Cap d'Agde
Encyclopedia
Cap d'Agde is the seaside resort
of the town of Agde
, France, on the Mediterranean sea
in the département of Hérault
, within the région of Languedoc-Roussillon
. Agde can be reached by TGV
SNCF
train direct from Paris or Lille
whilst the closest airports are Béziers
-Cap d'Agde en Languedoc, with direct budget airline
services to the UK and Scandinavia, or Montpellier
-Fréjorgues. Public transport
(taxi or bus) is available between Agde and Cap d'Agde.
Cap d'Agde is one of the largest leisure ports on the French Mediterranean. Development as a tourist resort started in the 1970s before which time the only buildings at the Cap were small houses typically used for weekends by local people.
The Musée de l'Ephèbe houses the bronze nude statue known as "l'Ephèbe d'Agde" ("the Youth of Agde
"). The statue was discovered in the River Hérault and was housed in the Louvre Museum prior to suitable facilities being made available in Cap d'Agde to house it.
Cap d'Agde has a large family-style naturist
resort with about 40.000 visitors on a daily basis during high season (=around 250-350.000 during the whole season)
The Village Naturiste is a large fenced-off part at the north-eastern edge of Cap d'Agde, although it is accessible along the public beach from the east. It is a self-contained town (although sometimes referred to as the "Naked City"), where nudity
is legal and common in the whole resort, including its restaurants and shops, day or night. In the evening, when it gets colder, more people are dressed, sometimes in revealing clothes. A local tourist tax is charged per person, per day.
The Naturist Village is a town by itself, with a 2 km (1 mi) beach, a large marina, 2.500 pitches campsite, apartment complexes, hotel, shops, restaurants, night clubs, bars, post office, bank and ATMs, laundrettes, hairdressers & other facilities. It all sums up to about 180 businesses related to it. You can practically just stay inside the main gate for your whole vacation.
adjoining the beach. After the Second World War
the brothers Oltra noticed that people were coming in increasing numbers to camp on their land, and that many of these people liked to bathe and to sunbathe nude.
The Oltra brothers began to formalise arrangements for campers on their land, and this subsequently led to the creation of the Oltra Club which is a caravanning and camping resort. The camp grew increasingly popular, especially with young families. German and Dutch tourists were particularly numerous.
In the early 1970s the government of Georges Pompidou
drew up plans for the development of the Languedoc-Roussillon
coastline. Naturism initially had no part in these proposals, but Rene Oltra, one of the brothers, persuaded the authorities to include plans for a naturist resort at Cap d'Agde. In 1973 the beach was officially designated as a naturist beach. Regulations for the new resort were also promulgated. The Naturist Village would be a place where voyeurs and exhibitionists would not be welcome.
The election of the government of François Mitterrand
was to herald a cooling off of the French economy
which lasted well into the following decade. During this time the Naturist Village continued to prove a popular resort and it developed an easy and pleasant atmosphere. There were so many German visitors that the Post Office even had a designated postbox for letters and postcards being sent to Germany.
In 2009, Rene Oltra, the company which bears the name of the original promoter of the resort, required visitors to its campsite and villas and flats which it lets must belong to a naturist organisation.
In December 2009 the local authority proposed to renovate making the village almost traffic-free constructing tree-lined walkways and promenades, a high-level promenade by the beach, and a hotel. Work is to start in early 2012. Other plans include the renovation of buildings and the construction of new façades.
The naturist village creates employment and revenue in a region of France
less affluent than others. It creates income for the local authority through property taxes and admission prices.
. Only one restaurant
is available towards the northern end. Even though Cap d'Agde is in France, most of the service staff speak English.
principles, the arc-shaped buildings contained an open centre with a swimming pool
, tennis court
s, and play areas.
In 2005, the local authority, the Mairie d'Agde, granted planning permission
for the construction of a large libertine complex in the centre of Heliopolis which resulted in the destruction of the swimming pool and the open space.
has about 60 places for boats up to 17 metres (56 ft) and a little boat yard.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
of the town of Agde
Agde
Agde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
, France, on the Mediterranean sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
in the département of Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
, within the région of Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
. Agde can be reached by TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
train direct from Paris or Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
whilst the closest airports are Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
-Cap d'Agde en Languedoc, with direct budget airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
services to the UK and Scandinavia, or Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
-Fréjorgues. Public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
(taxi or bus) is available between Agde and Cap d'Agde.
Cap d'Agde is one of the largest leisure ports on the French Mediterranean. Development as a tourist resort started in the 1970s before which time the only buildings at the Cap were small houses typically used for weekends by local people.
The Musée de l'Ephèbe houses the bronze nude statue known as "l'Ephèbe d'Agde" ("the Youth of Agde
The Youth of Agde
The Youth of Agde is a bronze statue discovered on September 13, 1964, on the bed of the river Herault on the south-eastern coast of France, by Denis Fanquerle and divers from the Agde Marine Archaeological Research Group. It is probably associated with an ancient Greek shipwreck...
"). The statue was discovered in the River Hérault and was housed in the Louvre Museum prior to suitable facilities being made available in Cap d'Agde to house it.
Village Naturiste
Naturism
Naturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
resort with about 40.000 visitors on a daily basis during high season (=around 250-350.000 during the whole season)
The Village Naturiste is a large fenced-off part at the north-eastern edge of Cap d'Agde, although it is accessible along the public beach from the east. It is a self-contained town (although sometimes referred to as the "Naked City"), where nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
is legal and common in the whole resort, including its restaurants and shops, day or night. In the evening, when it gets colder, more people are dressed, sometimes in revealing clothes. A local tourist tax is charged per person, per day.
The Naturist Village is a town by itself, with a 2 km (1 mi) beach, a large marina, 2.500 pitches campsite, apartment complexes, hotel, shops, restaurants, night clubs, bars, post office, bank and ATMs, laundrettes, hairdressers & other facilities. It all sums up to about 180 businesses related to it. You can practically just stay inside the main gate for your whole vacation.
A history of naturism at Cap d'Agde
The land adjoining the long sandy beach at Cap d'Agde was owned for many years by the Oltra family who farmed the olive groves behind the sand dunesDune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
adjoining the beach. After the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the brothers Oltra noticed that people were coming in increasing numbers to camp on their land, and that many of these people liked to bathe and to sunbathe nude.
The Oltra brothers began to formalise arrangements for campers on their land, and this subsequently led to the creation of the Oltra Club which is a caravanning and camping resort. The camp grew increasingly popular, especially with young families. German and Dutch tourists were particularly numerous.
In the early 1970s the government of Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
drew up plans for the development of the Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
coastline. Naturism initially had no part in these proposals, but Rene Oltra, one of the brothers, persuaded the authorities to include plans for a naturist resort at Cap d'Agde. In 1973 the beach was officially designated as a naturist beach. Regulations for the new resort were also promulgated. The Naturist Village would be a place where voyeurs and exhibitionists would not be welcome.
Early developments
The first developments were at Port Nature and Port Ambonne where flats, shops and pools were constructed. Later, Heliopolis and Port Venus were built and Port Nature was considerably extended. The flats were sold and the owners often let them when they did not require them for their own use. The Naturist Village became a controlled zone during the season with regulated access. Everyone entering was informed of the regulations and required to comply with them.The 1980s
By the early 1980s, the Naturist Village was reaching the limit of its development. Many shops and commercial premises remained empty, ready for sale or let.The election of the government of François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
was to herald a cooling off of the French economy
Economy of France
France is the world's fifth largest economy by nominal figures and the ninth largest economy by PPP figures. It is the second largest economy in Europe in nominal figures and third largest economy in Europe in PPP figures...
which lasted well into the following decade. During this time the Naturist Village continued to prove a popular resort and it developed an easy and pleasant atmosphere. There were so many German visitors that the Post Office even had a designated postbox for letters and postcards being sent to Germany.
The present position
The Naturist Village has rules requiring nudity as the norm, which ban photography, the wearing of provocative clothing and the display of indecent items. Signs on the beach in 2008 warned against lewd behaviour. There are clubs and smaller venues including shops and bars. The nightlife centres on clubs and venues. Many open only at certain times of the year. On 23 November 2008 the British newspaper The Sunday Times suggested fires at swingers' clubs were the work of 'nudist mullahs' or fundamentalist nudists with a grudge against the echangistes or libertines.In 2009, Rene Oltra, the company which bears the name of the original promoter of the resort, required visitors to its campsite and villas and flats which it lets must belong to a naturist organisation.
In December 2009 the local authority proposed to renovate making the village almost traffic-free constructing tree-lined walkways and promenades, a high-level promenade by the beach, and a hotel. Work is to start in early 2012. Other plans include the renovation of buildings and the construction of new façades.
The naturist village creates employment and revenue in a region of France
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
less affluent than others. It creates income for the local authority through property taxes and admission prices.
The naturist beach
The naturist beach (where nudity is technically mandatory) has a length of about 2 km and is about 30 metres wide. Sand and water are of good quality and between 16 to 22 °C (61 to 73 °F). Two security posts feature police and medical facilities. Lifeguards are on duty at several stations, during most of the day. Six restaurants border the southern end of the nude beachNude beach
A nude beach is a beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sometimes the terms clothing-optional beach or free beach are used. Nude bathing is one of the most common forms of nudity in public. As beaches are usually on public lands, any member of the public is entitled to use the...
. Only one restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
is available towards the northern end. Even though Cap d'Agde is in France, most of the service staff speak English.
Heliopolis
Heliopolis is the biggest and most prominent feature of Village Naturiste and is a 4-storey round apartment complex with a diameter of around 250 metres (820.2 ft) located at the beach. Heliopolis has a shopping area with a supermarket at the ground floor. It has approximately 800 apartment units for 2, 4, and 6 people. Built to Le CorbusierLe Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
principles, the arc-shaped buildings contained an open centre with a swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, and play areas.
In 2005, the local authority, the Mairie d'Agde, granted planning permission
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
for the construction of a large libertine complex in the centre of Heliopolis which resulted in the destruction of the swimming pool and the open space.
Marina
The marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
has about 60 places for boats up to 17 metres (56 ft) and a little boat yard.
See also
- List of social nudity places in France
- AgdeAgdeAgde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
- NaturismNaturismNaturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
- Wreck of RochelongueWreck of RochelongueThe shipwreck of Rochelongue, located west of Cap d'Agde in southwestern France, dates to the Iron Age, ca. 600 BC. Its cargo included 800 kg of copper ingots and about 1,700 bronze artefacts. The ingots have been analysed by the SAM-Project. They contain very pure copper with traces of lead,...