Checking in at La Chiappa

There were three possible campsites all in close proximity to Porto Vecchio at which we'd have been happy to spend our second full week in Corsica. All were rated four stars or above but, reading campers' comments, there were drawbacks at each: mosquitos at U Pirellu, noise from the fan at the restaurant at Bella Vista, and pitches that could be a considerable distance from the facilities block at La Chiappa. In the end La Chiappa won out for us due to its beachside location after we saw the considerable hill we'd have to climb to return to the other two after a day at the beach. La Chiappa would also be our first experience of a naturist campsite.

Tony and I are used to being nude on the beach but this would be a week of no clothes at any time. At least I wouldn't have to do any washing.

We arrived at reception at 10am and were relieved to find the lady serving us spoke very good English. She explained we'd need to wait a few minutes before someone would take us to look at pitches.

We were hurtling along on the back of a golf cart thirty minutes later, no slowing for speed bumps, holding on for dear life. An Italian couple followed in their car, parking it after a short distance and squeezing in the front seats beside the golf cart's driver.

The first pitch we were shown had a sea view but another Italian couple on the pitch next door explained some younger campers nearby were noisy. It was amusing to observe as the two Italian couples realised they could have conversed in Italian rather than struggle in English.

We were shown a few more pitches and both Tony and I, and the Italians found ones we liked and so we were taken back to reception to check in.

Once again they retained my passport despite taking payment in full upfront. After formalities the lady began the lengthy process of describing all of the activities we could opt to get involved in, naked, including haberdashery and horse riding.

I couldn't look at Tony when she told us about the diving school.

"Pierre runs the diving school; he is very nice, so you should go and talk to him if you like the bottom," she explained.

Once we'd finally established what one could do, where, when and with whom, we were able to escort Cleopatra to her site for the next week, under the shade of pine trees and not at all far from the facilities block.

While Tony popped up the roof and began returning our bedding to the upstairs bed I began attaching the three linen side panels to the awning so my bits weren't on show to passers by at all times. And then we went, naked, to the beach.