Christiane Lecocq RIP

A leading pioneer of the naturist movement Christiane Lecocq, who founded the French Federation of Naturism 65 years ago, died on December 24, 2014 at the age of 103 years.

Born in Tourcoing, Christiane Lecocq, alongside her husband Albert, "worked to develop naturist values and their promotion", creating the French Federation of Naturism (FFN) in 1950, followed by co-founding the International Naturist Federation (INF) in 1953.

She began practising nudism in 1933 when she joined a sports club in Lille, aged 22, only to discover that all of the members went nude.

After the war, Ms Lecocq and her husband Albert began promoting their belief in the health and social benefits of going nude.

"If France is today the world's first naturist destination, with 3.5 million practitioners, more than 1.5 million French, it is thanks to her!" said Armand Jamier , president of the FFN.

The couple also created including the Montalivet naturist holiday centre in Gironde in 1950, "now the largest in Europe," according to Yves Leclerc.

Christiane Lecocq, who lived in Carrières-sur-Seine (Yvelines), died at Chatou, in the same department. She was buried Friday at the cemetery in Carrières-sur-Seine, where she lays with her husband.