With a bare bottom in Corsica

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with distractions from mobile phones, tablets, and interruptions of all kinds. We are perpetually distracted and increasingly distanced from ourselves, despite our collective yearning to be as individualistic as possible. Even on our vacations, we tend to live a distracting life, bringing tablets and phones along and providing all sorts of entertainment for the children—and often for the adults as well.

Here is my story about why I love traveling to the east coast of Corsica and running around as nature intended.

Corsica

In my eyes, Corsica is a French gem located north of the Italian island of Sardinia. The difference between these two islands is surprisingly significant. One would think that two islands situated so close to each other would share many similarities. Sardinia is a beautiful island with clear waters, excellent beaches, stunning nature, and a very “neat” appearance. Corsica also boasts great beaches, beautiful nature, and delightful waters. However, Corsica distinguishes itself from Sardinia with its more rugged landscape. The same can be said about the people who live on Corsica.

The first time we went to Corsica, we arrived from Sardinia by ferry when Sebastian was only 6 weeks old. We had trouble finding a place to stay on Sardinia and decided to try our luck on Corsica (where it also turned out to be difficult to find accommodation). Since we knew nothing about Corsica, we chose to drive up the east coast, where most would probably opt for the west coast.

The east coast is actually quite amazing; the water is azure blue, and the mountains stand as rugged silhouettes to the west. There are many small towns and campsites scattered along the east coast, like little pearls away from the major tourist traps.

We had a hard time finding a place to stay, actually very hard. It ended with us spending a night at a boring guesthouse, only to continue driving the next day. In fact, just 1.5 hours later, we found what has since become our Corsican gem. It was a bit by chance, and because everything else was booked.

With bare bottoms at Bagheera

The road to our little gem was scented with roses and wildflowers, passing through a eucalyptus forest. The gem is called Bagheera, and it was definitely a bit out of our comfort zone the first time we visited. The campsite is a naturist campsite. While it wasn’t new for us to swim naked at the beach, it was quite new to be in a place where people walked around without clothes most of the time (and everywhere on the campsite). However, since there weren’t many other accommodation options and the sight of the beautiful beach with the sound of the waves when we arrived at the reception made the choice a lot easier.

Surprisingly, it took us very little time to get used to not needing clothes. By the second day, we had adapted to the place and had also moved to a better bungalow with air conditioning (necessary when you have an 8-week-old boy in 30-degree heat). Unfortunately, we could only stay for a few days. However, we knew we would have to come back another time.

The second and third time we visited Bagheera, there was much more tranquility, and we loved it—and still do.

What makes Bagheera such a fantastic place is a combination of several elements. Here are some of them:

1. The wonderfully beautiful beach with its clear water is both child-friendly and adult-friendly—and notably warm.
2. The many small trees providing shade from the blazing sun while also creating a cozy atmosphere.
3. The chalets (and bungalows) with a small veranda where you can sit and drink your morning coffee, have lunch, read a book, play games, drink red wine—and did I mention—drink red wine…
4. Its location, which is quite far from tourist areas and also a good distance from the nearest town. The seclusion provides peace.
5. No internet—or rather, almost no internet, because there was internet at the reception but not at our chalet—nor on our phones (written in 2017).
6. The freedom to wear clothes—or shed them—all clothes.

Undisturbed Vacation

The nature and location of Bagheera (and actually many other places along the east coast of Corsica) bring tranquility. A tranquility that we’re not accustomed to in our hectic daily lives. There’s not much stress here. The nature, the beach, and the warmth bring a joy that we easily forget amidst the routine at home.

The fact that we haven’t had the opportunity to go online to check emails, play games, watch Netflix, or whatever it is we usually use our screens for, brings a nearly forgotten peace. We’re so used to constantly being online and constantly being interrupted by something, whether it’s a text message, an email, Facebook, or because we just have to check what’s happening in the world for maybe the 10th time that day. When the option isn’t there, we suddenly realize that life is actually a lot more enjoyable without the screen. We can talk to each other, play games, read books, experience the world around us, relax, and unwind (Update 2024: today, you can get internet at Bagheera.)

Having the freedom to go bare-bottomed has a significant effect on stress and disturbances. When nobody is wearing clothes, the metrics suddenly change. Everyone looks each other in the eye when they talk, nobody hides their imperfections, which we all actually have. We can’t hide behind expensive and stylish clothing, but simply be who we are—regardless of whether you’re rich, poor, beautiful, or ugly—we all become the same and yet quite different.

We just become you and me as we are, and it’s quite liberating not to have to hide behind clothes or a mask. We’re just who we are. The disturbances about whether we look perfect or whether we should have worn something else completely disappear.

  Here you will find Bagheera, Corsica.

  A little about naturism

Naturism in Southern Europe