Daring to Eat Bare: Naked Restaurants in Nudist Village Reviewed

The Nudist Travel Guide Blog introduced the Naked Must Do List series to provide a resource about Cap d’Agde Naturist Quarter in France, the world's largest naturist village. In this post, Part 3 of the Naked Must Do List, the restaurant options will be further explored (see last post for an introduction to nude dining).

Lunch is the best time for nude dining as this is when most people are nude throughout the Naturist Village. In the evening, more people wear some sort of cover-up.

So let’s say that all you have is a towel on which to sit and you are ready to head for a restaurant. Where to go? The restaurants in the Cap d’Agde’s Naturist Quarter are located mostly in the 4 commercial complexes adjacent to the residential complexes (see picture).

Heliopolis, the large and distinguished circular building seen in the aerial photo of Cap d’Agde, has a complex of shops and restaurants in the center and a few more beachside. Le Lagon Bleu and Le Pointu offer French cuisine. L’Espadon and La Villa Romaine (clothing required) serve fine seafood selections. There’s the Pizzeria Le Ghymnos, an Italian style restaurant/grill, or for Creole-style fair, try La Case Creole.

The beachfront terrace restaurant Le Buvette de Marseillan is a short walk up the beach from the Heliopolis complex and has a great view.

Port Nature is the large, long holiday apartment building and has two restaurant areas: one on the beach and the other inland at the other end of the building. On the beachfront side of Port Nature can be found a few good restaurants. The Mississippi (Le Mississippi) is one of them. They have several types of savory crepes filled with hams and seafood and topped with assorted cheeses.

The inland side of Port Nature has restaurants that seem more focused on the nighttime bar and club scene catering to the more erotic-oriented vacationer than the typical naturist. During the daytime, it is a quiet area.

The semi-circular Port Ambonne complex is north of Port Nature and has a few restaurants in it too including the seafood restaurant La Poissonnerie Chez Maxime and La Bleue. There are also a few restaurants in the small complex across the street, next to the Port Soleil building.

The focus of this article has been the Naturist Quarter, but it would be a shame not to mention other great places to eat nearby. Though clothes are required, the trade-off for higher quality food may be worthwhile.

For more distinguished eating and scenery, the restaurants lining the canal of the fishing village of Sète are about a 30-minute drive from the Naturist Quarter. Restaurants here are known for their fresh seafood dishes and the atmosphere here is unique and should not be missed.

Even a 15-minute drive will get you to the “Centre Port” harbor area of the clothed town of Cap d’Agde. Though somewhat touristy, there is a nice promenade where you can take a strong along the harbor and pick from a large selection of eateries.

Whether eating in the Naturist Quarter or outside of it, some restaurants have French only menus. Before visiting, studying the French language a little is recommended or at least bring a travel dictionary.