Because, as one participant tells me at 2:00 AM, wrapped in a towel by the fire: "Christmas is the most stressful day of the year for clothed people. The cooking, the dressing up, the judgment of your outfit by your mother-in-law. Here, there is only one question: 'Are you warm enough? Do you want another blanket?'"
By Marc LeClerc, Special Correspondent to Naturist Life International Because, as one participant tells me at 2:00
The lodge is heated to a tropical 24°C (75°F) via underfloor heating and a massive stone fireplace. But the real genius of the is the "staggered thermal rhythm." Do you want another blanket
The answer lies in the philosophy of chez soi (being at home with oneself). Veteran naturist Jean-Paul, a 30-year resident of the Villages Nature group, explains: “Christmas is about returning to innocence. What is more innocent than the body we were born with? We reject the frantic consumerism of December. We reject the uncomfortable formalwear. Here, there are no velvet suits or tight dresses. There is only truth, community, and the skin you are in.” What is more innocent than the body we were born with
The gift exchange here follows a tradition called Le Secret Nu (The Naked Secret), a variant of Secret Santa .
The first course is . The bowls are thick ceramic. The cheese is bubbling. The broth is scalding. Watching a group of nude diners lean over steaming onion soup, the steam fogging their glasses (the only allowed accessory), creates a surreal tableau of comfort. There is no fear of spilling—hot soup on bare thighs is a great teacher of caution.
Now, erase that image. Completely. Remove the scarves. Remove the itchy wool sweaters. Remove the fabric entirely.