Clothing Optional Beaches

[FastGMan]

My DW and I are thinking about doing the French Riviera Beach Rendezvous. We will be traveling with our DD, who is 12 years old. The Disney excursion page mentions that the beach is like other European beaches, where clothing is optional.

Can anyone tell me what the risk is on this excursion of bumping into some naked people? The last thing I want my 12 year old seeing on a family vacation is naked beach goers.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Well, since clothing optional beaches are quite common in Europe and DCL is warning that the beach is like other European beaches where clothing is optional, I'd say you are quite likely to see nude people. In fact, I'd count on it. If you are going to visit European beaches, you need to get used to the fact that Europeans have a very different attitude towards nudity than Americans.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Well, since clothing optional beaches are quite common in Europe and DCL is warning that the beach is like other European beaches where clothing is optional, I'd say you are quite likely to see nude people. In fact, I'd count on it. If you are going to visit European beaches, you need to get used to the fact that Europeans have a very different attitude towards nudity than Americans.

Agree it's often topless but if there is a warning and in particular in France then it's highly likly to be seen.

 

[Dug720]

I'll just add that even water-based excursions could result in seeing nudity if you're on the French side.

I loved my tour with Soualiga Destinations, but I will say that at our first snorkeling spot, another boat pulled into the area about 15 minutes before we left, and they all (men and women) stripped to the skin before diving into the water. And the lunch spot is on the French side so the possibility of at least topless people sitting in front of their houses along the beach the restaurant is does exist as well.

So if nudity is going to bother you, you're better off sticking to the Dutch side.

 

[PAGA2003]

I think in your position I would not pick that particular excursion. We've been to quite a few European beaches (Croatia, St. Barth and St. Martin) and in areas where topless sunbathing is accepted as part of the culture (like Croatia and St. Barth) it is not obtrusive in the least and it is quite common to see a mother out with her children topless. Unfortunately where you tend to have a problem is when a certain kind of American tourist shows up and makes a spectacle of themselves which (in our experience) is quite common with St. Martin. I will no doubt take my son to a beach in Europe or St. Barth (we're actually planning a trip back with him soon) but probably not St. Martin.

 

[artnerds]

I think in your position I would not pick that particular excursion. We've been to quite a few European beaches (Croatia, St. Barth and St. Martin) and in areas where topless sunbathing is accepted as part of the culture (like Croatia and St. Barth) it is not obtrusive in the least and it is quite common to see a mother out with her children topless. Unfortunately where you tend to have a problem is when a certain kind of American tourist shows up and makes a spectacle of themselves which (in our experience) is quite common with St. Martin. I will no doubt take my son to a beach in Europe or St. Barth (we're actually planning a trip back with him soon) but probably not St. Martin.

This is quite right. Unfortunately, whenever I have seen someone behaving disgracefully on a clothing-optional beach, it has not been the locals or European travelers, but American tourists.

 

[MUN]

My DW and I are thinking about doing the French Riviera Beach Rendezvous. We will be traveling with our DD, who is 12 years old. The Disney excursion page mentions that the beach is like other European beaches, where clothing is optional.

Can anyone tell me what the risk is on this excursion of bumping into some naked people? The last thing I want my 12 year old seeing on a family vacation is naked beach goers.

I would think this would not be the "last" thing you would want your 12 year old seeing on a family vacation. I can think of worse things your 12 year old could see than naked beach goers.

MUN

 

[krisinparis]

I think if you don't make a big deal out of it, your child won't either. We were in Spain last year and tons of people were topless (and we saw lots of kids up to about 5 totally naked). My 10 year old son looked kind of shocked for a second the first day we went to the beach, then he just went on with enjoying his day. The funny part was I took lots of pictures because I like to make photo books and I couldn't use 95% of the pictures because of all the naked/topless people in them. At the time I didn't even really notice.

 

[jrabbit]

DS was 11 and dd was 13 and we met another family (with DD about 10) on the ship and shared a cab to Orient Beach on St. Maartin. The beach was beautiful!! There were a couple of women going topless and then there was the local couple that walked by totally nekid (or is is neked) I know that they were local because they were an "unnatural" very dark color and I actually find panneling in early 1970's mobile homes more stimulating. Yes I was looking ... descreetly (didn't want DW to see me looking around ).

Bottom line - we all are neked, its natural and our obsession about it is mostly not healthy. And I was sorely disapointed in the "sights" ... or the lack thereof. The kids didn't really notice - never said anything nor did they point and gawk.

Well they did notice one person that DW and I pointed out - as a life lesson. About 100 feet down the beach from us was a tourist ... takes one to know one --- but this 3x "pooh sized" white guy (way northerner) decided that since we were on a clothing optional beach that he was going to go a'natural ... without sunscreen ... anywhere. Well most of his body was a little pink, but where the "sun don't shine" (both sides) was FLAMING RED. We once again stressed to our kids the importance of sunscreen. Don't know how this "poor" guy sat down or anything else for many, many days. I don't think he was from our ship because if I saw him I would have swatted him on the behind.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Over burnt barbecues come to mind! ( can't post more here)

 

[El Cid 94]

and then there was the local couple that walked by totally nekid (or is is neked)

In the words of the Lewis Grizzard...

"The Southern way of speaking is a language of nuance. You take the word 'naked'. It means you ain't got no clothes on. But sometimes 'naked' just won't do. You need something a little bit stronger. So we change that word just a little bit and we say 'nekkid'.

'Naked' means you ain't got no clothes on. 'Nekkid' means you ain't got no clothes on and you up to somethin' "

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I thought Nekkid means you have no children?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Oh dear... This thread is going no where good fast.

 

[El Cid 94]

I thought Nekkid means you have no children?

Yes... and that you are in the process of changing that status presently!

 

[cableguy123]

Me and the family where on St.Martin last year. We saw some topless people but my d.d and her cuz did not seem to notice question or care. We saw one fully nude woman sunbathing but we just walked past her. Honestly people in our country are too censored. I say go for it enjoy your excursion just don't look like the odd ball pointing out the obvious.

 

[bumbershoot]

In the words of the Lewis Grizzard...

Oh how I adored him. Sigh.

I agree with MUN. There are a zillion worse things a kid could see than a naked person.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Me and the family where on St.Martin last year. We saw some topless people but my d.d and her cuz did not seem to notice question or care. We saw one fully nude woman sunbathing but we just walked past her. Honestly people in our country are too censored. I say go for it enjoy your excursion just don't look like the odd ball pointing out the obvious.

Or pointing to the less obvious small change.

 

[cableguy123]

Or pointing to the less obvious small change.

Exactly

 

[RKKUNK]

We went on an excursion that stopped at Orient Beach for awhile. Several topless women walked by , but our son (who was 10 at the time) was too busy playing in the water to even notice. Your situation my be different since your DD is older and they do notice more. If it bothers you too much, I say just pick another excursion.

 

[MelSpees]

I can understand the concern with a girl of that age. She has probably never seen male anatomy "in the flesh" before. It could be a bit bewildering, and different from a boy seeing a topless woman. With a woman, you have a pretty good idea what is going on. I'm not being a prude, Europe is different than the US and that's okay. I'm just not sure I would have taken my kids to a nude beach at that point.