Au Naturel
Naturism, Nudism, and Tourism in Twentieth-Century France
By Stephen L. Harp | Publisher: LSU Press
About the book
Each year in France approximately 1.5 million people practice naturisme or \"naturism,\" an activity more commonly referred to as \"nudism.\" Because of France's unique tolerance for public nudity, the country also hosts hundreds of thousands of nudists from other European nations, an influx that has contributed to the most extensive infrastructure for nude tourism in the world. In Au Naturel, historian Stephen L. Harp explores how the evolution of European tourism encouraged public nudity in France, connecting this cultural shift with important changes in both individual behaviors and collective understandings of the body, morality, and sexuality.
Harp's study, the first in-depth historical analysis of nudism in France, challenges widespread assumptions that \"sexual liberation\" freed people from \"repression,\" a process ostensibly reflected in the growing number of people practicing public nudity. Instead, he contends, naturism gained social acceptance because of the bodily control required to participate in it. New social codes emerged governing appropriate nudist behavior, including where one might look, how to avoid sexual excitation, what to wear when cold, and whether even the most modest displays of affection -- -including hand-holding and pecks on the cheek -- were permissible between couples.
Beginning his study in 1927 -- when naturist doctors first advocated nudism in France as part of \"air, water, and sun cures\" -- Harp focuses on the country's three earliest and largest nudist centers: the Île du Levant in the Var, Montalivet in the Gironde, and the Cap d'Agde in Hérault. These places emerged as thriving tourist destinations, Harp shows, because the municipalities -- by paradoxically reinterpreting inde-cency as a way to foster European tourism to France -- worked to make public nudity more acceptable.
Using the French naturist movement as a lens for examining the evolving notions of the body and sexuality in twentieth-century Europe, Harp reveals how local practices served as agents of national change.
Editions of Au Naturel
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807155257
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807155271
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807155288
- PDF
- ISBN 9780807155264
Read an Excerpt
Each year in France approximately 1.5 million people practice naturisme or \"naturism,\" an activity more commonly referred to as \"nudism.\" Because of France's unique tolerance for public nudity, the country also hosts hundreds of thousands of nudists from other European nations, an influx that has contributed to the most extensive infrastructure for nude tourism in the world. In Au Naturel, historian Stephen L. Harp explores how the evolution of European tourism encouraged public nudity in France, connecting this cultural shift with important changes in both individual behaviors and collective understandings of the body, morality, and sexuality.
Harp's study, the first in-depth historical analysis of nudism in France, challenges widespread assumptions that \"sexual liberation\" freed people from \"repression,\" a process ostensibly reflected in the growing number of people practicing public nudity. Instead, he contends, naturism gained social acceptance because of the bodily control required to participate in it. New social codes emerged governing appropriate nudist behavior, including where one might look, how to avoid sexual excitation, what to wear when cold, and whether even the most modest displays of affection -- -including hand-holding and pecks on the cheek -- were permissible between couples.
Beginning his study in 1927 -- when naturist doctors first advocated nudism in France as part of \"air, water, and sun cures\" -- Harp focuses on the country's three earliest and largest nudist centers: the Île du Levant in the Var, Montalivet in the Gironde, and the Cap d'Agde in Hérault. These places emerged as thriving tourist destinations, Harp shows, because the municipalities -- by paradoxically reinterpreting inde-cency as a way to foster European tourism to France -- worked to make public nudity more acceptable.
Using the French naturist movement as a lens for examining the evolving notions of the body and sexuality in twentieth-century Europe, Harp reveals how local practices served as agents of national change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Au Naturel about?
Each year in France approximately 1.5 million people practice naturisme or \"naturism,\" an activity more commonly referred to as \"nudism.\" Because of France's unique tolerance for public nudity, the country also hosts hundreds of thousands of nudists from other European nations, an influx that has contributed to the most extensive infrastructure for nude tourism in the world. In Au Naturel, historian Stephen L. Harp explores how the evolution of European tourism encouraged public nudity in France, connecting this cultural shift with important changes in both individual behaviors and collective understandings of the body, morality, and sexuality.
Harp's study, the first in-depth historical analysis of nudism in France, challenges widespread assumptions that \"sexual liberation\" freed people from \"repression,\" a process ostensibly reflected in the growing number of people practicing public nudity. Instead, he contends, naturism gained social acceptance because of the bodily control required to participate in it. New social codes emerged governing appropriate nudist behavior, including where one might look, how to avoid sexual excitation, what to wear when cold, and whether even the most modest displays of affection -- -including hand-holding and pecks on the cheek -- were permissible between couples.
Beginning his study in 1927 -- when naturist doctors first advocated nudism in France as part of \"air, water, and sun cures\" -- Harp focuses on the country's three earliest and largest nudist centers: the Île du Levant in the Var, Montalivet in the Gironde, and the Cap d'Agde in Hérault. These places emerged as thriving tourist destinations, Harp shows, because the municipalities -- by paradoxically reinterpreting inde-cency as a way to foster European tourism to France -- worked to make public nudity more acceptable.
Using the French naturist movement as a lens for examining the evolving notions of the body and sexuality in twentieth-century Europe, Harp reveals how local practices served as agents of national change.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Au Naturel?
History and Archaeology > History > European history
Where can I read a sample of Au Naturel?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807155257
How long is Au Naturel and how many pages does it have?
Au Naturel has 328 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Au Naturel?
Stephen L. Harp
Who is the Publisher of the book Au Naturel?
LSU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Au Naturel is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807155257) and ebook(ISBN 9780807155271) and ebook(ISBN 9780807155288) and pdf(ISBN 9780807155264)
Where can I buy Au Naturel online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Au Naturel from below
Where can I buy Au Naturel?