This are five suggestions included in Dr. Dukan’s bestseller diet book Je ne sais Pas Maigrir (I don’t Know How to Get Thin)

(Sounds like the perfect diet for Amsterdam’s Red Light ...]]> 1. Stand around a lot.

2. Suck ice cubes.

3. Eat your food cold

4. Take a cold shower.

5. For the first three to five days of the diet, don’t exercise.

This are five suggestions included in Dr. Dukan’s bestseller diet book Je ne sais Pas Maigrir (I don’t Know How to Get Thin)

(Sounds like the perfect diet for Amsterdam’s Red Light district denizens!)

Summer is over and it’s time to do damage assessment: Far too many aperos - wasn’t that Loupiac tasty with the foie gras de canard? Mmnnn, Christina’s sponge cake recipe for Jean-Pierre’s birthday, Daniel and Francoise’s imported rum for poolside rum & Cokes.

But fortunately, early in the summer season, Davine, a family friend who is also a doctor (and diet knowledgeable) left me with this book title: “Je ne sais pas maigrir” by Dr. Pierre Dukan.

Translated as ‘I don’t know how to lose weight’, the book (which I picked up at FNAC bookstore (the sales clerk knew the title immediately) is plugged as ‘The Dukan Phenomena - already 1 million conquered readers!’.

At first glance, Dr. Pierre Dukan’s ‘Je ne sais pas Maigrir’ diet looks like a rehash of Atkins, South Beach, or some of those seventies protein diets. But it really was designed for French taste: Eat lots of meat as often as you want and don’t exercise. No surprise that a French diet or ‘regime’ has some amusing twists on the typical American style diet.

For the first phase (called the attack phase), don’t exercise. Well, don’t exercise, the doctor says, but don’t take the elevator in your apartment building. That’s an easy thing to do because half the elevators in the Paris metropolitan area are ‘en panne’ and barely functioning most of the time (which is really quite amusing when you live on the 14th floor in a housing project). If you’re not clomping up winding apartment staircases, you’ll be hustling up and down Metro steps (the escalators when you can find them - work part of the time).

It’s a great welcome back to Paris after your summer vacation. Think I’ll go grab a burger. (By the way, you’ll have no trouble finding a hamburger these days in Paris because hamburgers are hot! Just remember you have to eat it WITHOUT the hamburger roll and the ketchup, but keep the pickle and the mustard).

I am currently on Day 3 of of Dr. Dukan’s ‘I don’t know how to lose weight protein diet’ which I’m calling the ‘Paris Diet’ for simplicity’s sake. I’m also on jetleg. Which means waking up at strange hours - and being hungry. During the attack phase (which lasts from three to five days depending on how many kilos you wish to shed), you can eat at ANY time of day from the following list:

Beef, chicken, fish, turkey, veal, eggs, dairy products such as low-fat yoghurt (without fruit or sugar), or low fat ‘fromage frais’ (resembles sour cream). (Here, I’ve already substituted low-fat cottage cheese). And plenty of water, coffee, tea, etc. 1 1/2 Liters Obligatory.

You’ll notice the obvious elements missing from a typical Parisian diet - the baguette. The other typical element missing - wine, of any sort.

What you have to admire about Dr. Dukan’s 247-page diet plan: The word ‘croissant’ is not once mentioned. Neither is dessert. Rather, he uses the word ‘gala’.

If you manage to survive the first two stages of this diet which consists of total protein for three to five days, followed by Phase II - Cruising (protein interspersed with vegetables), you get to Phase III which allows for two gala days per week.

Dukan’s definition of ‘gala’ means you can eat or drink ANYTHING you want for A MEAL, not for the entire day - AND you may only serve yourself ONCE i.e. one glass of champagne for the cocktail hour, one glass of red wine to go with your meal, one serving of Baked Alaska. You get the picture, hedonism minus the binge.

Right now, the Gala days appear to be far, far away. Think I’ll go console myself with a16 oz. steak. (Parisgirl suggests you consult your doctor before starting ANY diet plan!!)

If you would like to follow Parisgirl’s progress (or lack, thereof, on the Dukan diet), add Parislogue to your daily feed for updates.

One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered ...]]> When Swearing’s Okay and When it isn’t

envoyй par domi34

One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered this past Thursday night, swearing during station breaks can be embarassing when you discover your heated response to a colleague is caught live on prime time TV. Her remark, “Pourquoi vous m’avez pas dit, putain?” i.e. “Why didn’t you tell me, damnit?” was shocking enough for the newscaster to offer the public an apology at the end of the emission.

She’s not alone. Even France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy’s swearing incident at the Salon d’Agriculture this past February engendered dozens of video reproductions - and embellishments of his snap response ‘Casse-toi, pauvre con!’ when a visitor at the Salon d’Agriculture refused to shake his hand.

Sometimes the media responds with it’s own expletives such Marianne journal’s ‘Putain! Encore 4 ans. (Very interesting commentary comparing the Sarkozy Era to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Era!!!)

Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in a situation, where you’ll find it necessary to swear. On the other hand, here are some basic terms that you’ll encounter in newspapers, on television (even, if by accident), or in conversations overheard while walking down the street. Not heads of state, nor, believe it or not, even men of the cloth are immune. (A Norman priest was reprimanded last year for using one of these naughty words - for which he apologized like the newscaster).

Parents Condone Kids’ Swearing

Unlike American kids, not all French parents punish their kids for swearing. In fact, one parent told us that he allowed his kids about ten minutes to use all the swear words they could think of at the end of the dinner hour. Maybe this sounds weird, but here in France, it’s not a question of whether or not you should use swear words as much as it’s the question of using swear words in the right context and in the right situation. When you figure that a vast portion of the French vocabulary was wiped out by the Pleaides (or the French Academy of Letters) when French literature entered its classic era, this simple act of allowing the language to be exercised and spoken from the most vulgar levels to the most sublime might be considered the key to keeping a language rich and varied.

However, for those sensitive spirits who are offended by vulgar language, please stop here.

Top Swear Words

Putain! i.e. Damn!

Putain literally means prostitute. Yet, when it’s used as an expletive, it translates into English as ‘Damn’, but considered to be stronger language than ‘damn’.

Con- stupid, imbecile, ’sorry bastard’, ass

Con, short for conasse, literally translates as cunt. There are dozens of variations of the usage:

Ne me prenez pas pour un ‘con’. Don’t take me for a fool.

Ne fait pas le con. Don’t be an ass.

Casse-toi, pauvre ‘con’. Shove off, sorry bastard.

Foutre. Fuck.

Je m’en fou. I don’t give a damn.

This expression is so common that it’s lost its literal translation i.e. I don’t give a fuck (but is still considered to be unrefined).

Fou-le-camp. Get the hell out. (Va-t-en! Go away is much milder and achieves the same results).

Se faire chier. (Reflexive Verb) To be irritated or bothered by s.o.

S’Emmerder. (Reflexive Verb) To be irritated or bothered by s.o.

Chiant/Emmerdant (Adjective) Pain in the neck, pain in the ass.

Literally to make someone shit or to shit upon.

Merde! Shit

Salope. Bitch.

Saloperies. Dirty tricks.

Cochonneries. Dirty stories or talking dirty (literally derived from a pig sty)

Peter (infinitive)- Fart (accent over the first ‘e’) (pronounced ‘petay’

Pete (Noun) (There’s an accent over the first ‘e’) (pronounced ‘pet)

Peter des plombs. Losing it. Blow a fuse. Having a hissy fit. Literally farting lead.

Degueulasse- really disgusting. This isn’t exactly a swear word. The word is commonly used but not in refined company. Nothing is quite as ‘degueulasse’ as the linked movie. Not recommended for the faint of heart. This is the most disgusting I’ve seen to date, and truly exemplifies the word.

>> Learn more about French swear words and urban street language:

Learn French

One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered ...]]> When Swearing’s Okay and When it isn’t

envoyй par domi34

One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered this past Thursday night, swearing during station breaks can be embarassing when you discover your heated response to a colleague is caught live on prime time TV. Her remark, “Pourquoi vous m’avez pas dit, putain?” i.e. “Why didn’t you tell me, damnit?” was shocking enough for the newscaster to offer the public an apology at the end of the emission.

She’s not alone. Even France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy’s swearing incident at the Salon d’Agriculture this past February engendered dozens of video reproductions - and embellishments of his snap response ‘Casse-toi, pauvre con!’ when a visitor at the Salon d’Agriculture refused to shake his hand.

Sometimes the media responds with it’s own expletives such Marianne journal’s ‘Putain! Encore 4 ans. (Very interesting commentary comparing the Sarkozy Era to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Era!!!)

Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in a situation, where you’ll find it necessary to swear. On the other hand, here are some basic terms that you’ll encounter in newspapers, on television (even, if by accident), or in conversations overheard while walking down the street. Not heads of state, nor, believe it or not, even men of the cloth are immune. (A Norman priest was reprimanded last year for using one of these naughty words - for which he apologized like the newscaster).

Parents Condone Kids’ Swearing

Unlike American kids, not all French parents punish their kids for swearing. In fact, one parent told us that he allowed his kids about ten minutes to use all the swear words they could think of at the end of the dinner hour. Maybe this sounds weird, but here in France, it’s not a question of whether or not you should use swear words as much as it’s the question of using swear words in the right context and in the right situation. When you figure that a vast portion of the French vocabulary was wiped out by the Pleaides (or the French Academy of Letters) when French literature entered its classic era, this simple act of allowing the language to be exercised and spoken from the most vulgar levels to the most sublime might be considered the key to keeping a language rich and varied.

However, for those sensitive spirits who are offended by vulgar language, please stop here.

Top Swear Words

Putain! i.e. Damn!

Putain literally means prostitute. Yet, when it’s used as an expletive, it translates into English as ‘Damn’, but considered to be stronger language than ‘damn’.

Con- stupid, imbecile, ’sorry bastard’, ass

Con, short for conasse, literally translates as cunt. There are dozens of variations of the usage:

Ne me prenez pas pour un ‘con’. Don’t take me for a fool.

Ne fait pas le con. Don’t be an ass.

Casse-toi, pauvre ‘con’. Shove off, sorry bastard.

Foutre. Fuck.

Je m’en fou. I don’t give a damn.

This expression is so common that it’s lost its literal translation i.e. I don’t give a fuck (but is still considered to be unrefined).

Fou-le-camp. Get the hell out. (Va-t-en! Go away is much milder and achieves the same results).

Se faire chier. (Reflexive Verb) To be irritated or bothered by s.o.

S’Emmerder. (Reflexive Verb) To be irritated or bothered by s.o.

Chiant/Emmerdant (Adjective) Pain in the neck, pain in the ass.

Literally to make someone shit or to shit upon.

Merde! Shit

Salope. Bitch.

Saloperies. Dirty tricks.

Cochonneries. Dirty stories or talking dirty (literally derived from a pig sty)

Peter (infinitive)- Fart (accent over the first ‘e’) (pronounced ‘petay’

Pete (Noun) (There’s an accent over the first ‘e’) (pronounced ‘pet)

Peter des plombs. Losing it. Blow a fuse. Having a hissy fit. Literally farting lead.

Degueulasse- really disgusting. This isn’t exactly a swear word. The word is commonly used but not in refined company. Nothing is quite as ‘degueulasse’ as the linked movie. Not recommended for the faint of heart. This is the most disgusting I’ve seen to date, and truly exemplifies the word.

>> Learn more about French swear words and urban street language:

Learn French

Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear ...]]> If you’re bringing home clothes for kids in the family, there’s no place like Paris for finding cool kids clothes - especially in September for ‘Back to School’ or ‘La Rentree’ as we call it here.

Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear dresses sometimes. Yes, even in Paris parks.

Khaki and camouflage green with a hint of orange are very big this fall in shop windows. You’ll find that French kids’ clothes tend to appear in more muted and sophisticated colors.

Here’s a rundown on the well - known kids shops you’ll find in Paris, starting with some of the chic spots to shop:

You may remember in a past post I mentioned IKKS. IKKS is definitely a hot label - for kids (and for their Moms as well). You’ll want to check out their new store that just opened at

114 Champs Elysees.

More IKKS branches:

6 Rue Rosiers 75004

13 Rue Vavin 75006

14 Rue Passy 75016

12 Rue Sevres 75007

129 Rue de la Pompe 75116

140 Rue Rivoli 75001

32 Rue du Four 75006

Also, some of Parisian’s favorite designers also have lines just for kids:

Sonia Rykiel Enfants

4 Rue Grenelle

75006

Agnes B. Enfants

Serge Blanco

(Petit Quinze Serge Blanco)

55 Notre Dames des Champs 75006

Tel 01 44 07 0054

Catimini

114 av Champs ElysГ©es 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 53 76 21 51

fax : 01 53 76 22 87

Catimini

10 r Vavin 75006 PARIS

01 44 41 02 33

Catimini

17 r Martel 75010 PARIS

01 48 01 99 77

fax : 01 48 01 99 78

Coude -Mail Creation Lapin Bleu

12 Rue Vavin

75006

Metro: Vavin

Baby Dior

Baby Dior Enfants


26 av Montaigne 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 49 52 01 45

Baby Dior - Naissance


28 av Montaigne 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 49 52 04 50

Petit Boy

Suffering from sticker shock?

The following stores are well-known chains which offer good quality and fairly reasonable prices.

Du Pareil au Meme offers perfectly acceptable kidswear which will surely delight friends back home.

Okaidi

Okaidi France

115 r Monge 75005 PARIS

01 42 17 45 94

OkaГЇdi France

30 av Italie 75013 PARIS

Where does Parisgirl do her shopping for kids?

I really like Mini Junior at 114 Blvd. Montparnasse, simply because the reception is always friendly. You can find quality clothing here and designer brands such as Kenzo which will delight Parisian Moms just as much as the kids. Mini Junior is a small boutique so you won’t find a vast inventory, but everything is handpicked to mix and match well.

Mini Junior

114, Boulevard Montparnasse

75014 Paris

Tel. 01 43 22 05 30

Can’t get to Paris to check out the kid’s fashions? It’s easy to find some examples of favorite European designers for kids online!

‘Paris Village’ Chipie Label

>> More European Labels for Kids

http://boutiques.lesculottescourtes.com/

>>More on Shopping in Paris

Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear ...]]> If you’re bringing home clothes for kids in the family, there’s no place like Paris for finding cool kids clothes - especially in September for ‘Back to School’ or ‘La Rentree’ as we call it here.

Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear dresses sometimes. Yes, even in Paris parks.

Khaki and camouflage green with a hint of orange are very big this fall in shop windows. You’ll find that French kids’ clothes tend to appear in more muted and sophisticated colors.

Here’s a rundown on the well - known kids shops you’ll find in Paris, starting with some of the chic spots to shop:

You may remember in a past post I mentioned IKKS. IKKS is definitely a hot label - for kids (and for their Moms as well). You’ll want to check out their new store that just opened at

114 Champs Elysees.

More IKKS branches:

6 Rue Rosiers 75004

13 Rue Vavin 75006

14 Rue Passy 75016

12 Rue Sevres 75007

129 Rue de la Pompe 75116

140 Rue Rivoli 75001

32 Rue du Four 75006

Also, some of Parisian’s favorite designers also have lines just for kids:

Sonia Rykiel Enfants

4 Rue Grenelle

75006

Agnes B. Enfants

Serge Blanco

(Petit Quinze Serge Blanco)

55 Notre Dames des Champs 75006

Tel 01 44 07 0054

Catimini

114 av Champs ElysГ©es 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 53 76 21 51

fax : 01 53 76 22 87

Catimini

10 r Vavin 75006 PARIS

01 44 41 02 33

Catimini

17 r Martel 75010 PARIS

01 48 01 99 77

fax : 01 48 01 99 78

Coude -Mail Creation Lapin Bleu

12 Rue Vavin

75006

Metro: Vavin

Baby Dior

Baby Dior Enfants


26 av Montaigne 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 49 52 01 45

Baby Dior - Naissance


28 av Montaigne 75008 PARIS

Tel. 01 49 52 04 50

Petit Boy

Suffering from sticker shock?

The following stores are well-known chains which offer good quality and fairly reasonable prices.

Du Pareil au Meme offers perfectly acceptable kidswear which will surely delight friends back home.

Okaidi

Okaidi France

115 r Monge 75005 PARIS

01 42 17 45 94

OkaГЇdi France

30 av Italie 75013 PARIS

Where does Parisgirl do her shopping for kids?

I really like Mini Junior at 114 Blvd. Montparnasse, simply because the reception is always friendly. You can find quality clothing here and designer brands such as Kenzo which will delight Parisian Moms just as much as the kids. Mini Junior is a small boutique so you won’t find a vast inventory, but everything is handpicked to mix and match well.

Mini Junior

114, Boulevard Montparnasse

75014 Paris

Tel. 01 43 22 05 30

Can’t get to Paris to check out the kid’s fashions? It’s easy to find some examples of favorite European designers for kids online!

‘Paris Village’ Chipie Label

>> More European Labels for Kids

http://boutiques.lesculottescourtes.com/

>>More on Shopping in Paris

Haus der Musik, Vienna

While a lot of travellers seem to be shying away from museums these days - someone seems to have told them you don’t “have to” visit museums to see a city - one that I highly recommend ...]]> Welcome to my blog, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Haus der Musik, Vienna

While a lot of travellers seem to be shying away from museums these days - someone seems to have told them you don’t “have to” visit museums to see a city - one that I highly recommend in Vienna is the Haus der Musik (House of Music), also known as the Sound Museum.

It’s the kind of place with something for everyone - rock and pop music lovers, classical music afficionados, and anyone who likes playing with stuff that makes noise. Since I’m interested in pretty much everything, then the more educational side with displays about Austrian composers was great, but I also liked the hands-on floor - if you’ve ever wondered what a cow mooing in a cathedral would sound like, this is the place to find out. There’s also a great exhibit where you can try your hand at being a “virtual conductor” of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which I discovered is a whole lot harder than it looks.

Haus der Musik is right in the centre and it’s unusual for a museum in that it stays open until 10pm each day, so it’s something you can fit in after an early dinner. Entry fees are a pretty reasonable 10 Euro per adult. They sometimes hold concerts there too, so check the website in advance of your visit.

Photo: manicato via Creative Commons

Share and Enjoy:

Copyright © Europe A La Carte

Contrary to popular belief, nude or clothing optional sunbathing and swimming isn’t ‘exactly’ legal in France. But this is the ...]]> Paris Plage may be great in many ways - it’s a free man-made beach - available to Parisians who can’t get out of town for part of the summer - but still, you can’t swim in the Seine - and if you’re looking for topless sunbathers - you’re out of luck.

Contrary to popular belief, nude or clothing optional sunbathing and swimming isn’t ‘exactly’ legal in France. But this is the beauty of France. You’ll find that topless sunbathing is quite common at many seaside resorts. Voila the eternal paradox. A large number of clothing optional beaches and resorts are also easy to find - and to date, I haven’t ever hear of anyone getting arrested for topless sunbathing. >> See Laws

You’ll want to make sure that when you do find that perfect beach to commune with nature that the local community tolerates nudism. In French, the expression for the nudist lifestyle is ‘naturisme’. The best way to do this is to check out some of the ‘official’ or ‘tolerated’ nudist beaches.

Topless sunbathing began as a fad way back in the 1950s when French actress Brigitte Bardot bared her breasts and shocked the world, but according to my Parisian friends who lived in Cannes during the 60s, topless sunbathing really took off in the early sixties for one simple reason.



“We were making our own macramГ© bathing suits. The tops were so easy to slide around to avoid getting tan lines. We eventually just took them off, but you know nowadays, topless sunbathing is simply passГ©!”

That’s the latest word from my Parisian contact (who should know). She does her sun-tanning at home. ‘Sure some people still sunbathe topless at Deauville, but . . .it’s no longer in style.”

Meanwhile, if you could care less about trends, here’s the list of top beaches hand-picked by one of France’s ‘naturisme associations’. I’m adding to that list one beach we chanced upon in our travels that is supposedly just the place for nude surfing.

If you do decide to explore France’s nude beaches, please remember to leave your camera, video, binoculars, etc back at the hotel and respect people’s lifestyle.

Also remember that nudity in public places can risk a one year jail sentence or a 10,000 Euro ticket. I don’t know if anyone has ever been charged for nude sunbathing but you wouldn’t want to be the first!

1. Vieux St. Giron is located in the Landes region, just north of Biarritz. Here’s where you can surf nude. The waves are intense and not very far from Arcachon beach which is well known for its surfing. Be careful of the undertow if you’re not a good swimmer. I’ve read in some reviews that the water was not clean one year. When we were there, the water was fine. Unlike Mediterranean sea beaches, you’ll find sand dunes and a very laid back atmosphere.

The above photo for Arnaoutchot Resort (better known simply as ‘Arna’ is located in Vieux St. Giron.

2. Cap d’Agde - well known throughout Europe, Cap d’Agde is actually a nudist seaside community with protected access. It has a three mile beach and can receive as many as 40,000 visitors in a season.

3. Berck sur Mer - Plage des Sables d’Opale (62) This is a family beach with a zone of 250 metres set aside for clothing optional swimming and sunbathing. Go just past the building in ruins along the dunes.

4. Merville-franceville - Plage de la Redoute (14) Calvados, Normandy. Prefecture has authorized nude sunbathing in a limited zone of 250 meters.

5. Fouesnant - Plage de Kerler (29) Officially authorized since 2004, Kerler’s natural beauty makes this a great place to experience memorable moments ‘en famille’.

6. La Turbale - Plage de Pen Bron (44) Nudism is tolerated as ‘clothing optional’. According to the naturiste association, the ‘textiles’ referring to those who choose to wear clothing tend to blend well enough with those who don’t.

7. Hossegor-Nudist Beach (40) Officially a nudist beach, starting at the boulevard facing the sea, take Avenue Gardian. The nudist beach starts just north of Camp WF.

8. Le Grau du Rois- Plage de l’Espiguette (30) An idyllic southern beach with a family feel. However, also with a gay section.

9. Corsica - Riva Bella (2A) Beautiful scenery and great facilities.

10. Plage de Tahiti - St. Trop Last, but not least, mention should be made of Plage de Tahiti which is NOT a nudist beach, however, it is considered one of the top beaches for spotting topless celebrities. After all, this is where it all began with Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez, Paris’s summer party town.

Les Plus Belles Plages

More beautiful French Beaches (not specifically nude beaches, but undoubtedly topless tolerant)

France has plenty of beautiful beaches along its Atlantic coastline. If you’re fed up with trying to walk on the French Riviera’s pebble beaches, here some of our favorite Atlantic coast beaches:

Pornichet and La Baule

Both of these communities have excellent sandy beaches surrounded by extremely tasteful homes. These towns aren’t simply resort towns but family-oriented communities with high standard of living. Once you’ve visited Pornichet and La Baule, you may never want to leave! La Baule is considered by some to be the best beach in Europe.

L’ile de Re

An Island located in the Atlantic just across from La Rochelle, in the Charentes-Maritime, this is where the more discreet French hang their hat for the summer months.

Calanque D’En Vau

Not far from Marseilles, here’s where you can hang out and sip on a pastis while you play a game of ‘boules.

Mimizan,

Called the Pearl of the Cote d’Argent (Silver Coast) is located like St. Giron Beach in the Landes region, part of Aquitaine.

Carnac -

Located in Brittany. Though the beach town has expanded tremendously in past years, the beach is still sublime (according to this beach survey).

Perros -Guirec

Perros-Guirec (Perroz-Gireg in the Breton language) is also a Breton beach noted for its natural beauty and fine sand. It’s located on the Cote d’Armor.

Porquerolles

And, last but not least, if you really insist on being on the Mediterranean rather than the Atlantic Ocean, you can always head for Porquerelles island. Porquerelles is the most westerly of the Hyeres island chain.

Haven’t found the beach you’re looking for?

Check out a complete listing or click on Plagenat’s Map of France for nude beaches.

These are just a few suggestions for a beach getaway from Paris. Enjoy your day or weekend in the sun - and don’t forget to bring your suntan lotion.