Marseille, France:
At a museum in the southern French city of Marseille, visitors can experience a naturalistic lifestyle by strolling around the museum naked.
“It's not every day that you can walk around a museum naked,” said Julie Guégnold, 38, who was celebrating her birthday at the “Naturist Paradise” exhibition at the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (Mucem).
Once a month, visitors to Mucem can explore the history of nudism in Europe by donning only their shoes – not for modesty's sake, but simply a precaution to “avoid splinters in the wood”, Eric Stephanieu, head of French nudist organisation FFN, told AFP.
“I wanted to do something different” for her birthday, Guenour told AFP as she wandered the exhibition hall wearing a sarong.
She and her husband, Mathieu, who was also nude, were among 80 visitors in various outfits who came to view 600 photographs, paintings, sculptures and other artworks on a Tuesday in August.
“When I arrived I felt a little lost, but it's not that strange,” Guenyol said.
Not very well received
Some visitors experienced more culture shock than others, with one couple from southwest England marvelling at the liberal attitude towards nudity on display.
Kieren Parker Hall and Xander Parry told AFP they enjoyed the “incredible” photographs, which included black-and-white nude images of Christiane Lecoq, the French pioneer of nudism who has died aged 103.
Getting naked and learning about the history of nudism was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the two Brits, especially as the practice is not widely accepted in their home country.
“There's not a lot of nudist stuff in England,” said Parker Hall, 28, a web developer, adding that the practice is “not very accepted”.
Xander Parry, a 30-year-old stained-glass artist, agreed.
Being naked is considered “weird” in the UK and “people should feel a bit embarrassed about being naked,” Parry said.
A hub of naturism
There is no official ranking, but Mucem describes France as “the world's leading tourist destination” for people who enjoy being naked outdoors.
Bruno Saules, head of a local nudist association and co-organiser of the visit, told AFP the nudist movement began in Switzerland and Germany in the 19th century.
The first nudist organisations in France were founded in 1930 in the south-eastern region of Provence and have since spread across the country.
The southern port city of Marseille has long been considered a “base for naturism” and is home to several dedicated centres, thanks in part to the region's warm climate, Sollès added.
“We are approaching Spain in terms of the number of visitors to nudist resorts,” he said.
But for 53-year-old Christelle Bouyoud, naturism is about more than tourist numbers or the freedom to be naked: the decision to strip naked can be a unifying force in society.
“When you're naked it's very difficult to face someone on the battlefield,” Buyard, a nudist with 10 years of experience, told AFP.
The exhibition, which is open to both clothed and nude audiences, features works on loan from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Louvre and the Swiss National Library in Bern, and runs until December 9th.
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