12 km off the mainland, the Isle of Levant is the easternmost island of the Golden Islands. Separated from Port Cros by the Cave of the Caves and its small kilometre of width, it takes the silhouette of a narrow "plane door" 7,9 km long by 2,5 km wide. Occupying 93% per cent by the State, which installed military land for the National Navy, the remaining 65 ha have been hosting the first naturist village in the world since 1931: Heliopolis, founded by the brothers André and Gaston Durville. Living in the year at the rhythm of the little hundred souls who live there, the Levant is still quite different from Porquerolles and Port Cros. Less «business» than people like them like to claim their inhabitants, it is the island of freedom, tolerance, simplicity and natural nature. Here, communion between man and nature is a daily occurrence; The Levantins also like to remind us that man is at the heart of nature, that it is ultimately nature itself. A philosophy that explains quite clearly why the Levant Island is still not part of the "hearts" of the Port Cros national park in 2016 - will it ever be?Meanwhile, the island is not devoid of ecological interest, far from it. Since 1993, its civilian territory has included the first voluntary nature reserve in Var: the strawberry area, which stretches over hectares on its north-west façade.Le Levant, natural and naturistThe history of Levant island as it is known today dates back to the early 1930 s. At that time, Heliopolis does not exist, and with the exception of a few families residing on the ground for the good operation of the lighthouse and the semaphore, the island is completely deserted. Some 1 000 km from there, in the capital, the brothers André and Gaston Durville, medical doctors, actively defend and through a network of activities that they manage brilliantly, even minoritaire and confidential naturism. In 1919, they opened in the th arrondissement of Paris their "Institute of Natural Medicine", which then became a "Naturist institute"; with its success, several branches will soon be in several cities of Province. In parallel, the Durville also manage their own publishing house and publish various books on health, wellness, food and naturism, of course. They also have the Madolin House, a food store distributing naturist products according to their indications, and publish in 1923 the first issue of their monthly magazine "Naturism". In short, in Durville, naturism is not a whim, it is a real art of living!After a first attempt to create a naturist centre in the Paris region in 1929, which was quickly aborted due to flooding problems, they bought the Société des Îles d'Or, with 65 ha of property on the Levant, in late December 1930, and 930 ha in the state lease. With its calm waters, fresh air and slopes that are suitable for daily sports activity, the very physiology of the island is ideal for the practice of naturism in the rules of art. As for its philosophy, bohemian and open of mind, it quickly makes new followers and the world of artists does not escape it: In particular, Michel Simon and Georges Moustaki, attracted by his little brin, stayed there.Today, apart from the installation of the military base on the eastern part of the island in the late 1950 s, nothing really changed in the Levant. The foundations of the Durville philosophy are still widely applied in Heliopolis: the village of welfare and well-being, the village belongs to its inhabitants, it is managed by a union of owners and there is a large part of the year. Superfluous and hassles have not yet reached its shores; simplicity, authenticity and tolerance are always the watchwords.The rules of Nudité nudityMandatory? Free? Tolerated? History not to make false steps, summary of "rules" of nudity on the Isle of Levant.It is on the beach of the Caves, on all the bathing grounds and along the coast trail, which is renamed the Naturist trail.It is free on cornices, village square and merchants who accept it.It is forbidden on the port.In the military area… Better not to venture!
