A Gay Ole Time!

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I have wanted to go adventuring with other gay men for a while now: a great way to meet other guys that have at least one definite thing (okay, two things) in common.  In Nantes, there is a group called the GRN.  They are the Gay Randonneurs (hikers) de Nantes.  Even though this was more of a leisurely stroll, I thought it would be great to see another location in this region (Pays de la Loire).

We met at the train station since not enough people had cars. After a little over an hour in the train, we arrived at Le Croisic. It is a beach town, even though its shore is pure rockiness. After passing the salt marches, we saw the fish house that dates back centuries – the word modern is almost a taboo! We followed the coast along the north end, saw parts of the old town – so cute and curvy, and then moved on to the interior. Even though it was a hike, we followed people’s backyards. It just felt like I was a kid exploring the not roadside of the town. Okay, so I was practicing my French and learning colorful expressions like “un peau de fesses.” When something costs “ass skin”, it is a lot.

Oh yeah, we saw other pretty stuff

Fish house, le crie (shouting)as they sell the fish
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For me, this trip was less about the excitement of a new location – as my favorite parts were the moments we walked along the cliffs, as it was more about feeling more integrated into this French society. It is always easier to be accepted into a new group if there is some common element.

This, however, was surprisingly not brought up. These particular Gay French men and women know conversation. There were plenty of other things to discuss. Of course there was cooking, but politics is always on their mind, and so is the kernel of their existence: family life. I am not talking about acceptance, but rather relating childhood stories or how family members are doing, how recent life goals are going… real stuff. I didn’t hear speak of celebrities but for a moment, nor was fashion, music or cinema discussed.

Harbor at Le Croisic
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I am constantly amazed at how welcoming these French people have been. They do have an interest in me – not just the American side – that comes first, and then I push the topic of NY, Sept. 11^th and Bush aside. They have laughed at my attempts of humor, and allowed me access to their private lives that I thought would be uncommon for such a culturally private society. It seems that every book I read before coming on this trip has nothing to do with my reality. Is France changing, do people attract similar people (why I meet other open people), and likewise, are the circles we associate with influencing the way we see others and accept others? I have met English teachers, gay men, people that have traveled a lot, a comedian, and others. It has helped to see how easy it can be to take the labels away from the people we gave them to. Perception is more and more everything to me, and listening to others’ views on what I already have an opinion on doesn’t make me label them in a positive or negative way; it has just helped me figure out whose voice to listen to for each type of response I seek.

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Oh yeah, we saw other pretty stuff in the town next to Le Croisic: Batz sur Mer. There is an old church, and a new church with a tower that we climbed for three euros. The view was nice since you see some of the Atlantic as well as the salt marshes.