People often do their gay vacations around Paris and its vibrant LGBT community, cultural and historical landmarks and accepting cosmopolitan environment, visitors will find that throughout France there is plenty to do and see, as well as many LGBT establishments and a welcoming atmosphere. Laws outlawing sodomy were abolished over 200 years ago and Frances LGBT community has enjoyed civil unions for the last decade. With legal protections in place and a general laissez-faire attitude that is common among the French, visitors will find that France provides an accepting, and pleasant destination for gay tours.

There are several community events throughout the year, including a huge pride parade and festival and a gay and lesbian film festival in Paris, as well as several smaller pride celebrations across the country. Other Paris attractions that should not be missed on a gay vacation include ArtMenParis, an art gallery devoted solely to images of men; Legay Choc, an LGBT-owned bakery in the Marais district; and Chez Michou, Madame Arthur and LArtishow, cabarets featuring female impersonators. As for the Paris nightlife, bars are typically open from afternoon until 2am; whereas, clubs often do not open until midnight and stay open as late as noon.

Men interested in exploring the bawdier side of Paris gay vacations will find that cruising spots, bars with backrooms and sex clubs are easy to find and quite popular with visitors, as well as locals. Saunas, aka bathhouses, are also plentiful; however, they work a bit differently in France than they do in America or Canada. French saunas do not have private rooms, but rather cubicles that are set aside for a bit of privacy, and they are not 24-hour operations. Most of the activity takes place in the afternoon, rather than the evening or night, and Sunday afternoons are particularly popular.

Lesbian travelers often find that gay vacation trip destinations are filled with bars, clubs and saunas for the men, with barely a hint of lesbian presence to be found; however, this is definitely not the case in Paris, where women will find a delightful blend of groups and venues dedicated to lesbians. From walking groups to sex shops that cater solely to women, Paris has much to offer to the womens community. Paris is home to several clubs and bars located in varied neighborhoods, including the Palais Royal, Saint Germain des Pres, Grands Boulevards and Halles-Beaubourg districts, as well as many options in the Marais neighborhood, known as the center of LGBT life in Paris. One of Paris first lesbian bars can be found in the Palais Royal district and the Bastille-Republique neighborhood is home to a community bookshop.

Paris is sure to remain the most popular spot for a gay trip in France; however there are several other places to choose from, including Nice and Montpellier on the Mediterranean, Annecy in the Alps, Nantes in Brittany and Avignon in Provence, as well as the well-known LGBT beaches in Camargue, where nudism is the norm. Folks who would like to play among the rich and famous should definitely head to Saint Tropez on the French Riviera, while those in search of a more romantic respite might prefer an LGBT-owned bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Bourdeaux. With so many gay vacation spots available throughout France, it is clear that this diverse, unique country is the perfect choice for gay romantic travel.

Essay about France penned by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys provides gay spiritual singles a way to meet at gay yoga retreats.

You could take a vacation with just your immediate family or you could do typical group tours. But, you can also venture out into the world of vacationing with a group of people that have faced similar life challenges. For gay people, gay spirituality travel is a great option.

On gay vacations, that fact that we are gay is one thing we all share. Knowing that we all have at one thing in common adds to our vacation and our time together. We can quickly create bonds within the group because of this commonality.

People we have just met can quickly become friends and confidants. This makes gay vacations all the more special and meaningful. We’re able to share our gay vacations experience with others that we know understand us.

Being comfortable with the people in the group, lets us be more open and relaxed. When we’re more comfortable with those around us, the vacation experience can reach us more fully. This provides for a deeper recovery from life’s pressures and strains.

Taking it to an even deeper level, we can take gay vacations with people of similar intentions. Travelling with men and women that want to grow spiritually is one way to do this. Then not only do we share our gayness, we share goals for the vacation.

Gay vacations that include an exploration of the world and also an exploration of ourselves, can be very powerful. With the support of the others in the group we are able to let our walls down even further and live a freer life. And that’s why we took a vacation in the first place, to be freer of life’s responsibilities.

Recommendations for gay travel. This essay is by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys offers gay folks gay holidays and gay tours that are really unique.