Page 3 | To remind people of French swimming pool rule

Solmum1964 · 2026-06-27T22:01:20+00:00

Just a quick reminder for people holidaying in France this year. Many public swimming pools and campsites insist that boys and men wear proper (lycra) swimming trunks in their pools. These can be traditional brief style, swim shorts or jammers but must be tight around the leg for hygiene purposes. Looser swim shorts are not allowed. I'm currently on holiday in France and have seen a number of men asked to leave the pool because they were not wearing appropriate swimwear.

Sidebeforeself · 28/06/2026 17:17

SweepSqueaks · 28/06/2026 00:06

But that’s not likely to happen. Most women wouldn’t pop to the supermarket in just their bikini in the morning, sit on a park bench and have a coffee in their bikini then get the bus to the pool in the afternoon in their bikini.

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I disagree. I think many women do wear a bikini all day under shorts and t-shits etc.

MyArtfulGreySloth · 28/06/2026 17:10

PlayingDevilsAdvocateisinteresting · 28/06/2026 05:36

My husband always has 'skid' marks on his underpants at the end of the day 🤮 I don't thin̈k that my underwear has ever had any skidmarks on them...

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And you share a bed with this man? 🤢 my fanny would weld shut permanently.

InveterateWineDrinker · 28/06/2026 16:29

WutheringBites · 28/06/2026 09:22

Last time I tried to buy decent Lycra men’s swimming trunks in the UK I hit a bit of a blank. Any places which do good quality ones? High street just has racks and racks of swim shorts.

My DCs quite like me in these:

https://budgysmuggleruk.com/products/mens-rubber-ducks

MENS SWIMWEAR | RUBBER DUCKS DESIGN | BUDGY SMUGGLER UK

Behold the "Rubber Ducks" Men's Swimwear a playful homage to the quack-tastic spirit! 🦆 In the world of men's swimwear, this pair stands out like a true warrior on the battlefield. With its delightful rubber duck design, set against a serene baby blue...

https://budgysmuggleruk.com/products/mens-rubber-ducks

ScotiaLass · 28/06/2026 16:04

WutheringBites · 28/06/2026 09:22

Last time I tried to buy decent Lycra men’s swimming trunks in the UK I hit a bit of a blank. Any places which do good quality ones? High street just has racks and racks of swim shorts.

Last summer we bought mens ones from Decathlon and boys ones from Next. If you can wait until you get to France you can buy them in any big supermarket or clothing store that sells swimwear.

Sharptonguedwoman · 28/06/2026 15:09

Flamingojune · 27/06/2026 23:55

Why would that be a problem

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Sweat and grime, I guess.

JillThePlantKiller · 28/06/2026 14:54

Gettingbysomehow · 28/06/2026 05:14

Does anyone know if women can wear full coverage swimsuits with long arms and legs in France? I have to wear one because I cant have sun on my skin due to pre cancerous moles.
Ive heard they make muslim women uncover over there.
Im not muslim but they might think my suit is some kind of religious thing.

The general rule is that shoulders and knees must be visible in women’s swimwear. Some places are very strict and won’t budge and I don’t know that a doctors note would make much headway. Others have rules but don’t actually enforce them.

Have a look at reviews on trip advisor and elsewhere for the resort you’re planning to go to. If they’re strictly enforcing the men’s wear there will be a lot of uk reviews moaning about it. If you’re not seeing that, they’ll probably be more flexible. Also resorts with more Brits/Irish tend to be less strict ime than the ones that are mainly catering to French/spanish/Germans.

Grammarninja · 28/06/2026 14:48

Excited101 · 27/06/2026 23:02

‘Hygiene purposes’ I’ve never understood it 🤷‍♀️ good tip op

Pubes

ExquisiteSocialSkills · 28/06/2026 14:43

glowfrog · 28/06/2026 11:36

For anyone moaning about the French rules - do you ever go to UK public pools? Because I do and they are only rarely anywhere as clean and pleasant to use as the French ones.

Uk public swimming pools - piss ‘n’ plasters and God knows what on your feet because nobody wears pool sandals except foreigners who usually look disgusted. And I don’t blame them.

YellowDogg · 28/06/2026 13:23

@PlayingDevilsAdvocateisinteresting please say you don’t do his laundry.

Phineyj · 28/06/2026 13:09

My top tip if you have a car is to locate the most convenient Decathlon en route...

Original poster

Solmum1964 · 28/06/2026 12:41

Alwayswonderedwhy · 28/06/2026 12:09

Such a pointless rule. So a really hygienic person can't wear swim shorts but you can be as dirty as you like if you're wearing Speedos. Do they check if you've got freshly changed into your swimwear or been wearing them under your clothes before you get in? Can't imagine my husband or sons being comfortable in tight budgie smugglers so we best avoid France!

Brief style or 'budgie smugglers' appear to be worn by very few men, so far as I've seen.
The trunk style linked by a PP are more common and then jammers (just above knee length) are worn by some too.
DH likes the trunk style and wears them when he swims at home. DS (adult) used to wear jammers as he swam competitively but now prefers the brief style which he wears to play water polo.

OP posts:

Peony1985 · 28/06/2026 12:30

Alwayswonderedwhy · 28/06/2026 12:09

Such a pointless rule. So a really hygienic person can't wear swim shorts but you can be as dirty as you like if you're wearing Speedos. Do they check if you've got freshly changed into your swimwear or been wearing them under your clothes before you get in? Can't imagine my husband or sons being comfortable in tight budgie smugglers so we best avoid France!

It’s not really personal hygiene because you are supposed to shower first it’s about not wearing outerwear into the pool.
Men (well French ones at least) are less likely to wear tight Speedo’s or trunks all day.

Think Speedos are making a comeback now men are happy looking more sporty.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 28/06/2026 12:09

Such a pointless rule. So a really hygienic person can't wear swim shorts but you can be as dirty as you like if you're wearing Speedos. Do they check if you've got freshly changed into your swimwear or been wearing them under your clothes before you get in? Can't imagine my husband or sons being comfortable in tight budgie smugglers so we best avoid France!

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 28/06/2026 12:08

LittleBearPad · 28/06/2026 11:04

Why do you want to see men’s bare tops walking around the high street? It’s grim.

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I don't.
I'm a keep-it-covered kinda person.

But I'm trying to understand what's grim about a bare chested man, versus a women in a bikini top.

People on here seem to be leaning into the old "horses sweat, men perspire, ladies only glow" trope.

And the commentary seemed to imply it was flabby men she didn't like.

Just seems like double standards of the sort we used to hate .... remember the "free the nipple campaign"?? Or "no fat shaming"??

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 28/06/2026 11:49

UK pools have a sign asking swimmers to shower before going into the water. I have never seen that rule enforced.

glowfrog · 28/06/2026 11:36

For anyone moaning about the French rules - do you ever go to UK public pools? Because I do and they are only rarely anywhere as clean and pleasant to use as the French ones.

Fimofriend · 28/06/2026 11:27

tartyflette · 28/06/2026 00:21

I was told that wearing swimming
trunks with loose legs was seen as unhygienic (in France) due to possible pubic hair (and pee?) escapes.

And if you swim right behind a bloke with loose shorts and you wear swimgogles so you can see under the water .... Just nasty.

I feel that my neck hurts when I swim without swimgogles but I will not wear them in a crowded pool. Learned that the hard way 🫣

palran · 28/06/2026 11:24

Reading all the posts reminds me how much I hate swimming and pools these days. OMG the amount of work necessary to have a swim is just too much for me now. I know I am an outlier but the worst part for me is getting out and showering/changing after a swim. The hair is like straw ladies, the hair..... The slippery feeling when skin is not fully dry. Ugh. No I won't do it again.

Thankfully I travel in the off season so it's never hot enough to need a pool to cool down, and furthermore I never go anywhere with a pool vibe anyway.

Not knocking anyone else and I do understand that a pool is vital where kids are there, but it is just so, I dunno, so much hard work! For me anyway, and I shudder to think how many people have peed in the pool, because they do.

Snoff · 28/06/2026 11:24

I'd never considered the hygiene angle; always assumed it was about modesty. I've seen a few wardrobe malfunctions from men swimming, reclining and generally flopping about in loose-legged shorts.

Toohottooday · 28/06/2026 11:21

Bleurgh. The more I think about swimming pools after reading this thread the more I think I might never step foot in one again

EarlofShrewsbury · 28/06/2026 11:06

Backedoffhackedoff · 28/06/2026 08:52

hardly a doctors job.

dont know why so many people are jumping on a woman for her husbands habits. Its nothing to do with her

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Probably because she's brushing it off as a normal 'man' thing.

It's not normal for anyone. It's gross.

LittleBearPad · 28/06/2026 11:04

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 28/06/2026 08:14

So what do you think is acceptable?

Can a woman wander round in gym shorts and a short top? Is sleeveless ok for you or should armpits always be covered?

Is it just the fatties that you don't like to see, or is it just that you think unattractive people in general should hide more of themselves away?

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Why do you want to see men’s bare tops walking around the high street? It’s grim.

WestwardHo1 · 28/06/2026 11:02

BadBadCat · 28/06/2026 08:59

When I'm on holiday I put my swimsuit on under a kaftan and wear it all day!

I reckon it's to stop the pubes floating out of the loose shorts rather than to ensure they are wearing freshly applied trunks before swimming. Most men would wear shorts over their swimming trunks to pop to the restaurant, shops etc. So still wearing them all day.

Many men are in effect covered with pubes anyway

StarlightLady · 28/06/2026 10:58

Quooth · 28/06/2026 10:45

On holiday in Germany years ago and we had to buy funny little swim hats. They weren't the old fashioned rubber ones more like fabric lifeguard hats.

Really I wish there were proper enforced hygene rules everywhere. I remember as a child in the 60s all public swimming pools had a long footbath and shower that you had to walk through to get to the pool.

I think the foot-baths were taken out because they caused more problems with infections than they resolved.

LittleBearPad · 28/06/2026 10:57

tartyflette · 28/06/2026 00:21

I was told that wearing swimming
trunks with loose legs was seen as unhygienic (in France) due to possible pubic hair (and pee?) escapes.

How are Lycra shorts going to stop wee? They aren’t nappies.