André Durville (1896-1979) was a French

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

who, with his brother,

Gaston Durville Gaston Durville (1887-1971) was a French physician who, with his brother, André Durville, was one of the initiators of naturism in France during the interwar period. Biography In 1911 he graduated from Montpellier University as a physician, h ...

, was one of the initiators of

naturism Naturism is a lifestyle of practising non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms ar ...

in France during the interwar period.

Biography

André Durville is the son of

Hector Durville 200px, Hector Durville Hector Durville (1849–1923) was a French occultist and magnetizer. He is the father of Henri Durville Durville directed the ''Journal of Magnetism'', which had been founded by Baron du Potet. He founded a number of occult ...

occultist. In 1924 he graduated as a physician, his thesis was . André and his brother

Gaston Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to: People First name *Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315) *Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343) *Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391) *Gaston ...

, influenced by Dr. Paul Carton, were advocates for natural, healthy diets. They developed this philosophy of natural diets and lifestyle to the advocacy of naturism. With his brother, Gaston he established the Naturist Society in 1927. In 1928 the brothers founded the Physiopolis

naturist camp A naturist resort or nudist resort is an establishment that provides accommodation (or at least camping space) and other amenities for guests in a context where they are invited to practise naturism – that is, a lifestyle of non-sexual socia ...

Platais island The Island of Platais, or Island of Médan, is an island of the River Seine in France 30 kilometers downstream from Paris. It is approximately 1.7 kilometers long and located in the Yvelines department between Villennes-sur-Seine and Médan on the ...

in the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

from the centre of Paris. In 1930 they established the naturist village of Heliopolis on the Île du Levant, an island in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

Works

*''La cuisine saine'' with

. *''L’art d'être heureux'' with

. *''La cure mentale'' with

. *Translated ''

The Kybalion ''The Kybalion'' (full title: ''The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece'') is a book originally published in 1908 by "Three Initiates" (often identified as the New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson, 1 ...

'' from English to French '' :fr:Le Kybalion'' *

Prentice Mulford Prentice Mulford (April 5, 1834 – c. May 30, 1891) was an American literary humorist and California author. In addition, he was pivotal in the development of the thought within the New Thought movement. Many of the principles that would becom ...

's as

Notes and references

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External links

Identifiants et Référentiels
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durville Andre French naturists 20th-century French physicians Social nudity advocates 1896 births 1979 deaths