To remind people of French swimming pool rule

I disagree about the reason not the date

I'm not going to argue with you on when. I'm thinking about those very long shorts (basketball style?) A lot of French teenagers adopted that style around the mid 90s and it made them all look like they should be in a rap video,even though they lived in a small French town. They would have worn those all day and very likely for several days! Even fairly small towns in France seem to have those open air pools opened in the summer and I can imagine those teenagers turning up in those and wanting to get into the pool.

I'm not sure this has just changed with board shorts. My dp was told off in a French municipal pool for wearing what are definitely swimming trunks - short and with that net thing inside - and this was about 25 years ago. No one would have worn these to walk about all day. He now has the tight ones for our next trip!

But you are not comparing like with like. Yes, speaking to you about the swimming cap was over the top, but the people in the showers were washing their bodies, hence naked.

Ah yeah see what you mean, silly to tell you off for taking off your swim cap so close to the door.
Pool showers at my local pool have no cubicles either and everyone showers naked (mandatory) and it just seems normal to me.

It was the juxtaposition of not wanting me to take my swimming cap off about a meter away from the door to where everyone was completely naked in a communal shower, they weren’t cubicles it was a huge row of shower heads and everyone was cheek by jowl in there.

What's the issue with that? Being naked is how you are generally supposed to shower, after all.

But shower water runs away straight down the drain. I can’t see the problem???

I once took my swimming hat off as I walked to the changing room after coming out of the pool in a Spanish gym and was immediately reprimanded, yet in the communal showers all the women were completely starkers sharing the showers 🤷‍♀️

It's disgusting how few people shower before getting in the pool at the gym I go to, some people are just minging.

If you are driving stop off at one of the big super markets in France. They sell swimwear in the clothing section

Re budgie. smugglers, I’m reminded of a beach in Barbados, when I was sitting and talking to a local called Winston who we knew quite well, he used to have a Hobie Cat for hire. But another local walked past, a ‘Mr Muscle’, clad in only a very small, bright yellow pair of budgie smugglers, clearly showing that he was not lacking in the meat and 2 veg department.

Winston was disgusted! ‘He’s not presentable!’ he said, in that lovely Bajan accent, and went on to add that such sights were not suitable for children!

Yes, had this happen with ds in Belgium too.

Some people just like to be offended, especially when the offense is hypothetical.

I don't even understand the riddiculing names for basic men's swimwear. Many women wear minimal bikini, some men wear the underwear type of swimming clothes.

I think this comes up every summer and posters just fixate on men having to wear very tiny Speedo and how dare those French tell them what to do! Normal swimming trunks are also allowed as long they are not baggy and those can easily be bought online. My husband got a cheap pair years ago and just take them on holiday,in case we ever went to a pool. They are not that tiny or revealing!

Back when I was growing up in France (1960/70s),such a rule would not have been needed as swimwear and outdoor clothes would have been 2 different things. However,fashion moved on and those very long board shorts became fashionable for teenagers and young men. It's not difficult to imagine that during the summer holidays,a teenager might have worn those for many days straight from bed (being a teenager,a shower might not have happened!). Hence,the need to enforce a rule to make sure that people are not wearing the same clothes that they've worn all week in the pool.

A rule requiring dedicated swimming clothes isn't pointless. It prevents a big part of the pool users from using outside clothes. It isn't impossible to get around it if you decide to make a point, but in majority of the cases the intended effect is there.

Personal hygiene is covered by showering, that's another aspect.

Of course, feel free to stay home if adjusting to local rules abroad is too uncomfortable.

French here - the reasons for the brief type swimwear are multiple and in some senses quite practical.

The typical board shorts you see on the beach often have pockets and swimmers can forget that when going to the pool.

this means that keys, coins, tissues, etc can fall out and clog the pool filters.

In the summer most people are on holiday and businesses close. It is therefore harder and more expensive to find maintenance people to repair damaged filters. Hence the budgie smugglers!

Also there have been incidents (not just in France) where people in looser shorts have become trapped in filters at bottom and side of the pool. Fabric can be ensnared and cause safety issues,

There is also a hygiene element re going from beach (in looser) shorts to the pool- including sand again clogging filters. Food stains, pee and other issues are not really the issue.

As far as I can gather from reading various public info sites (in French),only sleeveless swimsuits (1 piece or separate) seem to be allowed in swimming pools. Therefore,a sleeve to an elbow would probably not be allowed either.
I think the down to an elbow thing was mentioned as seen on a poster in a waterpark? Maybe those have different rules compared to proper swimming pools?

Daft.

Promoting good hygiene in swimming pools is not 'weird'.

Most countries have rules about what people can and can't wear in public places anyway.

Same, i was shocked it wasn't a requirement here.

Stop teaching me to suck eggs.

Why don’t you understand that banning a swimsuit to the wrist but not to the elbow is utterly batshit?

I notice you can’t explain that.

They just need to grow a pair, if you'll pardon the expression.

The French are so weird. Setting all these rules about what others can wear.

No.

The point of a true separation of State and Church,is that religion does not take precedence over secular rules. I would assume you would understand this if you lived in France.