The Nudists and the "Black List"

The René Oltra camp at Cap D’Adge in the Hérault is a resort for nudists. Located just a few miles from Montpellier in France. It is billed as  "One of the worlds best clothing-optional and naturism, naturist villages and resorts."

Cap d'Agde naturism resort is an enclosed self-contained village, where anyone who enjoys this lifestyle can enjoy vacations or holidays and everything including going to the bank, post office, restaurants, launderette or for a walk along the 3.5 mile beach, as nature intended.

This may sound like the closest thing to heaven on earth for nudists. There is however trouble in paradise. It appears that the nudist camp has been keeping a black list of undesirables, people who will be refused entry to its facilities. This was discovered when a client was refused entry to the camp and went to the authorities to complain about being discriminated against. The unidentified person contacted the Commission nationale de l'informatique et de la liberté (CNIL) which is France's data protection authority.

The CNIL sent inspectors to investigate the allegations and discovered that resort did in fact keep a list of people who were banned from their facilities. The list contained names of people who had been banned for various offenses including: non-payment of bills, making too much noise, lack of personal hygiene and the wearing of clothes etc...

Keeping a black list is not illegal but organizations who wish to exclude certain people from their facilities need the authorization of the CNIL. After concluding its investigation the CNIL gave the resort permission to keep its black list with the caveat that it informed potential and existing clients of the black list's existence. Also, anyone charged with an "objective" offence could be banned from the resort for up to three years.

Cap D’Adge has rules that it expects all of its patrons to abide by. Violations can lead to expulsion from the resort (and of course being placed on their black list). Some of the rules include:

• Access to the quarter is reserved for naturists or those working there.


• Total nudity is obligatory within the quarter and on the beach, as soon as climatic conditions permit.


• Photo shots and filming are strictly limited to members of the family.


• There are also several laws banning any sort of lewd or crude behavior in the naturist quarter.


• Teenagers are allowed to wear clothes, if they feel uncomfortable with the environment.

To find out more about Cap D'Agde, visit their website at: http://www.capdagdefrance.co.uk