc. As for hygeine, towels to sit on are defiantely the order of the day.

absentgrana Wed 05-Sept-12 15:03:00

I just think most men look so silly without their clothes on.

Ella46 Wed 05-Sept-12 15:07:47

My son says that I'm weird, but I think he really means 'wacky'! Not a bad thing, and he takes after me!

flopsybunny Wed 05-Sept-12 15:36:24

absent your comment about men looking silly reminded me of my grandmother, who used to say that the human body was a disgusting thing, especially the male one.

absentgrana Wed 05-Sept-12 15:44:34

flopsy Some human bodies are pretty disgusting. However, I did say silly rather than disgusting. I don't think they can be both at the same time. hmm

Grannyknot Wed 05-Sept-12 16:17:33

granjura grin. DH would probably be quite comfortable sans clothes but I may be a bit more reticent. I'm sure it's a great leveller. We stumbled across a bunch of naturists on a beach once in Egypt, and with our "old eyes" and from a distance at first thought they were beached albino walrus seals. Well a lot of the men had moustaches.

granjura Wed 05-Sept-12 16:22:16

I was about 30 and looking at my best then - so maybe that made me less shy. Not sure how I would feel now - would be worried about scarring everybody!

Agreed 'weird' is not a nice word - 'wacky/eccentric' defo over 'boring' any day.

Nonu Wed 05-Sept-12 16:34:15

grannyknot, what hoot, know what u mean though.

gracesmum Wed 05-Sept-12 16:34:39

At least with moustaches to focus on you'd know where to look!grin Alas I tend more towards being best in a burkini as modelled by Nigella last summer!

Daisyanswerdo Wed 05-Sept-12 17:22:01

It's people's faces that are different and interesting.

Nonu Wed 05-Sept-12 17:28:20

oh I Don"t know there are some pretty interesting bodies out there . [grin grin]