French swimming pools - supervising under 12s?

[RedDoorBlueHouse]

We're looking at a few French campsites with pools and water parks. It says all children 12 and under must be supervised by an adult at all times - how close are you expected to be to your child? For example if you were in the pool together and the child wanted to go on a flume could you supervise from the pool or would you be expected to go on the flume with the child?

I've got a water confidant 11 yo who has been going swimming without adults for a couple of years so it all seems slightly ridiculous!

You just need to be in the pool /pool area with them and conscious of what they are doing. No need to go on a flume with an 11 year old, or be next to them in the pool. You should be there to prevent them running in the pool area, bombing, diving in if not allowed etc.

In the pool compound is fine.

Watching them is fine, as long as they're in sight. In Italy, a 7yo child drowned in the pool area of a splash park recently. They're really hot now on enforcing the rules.

It's a condition of their insurance. Don't worry, the lifeguards aren't going to be whistling up every child whose parents aren't within three metres of them.

Be aware if you have boys (or DH) that they may be required to wear speedo-type swimming gear. Shorts are often not allowed in pools in France, "for hygiene reasons" (the logic being that the shorts might have been worn for some time before getting in the pool) - I always thought it might be because someone's floppy shorts got stuck in a pump once, but it turns out to be about minimising transfer of dust and dirt (etc etc etc) into the water. You're also expected to take a proper shower (with soap) before getting into the pool.