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. Many shops and commercial premises remained empty, ready for sale or lease.
Everyone entering was informed of the regulations and required to comply with them.īy the early 1980s, the Naturist Village was reaching the limit of its development. The Naturist Village became a controlled zone during the season with regulated access. The flats were sold and the owners often let them when they did not require them for their own use. Later, Heliopolis and Port Venus were built and Port Nature was considerably extended. The first developments were at Port Nature and Port Ambonne where flats, shops and pools were constructed. The Naturist Village would be a place where voyeurs and exhibitionists would not be welcome. Regulations for the new resort were also promulgated. In 1973 the beach was officially designated as a naturist beach. Naturism initially had no part in these proposals, but Paul René Oltra, one of the brothers, persuaded the authorities to include plans for a naturist resort at Cap d'Agde. In the early 1970s the government of Georges Pompidou drew up plans for the development of the Languedoc-Roussillon coastline. German and Dutch tourists were particularly numerous. The camp grew increasingly popular, especially with young families. 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. 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 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 dunes adjoining the beach. The Naturist Village is a town by itself, with a 2 km (1 mi) beach, a large marina, 2,500 campsites, apartment complexes, hotel, shops, restaurants, night clubs, bars, post office, bank and ATMs, launderettes, hairdressers and other facilities.Ī history of naturism at Cap d'Agde A local tourist tax is charged per person, per day.Īt the far end of naturism ethics, the village is also becoming a hotspot for swingers and libertines. In the evening, when it gets colder, more people are dressed, sometimes in revealing clothes. It is a self-contained town (sometimes referred to as the "Naked City"), where nudity is legal and common in the whole resort.
The Village Naturiste ( 43☁7′42″N 03☃1′38″E / 43.29500°N 3.52722☎ / 43.29500 3.52722) 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. 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.Ĭap d'Agde has a large family-style naturist resort. The Musée de l'Ephèbe houses the bronze nude statue known as " l'Ephèbe d'Agde" (" the Youth of Agde"). Public transport (taxi or bus) is available between Agde and Cap d'Agde. It is now one of the largest leisure ports on the French Mediterranean.Īgde 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. In the 1960s, the only buildings at the Cap were small houses that were typically used by locals over the weekends. Cap d'Agde was planned by architect Jean Le Couteur as part of one of the largest state-run development schemes in French history. It is located in the commune of Agde, in the Hérault department within the region of Occitanie. Cap d'Agde ( French pronunciation: ) is a seaside resort on France's Mediterranean coast.