CHM Montalivet

The elder statesman of naturist camps

CHM Montalivet isn't a naturist campsite like the others, it's the one that paved the way. Founded on 23 July 1950 by Albert and Christiane Lecocq, it started out with about fifty people under Marabout tents and three small bungalows. Albert Lecocq, who founded the French Naturism Federation that same year, turned this corner of Medoc pine forest into a world reference point as early as the late 1950s.

An immense estate

We're talking about 200 hectares between pine forest and ocean, split into 20 villages that total more than 3,000 plots. The estate borders two kilometers of naturist beach on the Atlantic, with two supervised zones from May to September. You mostly get around on foot or by bike, the car stays at the entrance once you're settled in.

Where to sleep

The choice of accommodation is wide: shaded camping plots with or without electricity, historic bungalows, mobile homes, studios, already furnished tents, and even unusual lodgings set up in the dunes. A dedicated service also lets regulars buy a residence on site for those who want to come back every year.

Life on site

The Centre co' brings together 27 shopkeepers, restaurants, bars and boutiques, enough to live self sufficiently without leaving the estate. You'll also find an indoor pool, a water park with paddling pools, thermal baths, a cinema, a theater and a concert hall. The activity program runs around 200 offerings a week in season: workshops, shows, themed evenings, galas.

Who it's for

The place welcomes families as well as couples or solo travelers, seasoned naturists or complete beginners, the team guides first timers without any judgment. Children aged 3 to 17 have their own clubs (Mini-club, Squirrel Club, Teen Club), which explains why so many families come back year after year.

Practical info

• 2026 season: from March 28 to September 27, reception open every day from 9 am to 6 pm
• Winter booking Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, security reachable 24 hours a day
• Access from Bordeaux via the ring road exit 8 then the N215, regional bus to the Vendays-Montalivet CHM stop, TER train station at Lesparre-Medoc
• Wifi available across the estate

Rates vary depending on the period and the type of accommodation chosen, from a simple tent plot to an apartment, booking is done online on the estate's website.