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France’s nudist community now has its very own Parisian restaurant where they can eat comfortably in the buff. The establishment, aptly named O’naturel, debuted on November 2 in the residential 12th arrondissement, RT reports.
Founded by twin brothers Mike and Stéphane Saada, the restaurant kicked off its first night of business with members of the the Association des Naturistes de Paris, according to Le Parisien. It’s now open to the public, but advanced reservations are required.
While dining in the nude might inspire curiosity from passersby, the owners have outfitted the restaurant windows and entryway with thick blackout curtains to ensure customers’ privacy. Diners are also greeted by a code of conduct at the entrance, reminding patrons that exhibitionism and lewd behavior are prohibited along with cellphones, ABC News reports.
The 40-seat O’naturel also features a cloakroom with lockers where customers can strip down before beginning their meal. “It feels like we are about to jump into a swimming pool. But in fact, we are preparing for dinner,” says Yves Leclerc, of the French Naturist Federation. Napkins are available for those who are feeling shy.
Although patrons can come in their birthday suits, the employees are all clothed as is required by French law. And don’t expect a night out at O’naturel to come cheap: a la carte dishes start at 32 euros. A three-course meal is available for 49 euros.
According to the Local, roughly 2.6 million people in France participate in some form of nudism regularly. In fact, the 12 arrondissement just recently unveiled unveiled a nudist area within its Bois de Vincennes park — not too far from O’naturel.
Posted by O'naturel on Friday, November 3, 2017
This may be the first permanent naturist restaurant in Paris, but it’s not the first to test out the model. London’s hit naked dinner pop-up the Bunyadi attracted thousands of would-be nude patrons to its waiting list in 2016. (Eater’s Pelin Keskin wrote of her 2016 experience at the Bunyadi: “I would've had more fun in a strip club — the intentions are clear, the buffet is stocked with warm lemon pepper wings, and voyeurism helps the money go into the pocket of the exhibitioner, rather than out.”) While that pop-up has since closed down, the founders announced their intentions to relocate to Paris last fall. The Bunyadi is currently fundraising a comeback in London.
Update, November 27, 9:20 a.m.: This story was updated with more details on O’Naturel.
• Food in the Nude: Naked Diners Welcome at Paris’s First Naturist Restaurant [RF]
• A Nudist Pop-Up Restaurant Is Coming to London [E]
• London's Naked Pop-Up Restaurant Is Moving to Paris [E]