islandmom

I need to prepare my young children and husband for what to expect in the Riviera. Guess which one will probably embarrass me more. Are people only topless right on the sand or will we be at our hotel or cafes along the beach with people walking by topless?

baldrick

Haha, many interpretations are possible. I thought you were going to walk around topless in order to prepare HB and kids ;-)))

Be assured, be it on the French or the Italian riviera, topless stays on the sand, most generally only when sunbathing, not for playing volleyball. On the terraces, people are dressed.

MyriamC

Last year in Italy I noticed that there is far less topless sunbathing on the beaches than 10 years ago!

walkinaround

it's pretty discreet and not much to worry about. people generally do not walk about like this and usually replace the top while walking to the water and swimming. occasionally you see people who are a bit more open with it and will swim or walk around a little but it's not the norm. all will put the top on if going closer to the road/cafes/concession stands.

if your husband is not used to this he may be fascinated with it but will soon probably not give it any more thought than he would at your normal beach.

Intrepid1

Islandmom,

I think you'll soon find that sometimes folks are much more appealing when they leave something to the imagination.

Olease don't be the one who ultimately causes the MOST embarrassment by giving the situation any more emphasis than it deserves.

Tulips

As Myriam said, there's not as much topless sunbathing as there was years ago, and do who go topless, usually do so only on the beach, while sunbathing (some go swimming topless too; never in cafe's though).

NYCFoodSnob

I feel sorry for anyone who feels naked breasts are embarrassing and feels a need to prepare one's family (including the husband) for partial nudity on the Riviera. Are people really this juvenile? Does nudity really conjure such prurient thoughts? Are Americans not more evolved than this? Many are, and I suggest you grow up and set a better example.

Have you considered studying early Renaissance art? An education often enlightens the simple-minded.

tedgale

I cannot think how this crisis arose --unless you learned of the toplessness only after your hotel and flight were irrevocably booked.

I would prepare the children by sitting them down and telling them, simply and calmly, that you are taking them to a place where ladies show their ta-tas.

I would prepare my husband by sitting him down and telling him, simply and calmly, that you are onto him and he had better stay in line on this holiday.

Dick

Amerians understand that from a distance it can sometimes be hard to tell if a chest belongs to a male or female. Lets face it, some men's breasts are larger than many women's breasts.

hopscotch

NYCFoodSnob,
I feel sorry for anyone who needs to give this group a lecture and then slap us all in the face.

Dick

OOps...the beginning of my comments got dropped.

Food Snob, surely you already realized that Americans are uptight when it comes to nudity

When will Amerians understand that from a distance it can sometimes be hard to tell if a chest belongs to a male or female. Lets face it, some men's breasts are larger than many women's breasts.

nytraveler

I don;t kow how old your kids are - but it is best to prepare them - especially if they're young - to avoid them unwittingly making any embarassing remarks.

As for you husband - well if he;s really that childish - I can't imagine what to suggest.

walkinaround

i live in europe and i take a very liberal view toward these things. i have no problems with german saunas and certainly not with european beaches.

Foodsnob...as the enlightened person you claim to be, you should avoid judging people as "simple minded" for not sharing the same view as you. Every culture has its particulars and in mainstream american culture, this is practice is frowned upon. Personally, i agree with you that this is silly, however, i would never chastise someone for their value systems (as long as it is not at the expense of others).

you're probably one of those people who goes around europe with bright eyes embracing every cultural nuance (including many that can also be labelled as "simple minded" using your same standard).

true education and enlightenment is realised when you learn that all cultures have their peculiarities ...including your own.

jg1234

while Foodsnob may have been a tad harsh so early on a friday morning - I suprised the "troll alert squad" hasn't raised a red flag. I mean - she has to "prepare" HER HUSBAND? I could just hear the conversation: "Honey - what are those things? Do you have those also?"

elina

Your husband has seen your tits. He knows that other women have similar (well, at least in principle) ones, so he will hardly be surprised.

And small children donīt even pay attention if somebody has a top or not. And if they are bigger it is about time for them to see what breasts look like. And supposedly they have also seen yours, so that will not be a surprise for them either. Topless sunbathing is not sexual.

rapunzll

Islandmom, many years ago, our family were at Kuta Beach. My kids who were 8, 4 and 3 didn't appear to notice the topless women at all, while my husband did a little not so subtle gawking.

I waited till a man in a speedo walked by (no man should wear them unless they are a competitive swimmer!) and said to my now ex, 'he's well hung, isn't he'? LOL He kept his eyes where they belonged after that! ;-)

rex

The responses here seem to be awfully judgmental of you when you just asked one question. People are generally only toples right on the sand, though I suppose men might walk short distances from the beach topless.

I don't think you need to prepare anyone for anything - - although on a lot of places along the Riviera, you might need to be prepared for the fact there IS no sand! (only pebbly beaches!)

Where are you going?

Best wishes,

Rex

Mathieu

LOL Baldrick !

Your comment reminded me of the premiere episode of what used to be one of the funniest shows on TV, 'Malcolm in the Middle', wherein the harried mother did the laundry at home en famille, in a frenzy and topless. First of course, she had to shave her husband's back while he read the newspaper and the 3 kids ate their breakfast all at the kitchen table. The doorbell rings and the mother answers the door because on one else pays her any attention. Its a child care worker come to investigate this unusual family and the scene that follows between the two of them having a conversation while the visitor tries to avert her eyes is hilarious !

Islandmom : If you ever plan to take your hubby and kids to any French Caribbean island, be forewarned that toplessness (and more,... or less I should say) is de rigeur there - though pool and beachside only.

jlillberto

No wonder islandmom is concerned being from a country that has a national crisis over a very fleeting glance of a ... gasp ... nipple on television.

Dick

It wasn't even a nipple that caused the "crisis". Her nipple was covered by jewelry....but her breast... (gasp).. was exposed.

I can only imagine how our elected officials would have reacted if she actually had exposed a nipple.