Customer Reviews

The Naked Truth About Cap d'Agde

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Does Ross Velton tell the "Naked Truth About Cap d'Agde"? That depends upon your point of view. After I made my plans for a week at Cap d'Agde, I purchased the book and read it before, during and after my visit comparing it to what I saw and experienced.
First of all, the Quartier Naturiste is just that, a section of the town of Cap d'Agde where it is possible to be be naked in public at all times. Personally, I was nude 24/7 and found the experience wonderfully refreshing. In an uptight, clothe compulsive world, it is physically, mentally and spiritually liberating to be able to do all your regular daily activities like shopping, banking, eating out, going to the post office, getting your hair done, filling up your car and even going to a laundromat without the restrictive encumberances of clothes. And consider there are thousands of others of all sizes, shapes, colors and ages doing the same, it makes you realize what a very special place Cap d'Agde is.
Being the "Naked City" that it is, however, the Quartier Naturiste also attracts people of all persuasions. Not only will you see families from babies to grandparents but you'll see couples (gay and straight) and singles (mostly male) some of whom come to Cap d'Agde for its "wilder side". Half of Ross Velton's book is written for those whom he calls "libertines" (who are a minority from what I could see) and how they can go about persuing their sexual pleasure at Cap d'Agde. Not only does he list bars, clubs, and rendevous points of very stripe but he offers tips, advice and etiquette for successful swinging.
That being said, let me say that in no other source, did I find so much basic information about Cap d'Agde (the other half of the book). Not only is there a map, but there are listings and contacts for places to stay, directions on how to get there, what it will cost, when to go, restaurant reviews, bar and club reviews, etc. For this reason alone, I highly recommend it for the first time visitor whether they are just plain nudists or swinging libertines.
Fortuntately, Cap d'Agde is large enough for all. Just like you may not patronize the local bar down the street, so too, you do not have to go to a sex club. And just like the French are more accepting and open minded about public nudity in order for a place like Cap d'Agde to exist, so too is their attitude towards sex. Not having taken the libertine path myself in Cap d'Agde, I found nothing there to be any more sexually overt and flagrant than I found in any other European city.
So, buy the book, get on a plane, take off your clothes and stay for awhile so you can experience something totally unique to the world.

The naturists who hang out at Cap d'Agde, though they are in the majority, don't want anyone to know what a haven for swingers (or libertines, as the author Velton puts it) that The Naked City is. Cap d'Agde has something for everyone and this travel guide certainly gives everyone the exact info they need to find their pleasures, whether those pleasures are lurid or benign family fun. The section advising single men made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it highly even if you are only an armchair traveler.

I'm making my first trip to Cap d'Agde this August so I wanted to be up on things. This book describes every in and out of nudist town--from the sexy parts to the family parts. It's written clearly with interesting details. The authour's humor is so British--no slipping on the banana peel laughs for him--but it works for an American audience too. The many color and black and white photos show both people who go there and various parts of the town. The detailed maps also give me confidence that I'll be able to find what I need. Even though my French skills are lacking, given the author's tips, I'm confident I'll be able to find plenty of places and people that welcome Enlish speakers

Sure there's some sensationistic journalism out there about Cap d'Agde. And sure this book tells some pretty wild tales--but the treatment is even handed, and even better it's true. The naturists don't like to admit there's lurid stuff going on at Cap d'Agde, but that "underworld" does exist there and Velton is straightforward about it. He tells you where to go be a family naturist and where to go to be a pervert. You pick what you want because he lets you know all the details. A fun read!

Several friends have been to Cap d'Agde and told me of their experiences, but Ross Velton's book made me understand what was going on. He's clearly someone who had been there many times and knew the visitors and their habits. It's nice to know where to go to be wild and where to go to be mild and have maps that help you locate them. Well worth the investment of money and time.

Even though we feel that a single man has a very distinct disadvantage in trying to convey a perspective on nude recreation, nevertheless, this remains a book that probably should be read by people with an interest in nude recreation, and particularly by any prospective first time guests at Cap D'Agde.
To us, anyway, the author seems to be a bit heavy on the "libertine" scene, while not writing enough about the traditional family aspects at the resort.
There are chapters on the Gendarmes, shopping, activities for kids, day trips to local nearby attractions, orientation and acclimatization, restaurants and accommodation, as well as detailed guidelines for swingers.
One should probably keep in mind that the Cap is constantly evolving, from year to year and even month to month -- one can find the ambience very different, for example, during July and August as opposed to June or September.
Still and all, everyone should visit the resort once in their lives, even if only for a day visit, and this book would provide a very good basis for knowing what to expect.
We would definitely recommend it for anyone as part of their travel "homework" for a future trip to the Cap, or for anyone who's been there in the past and wants to reminisce about one of the truly unique travel destinations in the world today.

A well written book covering all aspects of this Naked City. Velton's book
makes us want to return to Cap D'Agde immediately, if not sooner!

"This book gives the reader all the information necessary to make an educated decision on choosing the Cap as a destination and how to conduct oneself in various situations. It's amazing just how much information is packed into a small book! Ross chose his words well."

"The book is all encompassing. It is not simply about the Cap - information and suggestions on integrating a visit to the Cap with going to Paris as well other destinations of interest within and outside the Cap give the vacationer valuable choices."

"There really isn't any other travel book needed other than this for traveling to the Cap. I doubt a travel agent would even begin to scratch the surface of what this book offers. Ross gave so much valuable information, from maps, to restaurant types and club styles and locations,what to bring, internet contacts prior to the trip, tour operators, choices on accommodations and even where to buy sexy-wear! Of course the unique French phrases offered would never be found in a conventional foreign language translation book."

A well written book covering all aspects of this Naked City. Velton's book
makes us want to return to Cap D'Agde immediately, if not sooner!

I've been invited to Cap d'Agde on the Mediterranean by some friends and was really nervous, not having tried the European nudist beach thing. I read this book and came away relieved to know that Cap d'Agde is not all about sex, which the sensational TV media promotes it as. Even Nude & Natural magazine said Cap d'Agde was just for sex.

This book proves them all wrong--the book shows that there is a place for the sexy people at night and that friendly nudists can have great fun all day--and all night. The book tells where the action is for everyone's tastes. The author says one-third of the 300,000 folks at Cap d'Agde are swingers (or libertines, as he discreetly likes to call them) and two-thirds are naturists. That puts me in the majority!

I got such a kick out of the author's dry humor, especially all the oblique petanque references. The photos run the gamut from showing nudists to swingers to the accommodations and places to shop. Really helps me feel comfortable as a single woman traveling there. I'm ready now!