Over the weekend of October 20th – 22nd 2017, 23 members of the Paris Naturist Association (Association des Naturistes de Paris) headed to Andalo in Italy for the 46th INF Naturist Swimming Gala. On location, we met up with 15 friends who had come from other regions of France and over the weekend new friendships were made with naturists from numerous other countries.
The welcome we received from the Italian organisers and from the INF made us feel a part of the international naturist family. The two dinners held on the Friday and Saturday nights were truly communal events and I made a point of working the room to meet fellow naturists from far and wide, in spite of certain language barriers. I found that Italy boasts a vibrant and energetic naturist community, dotted with clubs and resorts from north to south.
The Gala itself was a huge success and I congratulate the 20 members of the organisation committee. Bringing together over 300 naturists in a remote ski station is no small feat. The AcquaIN wellness and aquatic centre was the perfect venue, with its 25m pool for the competition and a myriad of spas, saunas and steam rooms to relax in.
We seized the opportunity to visit the region, most notably Bolzano and Verona, where we filled our stomachs and our bags with local produce. For the host region, this type of sports meeting injects money into the local economy. For naturists, it’s an event that brings us together and allows us to make solid ties. We left Andalo with our cases full of souvenirs and our heads full of happy memories.
The French are anxious to welcome the whole world next year in Le Havre and I hope in Paris in 2019!