France Eurocamp advice appreciated & concern over speedo dress code

[SusannahSpoon]

I'm wanting to book our first Eurocamp holiday for late June. I'm thinking South is necessary for a bit of heat and really like the look of Le Vieux Port. It sounds ideal if you can avoid high season apart from the need for men to wear Speedos in the pools. Is this really true?! I can't believe it and am not at all sure I want to see partner let alone father-in-law in speedos. Does this same rule apply to hotels, lakes, the beach etc? I imagine it may also apply to all Eurocamps. Any clarification on this shocking policy would be appreciated to help me come to terms with it and broach it with the menfolk. Thanks

PML and watching thread with interest.

Not useful, I know.

French public pools usually insist on speedos, but the campsite pools we've been to are fine with swimming shorts.

My DH got asked to leave a public open air swimming pool in Avignon once because he was wearing shorts.

In Italy you have to wear swimming caps too, so could be worse!

Yes, I'm afraid they are VERY strict about the Speedos!

We were at the point of booking with friends last year, when the DH found this out - he backed out immediately. We have had many holidays in France, and there is no getting away from it unfortunately - yuck

Oh OK, middle has had a different experience from us. We did directly call Eurocamp though, and it was confirmed.

Yes they are strict about Speedos, I think it's a hygiene thing and the fact that longer shorts are worn for activities/sitting in muck etc whereas Speedos are just for swimming.

This is just a little bit hilarious. What's so shocking about it? You really wouldn't go on a holiday to an entire country because you have to wear Speedo-type bathing stuff? I find Speedos eminently more sensible than a baggy pair of shorts that tend to fall down whenever men dive in.

Not just France, swimming at ds school in UK.

PML you are mad!!!

Out of curiosity to you wear a big pair of shorts with a bikini top, maybe a t-shirt over the top in case your nipples stand out??

Dh was frogmarched to the camp shop to purchase some

Despite his misgivings he declared them very comfortable and I have to hide them otherwise he'd wear them around the house.

DH doesn't have to wear tiny Tom Daley speedos - you can get bigger ones. He'll feel OK about it when he sees all the other men wearing them

I went to a Eurocamp nr Perpignan 2 years ago, I'd also heard the same and made sure we took speedos for DH & DS, but they weren't strict on it where we went.

DH was horrified initially but decided he quite liked them so kept wearing them anyway!

Just to confirm, you will be asked to leave the pool with shorts. We have been yo Vieux Port, and it is the same there as all the other campsites and pools we have been to in France. Wearing Speedos is not a problem when you are there!!

To be fair they weren't the tiny type though, just the tight short type...

I understand they will accept the speedo shorts as well as the speedo briefs - they just need to be old fashioned swimming trunks rather than board shorts I think (based on my friend who went last summer and was kitting out her menfolk).

I've holidayed at lots of campsites in France, including with eurocamp and dh has always worn swim shorts, not once has he been told to leave nor to wear speedos

This is a fantastic campsite - Eurocamp have tents and vans there. It's run by a Dutch family, and you don't need speedos to swim.

We've stayed there in our own tent a couple of times and can highly recommend it. You could eat your dinner off the floor in the toilet block, it's that clean. And it's right on a river where you can go canoeing.

www.le-paradis.fr/en

Rules about speedos? Is this true? !

What's their problem with shorts?

DH and DSs wear the speedo type trunks - fitted, Lycra swimming trunks. Never had a problem in any French campsite, and the DSs wear them for swimming lessons too.

The issue is, reputedly, with hygiene - keeping it all in, so to speak.

It's also the French different take on decency perhaps - they'd rather see man bits moulded in lycra than bottom cracks and worse when the flume spits man and shorts out separately?

As others have said, Speedo-style trunks are acceptable - dh & ds wear these when we're in France. I think it depends on who is running the site - if it's a French owned/run site, then it's Speedo style; a couple of years ago we were at a Dutch run site in France and swim shorts were fine.

The issue is that shorts can be worn out and about or for other activities and pick up dirt/dust etc which can then be taken into the pool. Quite why it's ok for the Dutch and not the French is beyond me though.....

I have worked and holidayed on many, many French campsites (was a Eurocamp courier for season after season) and never, ever witnessed the speedo rule enforced. This was in recent years too - not decades ago!

Some places seem stricter than others.

I bought dh some Daniel Craig style tight fitting shorts alas dh failed to morph into Daniel Craig but the rule wasn't enforced.

Only eurocamp site that enforced speedo rule that I have stayed on was near Lake Garda. I have been to Vieux Port but we didn't bother with the pool as the beach is fantastic so not sure if it's enforced there.

I would definitely avoid high season, we went in August and it was packed, the quiet after (I think) 11 at night rule wasn't enforced, not my favourite site to be honest. Preferred Labenne Ocean as smaller.

I've been to key camp places in France (the same sites usually have euro camp and key camp) and never seen anyone in Speedos. XH didn't wear them and didn't get into any trouble.

Just look them in the eye, all the tie!

Speedos for the pool, but OK to put shorts over for general lounging.

You can usually just wear the ones that look like underpants, you don't have to wear the moule-bite (budgie smugglers). You're not allowed the bermuda short type thing though.