DIRTY WEEKEND June 2004 By S & D

We’ve just come back from a fabulous swingers weekend – made easier thanks to the Fever’s Beginners Guide to Cap D’Agde. Although there are numerous websites, mainly in French, for the Cap D’Agde area this one certainly is the easiest to read, understand and plan for a short trip. As the local guides were all in French, printing all the pages out before we left certainly helped. Although we have been to many clubs over the years, including several Fever parties, we probably only manage to go to an event one or two times a year, hence they are still exciting and the anticipation is an important part of the thrill.   We decided not to stay in the naturist area as we thought the constant nudity might become a turn off and certainly take the edge off the thrill. Hence we stayed about 2 miles away in the textile area at the Hotel du Golf (www.hotel-du-golf.com) – somewhere we would recommend and will be staying again.                                                                                                                                      To enter the naturist area, you will need to park your car just before the barrier and go into the office and purchase a pass. The girls in the office spoke no English and there was no useful information in English – although there appeared to be plenty in other languages, which gives you a strong clue as to the large number of French, German and Dutch people that come here to play.  For those of you purchasing a day pass, the most important thing to know is that you must be onsite by 8pm when the gate closes to day trippers! It was lucky that our French was good enough to understand this, otherwise we would not have come back that evening until much later and hence missed a lot of fun! After a brief afternoon on the beach getting our white bits pink, we returned to our hotel to get ready for the evening and be back through the gate by 8pm. Following the advice in this guide, we had booked for dinner at Ghymnos (+33 (0)4.67.26.06.09) in Heliopolis. This was an excellent restaurant – made more fun by D having a constant flirt with the manager, persuading him to join us at the Melrose bar after work, and then again after that! A window seat is also an excellent place to see the sights while having dinner. At 9pm these range from naturists finding their way home naked from the beach, to some of the most revealing and bizarre S&M gear we have ever seen! And yet at the same time, many beautiful couples that were dressed well but sexy enough to get automatic entry into any London nightclub were also finding their way to dinner. The food at Ghymnos, although simple was excellent. Although that was the only restaurant we ate at, Le Calypso (+33 (0)4.67.26.85.13) near the beach at Port Nature 1 was also extremely busy, looked excellent and was highly recommended to us by several of the people we met. After dinner we went to the Melrose bar in Port Nature 5. This is certainly the most happening bar in Waikiki (http://www.waikiki-beach.net) and a must do stopping off point prior to going to one of the clubs later.  The little walk way between the Melrose bar and the Waikiki Plaza also has some great shops – where a dress that D bought will certainly be worn to the next Fever party. They are not cheap, but just looking around them adds yet more excitement to the evening.                                                                                                                                        The club we went to was Le Glamour which was excellent – although probably there is enough description already in the Fever guide – suffice to say it ranks up there as one of the better ones we have been too. As we only met French people there, conversation was limited but the dancing good. I think we can leave the rest to your imagination. The following day, we were both randy as hell, replaying the events of the previous evening, but decided to spend it inland and away from the beaches. The Languedoc region has much to offer and is increasingly recognized as the area that is attracting the next wave of British second home owners, with property still far cheaper than the Cote D’Azur. We found a absolutely superb hotel/restaurant in Olonzac,  along the banks of the Canal du Midi where after a great boozy lunch we found a quiet spot in a corn field, stripped off and guess what, only to be interrupted by an old couple walking their dog. However, they were not the same appreciative audience as the previous night. That evening we went to L’Extasia (www.club-extasia.com), which must be one of the best clubs in the world. If you have experienced Fun4two, prepare to be bowled over. If only it had an outside pool or hot tub, it would be hard to think how it could be improved.                                                                                                                                      We started by going for dinner next door at the Palaisia d’Occitaine. We didn’t get there until just after 10pm, which although fine, next time we will be there slightly earlier – its probably also worth booking a table +33 (0)4.67.77.96.46), as we only just managed to get seated. The food is not great, but the surroundings and company certainly make up for that. About 200 people were seated in a large medieval-like banqueting hall, all of them dressed to kill to move onto L’Extasia. The small fashion show and striptease was a great warm up, but catching the eye of the other diners and imagining who you might be meeting in even more intimate surroundings was a fantastic turn-on for us both over dinner. The fact that the chap D most fancied was on a table next to us, with his three tactile girlfriends was probably even more thrilling. The Palaisia d’Occitaine is part of the experience, and something we would recommend not to miss.   Upon entering L’Extaisa we joined two couples that we had met in the restaurant on the inside dance floor. This was very much a place to meet and be seen - we never saw any action here. The music was great, although we did hear the same records later on the outside dance floor. The other dance floor is outside and is a great place to cool down after the heat of inside. Just beyond it is the path into the woods, where having met an absolutely stunning woman, we were happily led for S’s blowjob of the holiday while her husband watched on. If outside areas in Britain were this warm and inviting, dogging would be our national pastime. Later in the evening the woods was the place that the really large groups formed.                                                                                                                                          Back at the outside bar, D bumped into her man and his posse of girlfriends from the restaurant. The atmosphere between them was electric, because as we found out later he and his actual girlfriend had also picked D out over dinner. Several drinks and dances on the outside dance floor later, the four girls had done a lot more than break the ice between themselves. Not surprisingly D and her four new friends soon made their excuses (which were to the point ‘we are going play’) and made their way to the Big Room in the Upstairs part of the club. This an extremely large but well laid out room that contains several sofas and four-poster beds. As it was decorated and lit like a normal room, rather than a purpose made shag palace, this is possibly the best room we have seen in any club. What happened in the Big Room? Well we can only recommend that you book to visit what must be the best swingers area in the world. We will certainly be visiting it again later this year!

As with any review, it is important to understand the writer's perspective so bear with us as we tell you something of ourselves. We are a married couple, early 40s, allegedly attractive and intelligent, liberal, adventurous but mostly braver in thought than in deed: In short, a fairly typical couple keen to explore alternative avenues. We started playing about 8 years ago and participate irregularly at a combination of private soirees, venues and internet contacts. We are anything but lifestyle swingers; in fact like most people we are lifestyle-free, we just live! Probably, we are pretty much like you.

We heard of Cap D'Agde at a UK nudist camp (I use that term advisedly as I will explain later) where it was described as a naturist town where swingers might occasionally appear. From our UK naked-holiday experience, with its strict no-clothes policy and rigid asexuality, Le Cap held little appeal other than Mediterranean weather. Nonetheless, we got the brochure and thought about a holiday there but went climbing in Scotland instead. Some 3 years later we discovered the Fever Parties web site and the Beginners' Guide to Cap D'Agde. It described a very different, and far more appealing, resort to that we had previously heard of.

We booked our accommodation over the internet with a British agent called Cap Nat and e-mailed the nice man at Ryan Air to spirit us to Perpignan and our hire car. Having read and re-read the Fever guide we considered ourselves well-prepared with suit cases of our most daring clobber and buckets of sun screen. How wrong we were.

Our uneventful arrival saw us installed in a 4 person ground-floor studio on the Eastern outer side of Heliopolis, 100 metres from the beach and some 500 metres from the shops and bars. All very nice in a 'holiday resort' sort of way. The architecture is far from elegant but we had come to enjoy a culture other that renaissance art and who cares when the sun is shining? Entry through the resort gate is strictly controlled with swipe cards and the route is well signposted from the A9 motorway at Agde.

Having said that exhibitionism was the norm, it must not be confused with Brit-style flashing. French exhibitionism is about being seen and seeing for the simple pleasure of attracting others rather than any more sinister purpose. In sum, the beach and resort during the day are a fashion parade of the most daring beach attire that is extremely pleasing to the eye. It is all a very long way from the Newcastle football shirt and gardening shorts that comprise the usual British sea-side uniform.

A mile east from Heliopolis the beach adopts a very different tone. We dubbed it the seal colony. Couples who are actively seeking some fun, or just placing metaphorical calling cards, congregate in a densely packed mass. The beach towels are too close to be polite, the beach umbrellas and deck chairs are absent, and the smell of cocoa-butter sun cream rises discernibly. It is also deafeningly quiet as everyone eyes up everyone else. Doubtless, having sex on a public beach is illegal in France but that appeared to be no barrier to the occupants of the seal colony. On the 3 afternoons- ie 2-3pm- we braved it(we lasted half an hour each time before succumbing to claustrophobia) we saw couples indulging themselves twice- an impressive hit-rate for anyone with voyeuristic tendencies. Appreciative audiences gathered and even applauded politely when the show was over!

Although the beach contains the three distinct areas, the afternoon promenade sees a constant stream of couples walking the beach's length seeing and being seen and our opinion was that there were very few who were not at least partly interested in playing some sort of game at some point in their holiday. Body adornment is common place and a casual survey revealed that the vast majority of visitors had undertaken some intimate personal grooming before they arrived- presumably to maximise their appeal.

An attractive 50ish woman, slightly overweight but well-preserved, wearing silver, thigh-high boots, a dog-collar and a single-strand chain around her waist and between her thighs. She is standing eating an ice-cream cone while waiting for a table at a restaurant in Port Nature. If that image is too bland, consider the 3-generation family eating dinner outside a restaurant. The grandparents (and therefore somebody's In-Laws) are dressed smartly but conservatively, the middle generation (late 30s perhaps) are in bondage gear and the woman is sporting an impressive set of genital piercings, while the 4-5 year old children are in their best bib and tucker enjoying their holiday at the sea-side! We think you will agree that this is hardly a common image in a British holiday resort let alone the abstemious Nudist camps we have visited in UK.

To some that may appear in some way immoral. To us it signified that the Europeans at that resort were sufficiently mature and confident to allow their sexuality to be seen by their families and friends. After our initial jaw-dropping surprise, we realised that just maybe this is more healthy than our previous experiences of subterfuge and back-street culture in Britain but then again who are we to preach. Live and let live.

Fever's guide very accurately describes the night life(save for doubtless annual name changes) so we shan't rehearse it, save to say that we visited 2 of the swinger's clubs, including the nearby L'Extasia, and most of the bars. The only comment we would make is that they do exactly what it says on the outside of the tin. The swingers' clubs are for liaisons not for chat. French echangistes are rather more direct than British swappers. Opening gambits include long eye-fixing stares, non-threatening but unmistakeable gropes and strokes as well as more direct overtures such as coming up and asking! Sex is sex, so there is no description needed but those that were playing showed no evidence of being shy and conjugal engagements took place openly on the dance floors of the clubs we visited. The bars were more reserved but almost all of their occupants appeared ready and willing if they met the right couple. At no time was there evidence of incomers bothering holiday-makers. Wild as it was, it was astonishingly above-board and unintimidating.

Would we go again? Absolutely! In fact we've already booked for next summer. The overall experience was quite literally breathtaking. If you fancy a beach holiday with a side-order of kink, Cap D'Agde is the place for you. It is a truly liberal resort that made us self-proclaimed but very British liberals feel positively Presbyterian by comparison. There is something for everyone. There were some astonishingly beautiful men and women enjoying being admired but not everyone was gorgeous (although on average they were better looking than the average at other resorts we have visited), it is totally in-yer-face but simultaneously very non-threatening, there is no pressure to conform with anything or to play and it is well-served with good roads that will allow you to visit outside attractions if you want a day out.

Le Glamour
From reading your web description Le Glamour has not changed very much. The layout is the same except the cage is on your right as you enter the dance floor from the vestimentaire. Downstairs the playrooms had been divided into 3 areas - couples only, 3somes and mixed area where single men were allowed. They do not have any S&M equipment anymore.

It closes later now around 3.30am and it is possible to a get a pass that allows free entry to Tantra (formerly Le loft). Entrance to Le Glamour was 35 Euro for a couple, and 30 Euro for a single male by discretion.

Tantra (formerly Le loft)
In my opinion Tantra was better than Glamour. The name has changed with the refurbishment that has created a relaxed environment with lots of style that is best described as Bedouin with cushions, drapes and lots of rich colours. I could imagine that it may not always be jammed with revelers (it felt larger than Le Glamour and being new does not have quite the following yet) but it was certainly busy on our night.

As you enter from the beach entrance (which closes at midnight) one has dining tables along the beach wall. Immediately on your right are seating alcoves. In the center of floor area is a 4 poster bed great for lounging around on with others. As you walk (keeping the bar on your right) one comes to a cooler outdoor area with sofas and chairs - great for a massage. A little further on is a large mixed unattended playroom with changing room style showers just next to it.

Heading in the other direction from the upstairs entrance (keeping the bar on your left) you come to the attended playrooms and the narrow spiral staircase down.

Downstairs the toilets are immediately on your left (next to the main entrance) with a bar in front and the dance floor on your right. Both Tantra and Le Glamour have DJ's but the music at Tantra is less Disco/Eurotrash and more House / Drum & Bass.

If you walk through the dance floor you pass through a long room with seating and come to another bar with a single large underutilized playroom beyond. Tantra closes just before sunrise (6.30am) which is great if you enjoy watching the sun come up as we did.

Nat Hammam
Whilst we never got the chance to visit the sauna house we did notice that a new place had opened up next door (undoubtedly under the same management) called Le 2&2. It offers sauna, hammam, Jacuzzi, a bar and video booths. It is for couples only and is open from 2pm to 1am.

We stayed in the Hotel Eve which I am sure has not changed in years. Having breakfast on the roof terrace and relaxing by their pool were both enjoyable. We will be back next year with a large party and will time it to coincide with a group of 25 Dutch we met out there.