Naturist cottages in Dordogne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine: from the Atlantic coast to the Périgord
Guide updated in September 2026
The cradle of French naturism: the ocean beaches of Montalivet and Euronat, cottages with pools in the Périgord and Lot-et-Garonne, the lakes of the Limousin. Where to rent, when to go, what budget.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the cradle of organised naturism: it was at Montalivet, in 1950, that the first large naturist holiday centre opened, and on this same coast that the International Naturist Federation was founded three years later. Seventy-five years on, the region offers two complementary faces: the Atlantic coast (Gironde, Landes) with its immense naturist beaches backed by pine forest, and the interior — Périgord, Lot-et-Garonne, Limousin — where naturist cottages with pools, B&Bs and small lakeside campsites flourish. It is this second, more intimate Aquitaine that this guide highlights.
The coast: the great naturist beaches of the ocean
Three historic domains follow one another along the Gironde coast. The CHM de Montalivet, at Vendays-Montalivet, is the elder: a naturist village of several thousand pitches, with its ocean beach and its market. A few kilometres north, Euronat, at Grayan-et-l'Hôpital, is the largest naturist centre in Europe — over 300 hectares of forest, a kilometre and a half of beach, chalets and mobile homes rented both by the domain and by private owners. South of the Arcachon basin, La Jenny, at Le Porge, is a residential domain of chalets under the pines, with a golf course and direct access to the beach. In the Landes, Arnaoutchot (Vielle-Saint-Girons) and the naturist beach of Messanges extend the offer. All along this coast the water stays lively — 18 to 22 °C in summer — and the rip currents mean swimming in the supervised zones.
The interior: cottages and farms from the Périgord to the Limousin
An hour or two from the ocean begins another Aquitaine, that of the Dordogne, Lot and Vézère valleys. The Périgord and Lot-et-Garonne have one of the highest densities of naturist cottages in France: renovated honey-stone farmhouses, a pool among the walnut trees, an enclosed garden where you live nude from morning to night. The owners are most often naturists themselves — many Dutch, British and Belgians settled there twenty years ago — and the welcome shows it. The guide lists, for example, Soleil Dordogne, an adults-only holiday home with private pool on the edge of the Périgord and Lot-et-Garonne, or, on the camping side, Camping Terme d'Astor at Saint-Avit-Rivière, between Bergerac and Sarlat. Further south, Camping du Lac de Lislebonne occupies the shore of a lake in the Gascon pine forest, and in the Limousin, Camping Lous Suais, at Cheissoux, mixes pond, meadows and chalets in the hills of the Haute-Vienne.
Cottage, B&B, chalet or campsite: how to choose
The independent cottage with pool is the queen formula for a couple or family wanting total privacy while touring the châteaux, markets and caves of the Périgord. The naturist B&B suits a short stay or a first experience: hosts' table, hosts available to explain the codes, only two or three rooms. The chalet or mobile home in a coastal domain is the right choice for children who want the beach, the club and other children; remember to compare the domain's rate with that of private owners renting their own chalet inside. The small inland naturist campsite, finally, remains the most economical — and often the friendliest — way to discover the region.
When to go, and at what price
On the coast the useful season runs from June to mid-September; inland, cottages with pools rent pleasantly from May to the end of September, and B&Bs all year round. June and September combine warmth, calm and prices 20-40% below July-August. As a guide, expect €70-130 per night for a two-person cottage with pool off season and €600-1,300 per week in summer depending on capacity; €80-110 per night in a B&B including breakfast; €20-45 per night for a naturist camping pitch. Direct contact with the owner — the principle of Travelia Naturiste — avoids the platforms' commission and lets you ask the right questions before booking: heated pool? garden really screened from view? pets accepted?
Going further
Browse all the naturist rentals in France listed in the guide, our general advice on finding a naturist cottage in France and, for the Mediterranean, our guide to naturist rentals in Languedoc. To filter by price, type of accommodation or on the map, use the Travelia Naturiste search.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the naturist beaches of the Atlantic coast in Nouvelle-Aquitaine?
The large supervised naturist beaches are in the Gironde — Montalivet (CHM), Euronat at Grayan-et-l'Hôpital, La Jenny at Le Porge — and in the Landes, at Vielle-Saint-Girons (Arnaoutchot) and Messanges. All are backed by the pine forest and reached from the naturist centres or by marked paths.
Are there naturist cottages in the Dordogne?
Yes: the Périgord and neighbouring Lot-et-Garonne have one of the highest densities of naturist cottages, B&Bs and small campsites in France — renovated farms, stone houses with pools, often run by owners who are naturists themselves, an hour or two from the coast. Several are listed in this guide.
What is the best season for a naturist stay in Aquitaine?
June to mid-September for the ocean, whose water stays cool (18-22 °C). Inland, cottages with pools rent pleasantly from May to the end of September; July-August are hot and in high demand, June and September quieter and 20-40% cheaper.
How much does a naturist cottage in the Dordogne or Aquitaine cost?
As a guide, €70-130 per night for a two-person cottage with pool off season, €600-1,300 per week in July-August depending on capacity; a naturist B&B €80-110 per night including breakfast; a naturist camping pitch €20-45 per night. Booking directly with the owner avoids the platforms' commission.