My 2016 Summer Naturist Holiday in France

[eyesup]

Thanks, JOhn.

Your post showed images aligned horizontally. I've tried I don't know how many times to do that, and there it is.

Right there in your post.
This is an important CLUE!
I knew it could be done.

After playing around with different BBcodes, I finally tripped over the obvious and figured it out. Please look at my short and small report of my latest walk in the desert to see the results of what your last report prompted. The hikes here in the summer tend to be short and sweet. Too much heat!

Thanks as always for the photos and reports. That Euronat looks like a wonderful place. I am envious. Keep 'em coming!

Duane

[JOhnGw]

Friday 17th June

Much warmer this morning so I have been naked to collect the bread and even M, who feels the cold much more than me, is wearing just a flimsy pareo.
Everybody else seems to be fully dressed though – in spite of the exhortations throughout the centre and this extract from Euronat's byelaws which is included in the booking conditions:

• All users must adopt total nudity in all parts of the centre, including the shopping mall.

Unfortunately the weather deteriorated from then on and I again needed to dress for our evening meal (a superbly cooked guinea-fowl), having seen only one other naked person all day.


Saturday 18th June

Another warmer morning and this time there's a bit of sun which has encouraged a bit more nudity around and it was warm enough both of us to have breakfast naked on the chalet terrace and M stayed that way until the forecast rain cloud came over.

                               

Setting out the breakfast on the chalet terrace

After breakfast we took advantage of the expected shower of rain to do the essential indoor chores after which M sat naked reading in the sun while I went for an hour's cycle ride round part of the perimeter.
At last the weather is good enough to have a naked lunch at the crêperie – the complet (ham, cheese and egg) with a bottle of cidre bouché and a petit café.
I'll be cooking a pasta a the chalet this evening so at last I will have my first complete 24 hours naked of the trip. As I have said before on my last two Euronat stays I was naked 24/7 from the time of arrival.
We dined outside on the chalet terrace and I did all the cooking naked but found during the meal that I needed my “willy dangler” fleece while sitting outside.

Sunday 19th June

After the usual naked internet check and visit to the baker's we had breakfast naked outside. As I was not going to amanager my target of being naked from arrival to departure an relying on the promised improvement in the weather for the last few days here I decided to have a clothed sysle ride in the vicinity this morning. This proved thoroughly enjoyable, not least because I was able to have a few naked photostops on the way.

                       

One of the restaurants has couscous royale as dish of the day this evening and with the improvement of the weather I may manage my first naked evening dine out tonight.

[JOhnGw]

Monday 20th June

The weather forecast for today was cloudy and not particularly warm so when I woke up early I decided to go for a naked cycle ride. There was no security on duty at the entry to Euronat so I rode out naked and had a pleasant half hour's ride until it got too busy, stopping on the way to take a few pictures as usual.

               

A sign along the road and the property office outside the Euronat entrance

After the usual naked breakfast I dressed to drive out and fill the tank ready for the weekend's thousand kilometre drive to our next naturist destination. Unfortunately the filling station is manned and only open during busier times so I couldn't do it naked.

After that I stripped off and cycled down to the South beach to check the mobile signal. We are planning to dine there Wednesday evening and I need to be in touch in case there are any urgent queries on the accounts from the monthly meeting of the Canal Society of which I am treasurer.

The evening again cooled down enough for me to dress for dinner.

Tuesday 21st June

I woke shortly before dawn and took myself off for another naked cycle ride – barefoot all over this time as I had suddenly realised that my folding cycle has foot friendly pedals.

       

This time my target was a giant sawdust heap beside the cycle track into Montalivet where I wanted to get a picture standing naked on top of it.

       

While I was out it was quiet enough for me to get a few other pictures outside the entrance to Euronat and on this occasion I was able to complete the ride without using the shorts I had with me in case the security barrier was manned when I returned.

                               

I took the security barrier picture later in the day from inside Euronat.

In the afternoon I cycled down to the sea for a quick dip, all that is possible in the breakers, followed by a shower in the beach showers.

In the evening we joined some other Brits at the butcher's barbecue in the main square. M in one of her pretty lightweight cover-ups and me naked (at last).

That was the first of several days of total nudity if the weather is as forecast.

[JOhnGw]

Wednesday 22nd June

The weather is more than holding and with a temperature of 33C (91F) both M and I are being very indolent. I had a cooling off dip in the outdoor pool followed by a cold shower which helped a bit.
It should be a bit cooler tomorrow but still warm and sunny so I might be a bit more active and have something worth reporting.
We went to the South Beach Café for supper tonight to enjoy the sunset over the Bay of Biscay. I didn't bother to shower before going out but had ten minutes in the Atlantic surf before a cold beach shower and a naked supper in the sunset.
 
                       

M kept her “fanny flasher” pareo on for the meal but is now sitting as naked as I am on the apartment terrace

Incidentally some French women do actually call their small dog Fifi – we heard the lady in the next apartment calling to her dog.

Thursday 23rd June

After a hot and restless night I woke too late to go for a long naked cycle ride so I contented myself with checking the email in the main square instead of  the internet café so as to enjoy the dawn followed by a short ride down to the beach and back.

       

For the evening we booked into a “Galllic Olympics” evening which consisted of a few delightfully silly games and tableaux presented by the friends of Euronat group dressed up in various interpretations of Asterix the Gaul followed by a communal feast featuring sucking pig and a disco.
By the end of the evening I was one of the very few still naked.
Although I haven't got much FRN in so far I have been naked continuously for the last three days and will remain so until I get in the car to travel tomorrow.


Friday 24th June

A morning of packing up and handing in the apartment keys before a leisurely naked breakfast at one of the cafés in the commercial centre.
We then lazed around for a bit before getting in the car to travel to Le Haut Chandeleler, for our next naturist week.
We will be taking three days over the journey and staying in hotels overnight.

[jbeegoode]

I'm enjoying Asterix. I wasn't aware of the series. Youtube is generous with it, animated and human characters Gerard Depardieu and some guy who looks like JMF.
 
Perhaps a portable fan for sleeping? Outdoor sleeping?
Jbee

[nuduke]

Hahahaha!  You are so right, JBee!  Jmf looks a bit like one of the Ancient gauls from Asterix.  Really smiled wide at that one!
It's the droopy moustache and grey hair.  Getafix or Asterix himself perhaps.  I wonder if Jmf is descended from druids!?   
John

[JOhnGw]

Friday 24th June (continued)

We got to the Relais Ste Anne in Martel by the middle of the afternoon. We have stayed here before and I again was able to have a discreet naked swim before going into the town for a bit of holiday shopping and a little refreshment.
In the evening we dressed tidily to enjoy the hotel's gourmet cooking

       
(The pool picture was taken before breakfast on our previous visit.)


Saturday 25th June

Today's textile drive from Martel (B on map) to Aubenas (C on map)  included crossing the Massif Central and several passes in the foothills of the Alps. Rather different from yesterday's autoroutes.

       

This time we stayed in a small roadside hotel offering a basic 3 course meal at half the price of last night's stay. Completely different but equally enjoyable.


Sunday 26th June

Much to my astonishment I was able to get a little secret urban naturism before breakfast checking the car engine fluids and getting a photograph on the hotel boules court.

               

Then followed another drive through the foothills of the Alps to Digne-les-Bains (D on map) where we are staying in the Tonic Hotel – a Spa Hotel which is not yet geared up for the holiday season and where I have just had my first cozzied swim in a hotel pool for about 3 years as there were too many people around. Even worse than swimming in Lycra was all the rigmarole about drying oneself and getting rid of the wet costume.
However I am typing this while we are both sitting naked on the hotel room balcony in the mild early evening air which is some compensation.

[JOhnGw]

Monday 27th June

I was hoping for an early morning naked swim but was frustrated  by the comprehensive security arrangements in the hotel. I did get a bit of FRN though but again the early morning traffic past the hotel was rather inhibiting.

       

After an interesting drive through and over more bits of alpine foothills we are now at Le Haut Chandelalar naturist centre at about 3500 ft above sea level. Unfortunately M asked at reception whether clothing was requires in the restaurant, which rather inhibited my intention to dine naked on my first evening here to see what the reaction was.
I got a decent naked swim anyway and M had some quiet nude time lazing in the sunshine.

       
A couple of shots from my screencam showing a rock arch and a wayside chapel on one of the easier bits of the drive

[nuduke]

was frustrated  by the comprehensive security arrangements in the hotel

Sorry JOhn, slightly lost the naturist holiday plot - security arrangements in a naturist hotel that prevented you from being naked?  I must have got that round my neck?  Was it a regular hotel with security gates as in the picture so that you might have been on view as an unauthorised nude?  I looked up the hotel name and it's a gastronomic venue, n'est ce pas?  Looks jolly nice too!

John

[JOhnGw]

was frustrated  by the comprehensive security arrangements in the hotel

Sorry JOhn, slightly lost the naturist holiday plot - security arrangements in a naturist hotel that prevented you from being naked?  I must have got that round my neck?  Was it a regular hotel with security gates as in the picture so that you might have been on view as an unauthorised nude?  I looked up the hotel name and it's a gastronomic venue, n'est ce pas?  Looks jolly nice too!

John

The hotels we stayed in overnight were not naturist hotels - there is unfortunately a shortage of them but I usually manage a naked swim at most of them by various means.
This was my first failure in about three years.

Because the hotel was not geared up for the season the full kitchen was not working and there was only the snack menu prepared by the bar staff. Nevertheless we managed a lovely three course meal (Brake Brothers' gastro range of snacks is pretty good) and the buffet breakfast was superb.

Edited to add link to le Haut Chandelalar

[JOhnGw]

Tuesday 28th June

A beautiful naked day at this lovely site.
Only about two dozen visitors' cars in the overnight parking and almost all Dutch – 3 French and one each of Belgian, German and British.

We both stayed totally naked all day, including a 3-course barbecue, M only draping a fleece round her shoulders late in the evening while reading outside.

I did a bit of swimming, exploring and videoing for another of my “Nature and Naturism” videos.

               

[JOhnGw]

Wednesday 29th June

Over breakfast I noticed that the nesting box opposite seems to have been taken over by insects – probably a species of bee or wasp.

       

After breakfast I took the trail down to the local river, about 550 feet below and half a mile as the crow flies on the other side of the D221 road.

               

Part of the valley is partitioned off as a conservation area.

       

Just below the small rapids the pool was alive with fat tadpoles ready to start growing legs.

               

We went to the restaurant for dinner again so we were dressed for a couple of hours but as soon as we were back at the chalet the clothes came off. At that stage it seemed as though we were the only naked people on site.

Almost all the pictures posted this week are frame grabs from raw video footage for my next “Nature and Naturism” video.

[jbeegoode]

1000 K! You seem to chose to not carnude. Foreign country, wife a twitter, too much hassle, sense of being an ambassador, politeness? How come?
Jbee

[JOhnGw]

1000 K! You seem to chose to not carnude. Foreign country, wife a twitter, too much hassle, sense of being an ambassador, politeness? How come?
Jbee

Mainly wife's comfort level on long drives - she has been OK on shorter ones though.

[JOhnGw]

Thursday 30th June

A rainy morning first thing with a bit of thunder gave us an unusual people watching opportunity. The variety of costumes worn to fetch the morning's bread from the shop varied from totally naked to fully dressed plus wellies and umbrella with any number of variations in between. These included willy-danglers, both with and without umbrellas, and in one case naked with umbrella.

By the time the weather cleared it was too late for my planned walk to a local waterfall so we spent the remainder of the morning lazing by the pool before an early lunch to enable the walk in the afternoon in spite of the promised high temperature and cloudless sky.
In he event I didn't go as the actual weather was a six hour thunderstorm which knocked out the electricity for an hour just after I had cooked dinner.

Friday 1st July

After yesterday's storm we had a perfect cloudless night sky and a perfect dawn – but with the internet connection knocked out.

           
The table and chairs needed wiping off before setting out the breakfast on the terrace.

After an early breakfast I went for a naked drive to a nearby beauty spot where there is a 1 hour walk to a waterfall. After I parked up I discovered that the trail from the car park crossed a ford in the stream so, not having water tolerant footwear I removed them to cross. Unfortunately there was another ford after about 100 yard so I reluctantly abandoned the attempt until the stream had calmed down a bit more after yesterday's rains.
Under those conditions discretion is the better part of valour.

             

I'm glad I did the short walk this morning – there's another thunderstorm to be heard in the distance, but no rain yet.
I typed that a bit too soon – the afternoon gave us rain, thunder and hailstones but was followed by a balmy evening.
I prepared a 4 course dinner again, still naked after Wednesday evening's restaurant dinner, and M wore no more than a t-shirt for a bit of warmth since then so we must be doing something right.