📖 The libertine glossary: soft swinging, swinging, candaulism…
A clear little glossary of the practices and words you'll come across on club pages and profiles.
The vocabulary of the libertine lifestyle can seem intimidating at first. Yet behind each word lies a precise practice, and understanding them helps you pick the nights and clubs that suit you.
Here's a clear glossary of the most common terms. No practice is "mandatory": everyone builds their own, at their own pace.
The libertine glossary
What is the libertine lifestyle (swinging)?
A lifestyle built on a fulfilled, consensual and non-judgemental sexuality, often as a couple. It covers many practices, from a simple exchange of glances to partner swapping.
What is soft swinging (mélangisme)?
Couples caress and kiss in front of or with others, but without full intercourse between different partners. You share the sensuality, not the full act.
What is swinging (échangisme)?
Swapping partners between couples, including full intercourse. It can be "closed" (each in their own room) or "open" (in the same space).
What is candaulism?
The pleasure of showing off your partner or watching them with someone else. Gaze and sharing are at the heart of the arousal.
What is a threesome (triolisme)?
Sex involving three people, often a couple with a third (woman or man). One of the most sought-after configurations.
What is same-room sex (côte-à-côtisme)?
Each couple makes love side by side, in the same space, without swapping partners. You share the atmosphere and the gaze, not the bodies.
Voyeurism vs exhibitionism: what's the difference?
Voyeurism is the pleasure of watching; exhibitionism, of being watched. Two complementary sides very present in clubs.
What does "bi-curious" mean?
A mostly heterosexual person curious to explore an attraction to the same sex, often in a reassuring setting like a club.
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