WHAT IS NATURISM?

AND THE CHILDREN? By nature, all children are naturists from birth: children dislike wearing clothes, they enjoy going around nude. Children who have been brought up as naturists become adults without all the hang-ups which can hit their non-naturist friends. Their natural curiosity is already satisfied as they know and accept the human body, because they are used to seeing everybody in the nude, from the youngest to the oldest.

WHY BECOME A NATURIST? Everybody who swims nude in a private pool or in quiet spots along the coast, those who sunbathe all over on their balconies, those who like to sleep, read or even do the housework nude, they all know how pleasant it is to be without clothes from time to time. Nudity is as old as mankind itself – nobody waited for the swimming costume to be invented before learning to swim!

WHY CLUBS AND HOLIDAY RESORTS? Card players prefer to play bridge in foursomes, to playing patience on their own. Frankly, isolated naturists are missing out on numerous advantages: they are deprived of contact with their friends whilst they remain without clothes. They are also at the mercy of voyeurs and those who do not appreciate our way of life.

Naturists go on holiday to dedicated naturist resorts for the benefits of protection and the consent of the authorities. It is a pleasure to find oneself among others who share the same motivations and can add to the enjoyment of a holiday for which we work and save all year.

One could say that we find among ourselves nude and happy people with interests like everybody else: we practice (or do not practise) sports – volleyball, badminton, table-tennis, swimming. We cook, we quench our thirsts, we appreciate music, a good book or a work of art, we sleep like everyone else. Our children play or squabble as everywhere, but here they are more natural, less nervous, and their education progresses more easily... We are also capable of doing nothing and, thus, to have the time to enjoy quietly the protected nature which surrounds us... all this in a spirit of freedom, relaxation and natural respect.

GROUPS? For company, and to save on supplements, many single people find someone to travel with, as we cannot double them up. Our group holidays are a popular alternative. On a group holiday with us, you know that you don’t intrude when you approach other group members for a chat or a drink. And when you go for a swim or a walk along the beach, you can often ask fellow group members to look after your belongings.

HOW POPULAR IS NATURISM? Worldwide that is impossible to say, Britain’s naturists can be counted in hundreds of thousands, those on the continent in millions, 20 - 25 million! Numbers are increasing rapidly. Along the Rio Dulce we have an international group of boaters and many of them are familiar or participants in the naturist community.

NATURIST SITES – from basic to very luxurious. Whatever your standards or tastes, you will find a naturist site to your liking: you can stay overnight or spend the day there. There are small club sites, pleasant and rustic, where one lives close to nature, among friends, under canvas or in caravans. Everybody participates in life as a group and, if necessary, in maintenance work. Here, one does not look for creature comforts but a simple and natural life amongst a group of friends in an amazingly beautiful country.

At the other end of the scale there are sites, mainly holiday centers around the coasts of France, Spain and Croatia which are small towns with shops, banks, marinas, cultural activities and complete sports facilities, bungalows and sometimes apartment blocks. Many people come into Naturism from holidays.

Apart from these extreme types of sites, there are many in between, from the farm where you milk the cows and help in the fields, to a small suntrapping paradise in an extensive mountain range, or old castles. The majority of naturist sites have a swimming pool, and all have at least one volleyball court. Other usual facilities include a tennis court, sauna, a heated and filtered pool and a club house.

IT SOUNDS GREAT – but how will it feel the first time? Whilst the first seconds after a dive into a pool take your breath away and maybe give you a shock, you feel much better for it afterwards. It is just like that when you become a naturist. The children immediately feel at home in the playground. You may be a little shy, but after a tour of the grounds, you will be surprised to find that all fear has gone. Dressed, you attract attention; nude, you are not noticed.

SOME QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What do I do in bad weather?
If you feel cold, you cover up; if it rains, you seek shelter; if the sun burns, you protect yourself: we are naturists – not simpletons!

Will the children be shocked during their first visit to a naturist club?
Not at all: children take to it like fish to water.

What do I bring?
In general nothing in particular, except perhaps a towel to sit on. If you have a camera, you had better leave it in your car until you know the rules in this respect. Here, you would be crazy not to take advantage of this one enormous Kodak moment!

My body is not perfect – can I become a naturist?
Few people are perfect and anyway this does not matter: you will be accepted as you are, and not for your appearance.

Is nudity compulsory at all times?
Well, you are coming to get undressed! At certain times, the ladies will want to keep bottoms on, bikini bottoms, of course; this will give away certain personal information... that they are alive, normal and healthy. During tours and certain travel to other locations, it is a good idea. But we have many locations where there is no problem.

In most holiday resorts, you may shop in the nude. If you sit down anywhere, e.g. a restaurant, ice-cream parlor, etc., the general rule is that you dress casually indoors, but need not do so on open-air terraces. However, for hygienic reasons, always bring a towel to sit on.

Do men get visibly embarrassed during their first visit?
Most unlikely: nudity in naturist clubs is not sexually stimulating.

Will naturism have a psychological effect on the relationship between husbands and wives?
The psychologists have studied this question. They conclude that well balanced people, leading a happy married life, find that naturism enriches their family.

Are there religious implications to naturism?
No, Naturists come from all denominations. Furthermore, men and women from all continents are welcome.

Will my friends and colleagues at work find out that I am a naturist?
Not if you do not tell them: participation and membership lists are strictly confidential.

Can I expect my health to improve, as a result of naturism?
You will benefit from the relaxing environment, away from the problems of daily life. Furthermore, any sporting activity always brings benefits if you do not exceed your limitations.

We know that naturism is addictive, and once you have experienced the exhilaration of swimming without a costume, you will never wish to go in clothing again.

We look forward to seeing you back on our holidays again, and again, and again.