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You don’t really need to know a lot before setting off for the beach or swimming pool in France but they do have some rules that may surprise you. It’s best to be prepared. I get the impression that French people spend a lot more time at the beach than we do. Not only do they have a lot of lovely coastline but also the weather is just that bit better. (Okay! Quite a lot better!)
Lifeguards and “baignade surveillee”
Public beaches have monitoring stations and may display flags. Many of those beaches also have a lifeguard station in the summer and this makes sea-bathing in France feel a lot safer. The flag system is three colours.
Green flag means “safe to swim”
Yellow flag means “not recommended but monitored”
Red flag means “bathing forbidden”
On these beaches you may only swim between the blue flags set out by the lifeguards.
Lifeguards will select a blue-flagged area unaffected by dangers like rip-currents. Personally I trust them to know! If you try to swim just next to the lifeguarded area you will get shouted at, it’s really not allowed. On a large beach you could swim at your own risk further away and you will be left alone by the lifeguards. Outside these monitored areas you may find surf schools and water sports which have their own permissions. In some places lifeguard stations do not open until afternoon but I can’t complain about the beach rules because it’s such a brilliant safety service.
National laws or By-laws
Under French national law most beach rules include a ban smoking (often flouted), alcohol, fishing and wood fires. Some town halls have banned barbeques at local beaches. If there’s nothing on the beach display board or if you’re not sure about a rule, it’s best to ask at the local tourist information office or town hall (la mairie). In theory if there’s no sign at the beach they can’t enforce a fine, but I don’t recommend that you have this argument.
We visited La Baule beach which had signposts with beach rules for “no picnics” and “no cycling”, but everyone was eating and a bike zipped right by us. Then we got out a kite and the lifeguard told us kites were forbidden on La Baule for safety reasons, despite there being no signpost. The beach was nearly empty and there was no particular danger from using a kite but I do admit that La Baule would normally be packed. The lifeguard did helpfully tell us that nearby La Turballe beach did allow kites so next day we went there. Slightly irritating but never mind!
Swimwear – the beach
France has been making laws about clothes for centuries and this sort of thing comes as no surprise to the locals. However it really raises British hackles! There aren’t really very many rules, although they can be amended with local by-laws. You’re not allowed to wear clothing on a nudist beach, but there’s plenty of signage so you’re unlikely to fall foul of this rule. I suppose it wouldn’t be very fair on the naturists if people in clothes were there too. On all other beaches it is illegal to “bathe without a swimsuit or other nautical combination”. So no swimming in your clothes, and no skinny-dipping either. It’s not unusual for women to go topless, but it’s less common to see naked toddlers as you might do in the UK.
Burkini
To date only a few dozen local mayors have imposed by-laws banning the burkini on beaches. Laws banning religious attire of all types exist in various places in France such as schools. France is a firmly secular republic with a very high proportion of athiests and the law-makers reflect this. The enforcing of the burkini ban has been a shocking thing to witness on the news. It looks like these beach rules may develop over time with political pressure.
Swimming pools
Men are not allowed to wear baggy swimming trunks or board shorts at most swimming pools and water parks, especially on campsites. You can wear Speedos or the slightly more flattering “Daniel Craig Speedos” and longer leg shorts if they are skin-tight. Why? Well, the reason usually given is hygiene, because board shorts look like normal clothes and may be worn for other activities. They may get all dusty and then go in the pool. Also these shorts will easily balloon in waterslides, which would hurt. Some British swimming schools ban these baggy shorts because they are too loose for lessons. Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised at the French rule. Try to buy men’s swimwear before you jump on your ferry to France, as poolside prices are high. Take a look at my “shop” page for mens swim short ideas for France.
Pool hygiene rules may also mean that you are banned from applying suncream before swimming. They don’t want an oil slick on the water. I’d suggest you apply suncream 20 minutes before going to the pool and it should all sink in. I saw plenty of people flout this rule on holiday this year; no-one wants sunburn.
Beach Rules on Dogs
Dogs are generally banned from French beaches but out of season they are sometimes permitted. Read the display board at the beach to find out. You should assume there is a ban unless told otherwise, as this is a national law. British dog owners may find this disappointing but there are many coastal paths instead. French dog owners do not pick-up as much as the British, so it’s a worthwhile ban.
Have you encountered any strange bans or permissions at pools or beaches in France?
Planning your travel to France? Great value ferry crossings available with DFDS.
Driving Routes to France from the UK – Your Options
More about French culture – read 12 Generalisations about the French
Shop Like a Pro in a French Supermarket
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awesome post and thanks for sharing
Myself, my partner and our 2 sons (3 and 9 months) are currently at a camp site in brittany and have just been refused to allow my 9 month olds flotation seat/ring in the pool area!!! How can this be allowed? He cannot stand without assistance let alone swim! I’m so utterly infuriated and it has put me off even visiting France anymore!!
I own a statistic caravan on a residential site in the Lot region, the park owners have imposed some strange rules for the swimming pool, basically you are only allowed a towel and a book around the pool.
You are not allowed to take a sun bed cushion, drinks (even water), food,suntan cream, inflatable, mobile phones and shoes.However they do not stop swimmers wearing shorts.
To me this seem utterly insane that I cannot take drinking water or a cushion for the sun bed.
The park owners say the rules are imposed by the local Marie and they are merely compliying with the regulations as pool cleanliness is spot checked regularly by the authorities. I have read your articles and agree that some of them are important, but have to disagree that rehydration around the pool is prohibited ?
Goodness that is a bit strange. I can see why you feel it goes too far. It might be worth approaching the local Marie for clarification. Such strict rules could be hard on families with small children or people with less obvious disabilities. I hope this doesn’t become commonplace in France.
Thanks for the info. If it wasn’t so frowned upon in the US, all I would ever wear IS Speedos. They’re far more comfortable and far less irritating on my skin with all that excess unnecessary fabric getting in the way. I would love to take a vacation to France, much because of the swimsuit rules. I think my wife would be a lot more forgiving about men wearing Speedos if all men were required to wear them.
This is a very positive view on the subject. Thank you for commenting. I hope you get to France one day.
I ALSO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WEArING BOARD SHORTS WHEN GOIN TO THE BEACH OR A POOL. i WISH THE SPEEDOS ONLY RULE WAS APPLIED HERE IN AUSTRALIA.
I a man a transgender 12 year old and I’m going to Euro camp next year with my family and in all the pictures of the place park we are staying at everyone was wearing shorts and tops in the pool when it said it’s banned so I am going to wear shorts and a swim top/binder because I have a reason. I think it should not be banned because of some people’s needs etc
This is a very interesting point. You’re right, there must surely be exceptions for certain needs, but presumably you would have to speak (in French) to the pool staff beforehand. I would be interested to know how you get on.
Regarding the swimwear fixation, some little boys can be quite modest, and don’t want to wear revealing trunks – some husbands too! I don’t think that swimming shorts can be as troublesome as long hair (or hairs) in a pool, but no-one seems to mind about that. I do think that it’s time that the French abandoned this unconvincing argument about ‘hygiene’. It has put us off French campsites, and we go to the river now to swim.
The French guard the cleanliness of their pools and it would be unusual to find hair in it. I agree there is a certain age when many boys will struggle with this. However girls also may dislike wearing skin-tight costumes but there are no other options. Those who don’t want to wear bikinis rather stand out, which is a pity. It’s worth remembering that French people don’t feel the same about people in swimwear as the Brits do. If everyone wears similar, there’s isn’t judgement.
Men’s shorts Hubby really wouldn’t look good in a pair of speedos so that rules out a visit to centreparcs in France
Oh dear – take a look at my link for Daniel Craig shorts. Much more flattering and quite acceptable in France.
Guests (both personal and in my gite) are always surprised and amused by the shorts rule and I must say even after 19 years here I still think it’s utterly ridiculous. However, lie Curtis I appreciate the well patrolled and clean beaches. This is a great resource for foreigners wanting to swim in France. Thanks for linking it to #AllAboutFrance, hope to see you again, the next one is….TOMORROW! (Yes I’m running very behind with my reading!)
I much prefer the French attitude to beach patrols! Thanks for reminding of the link-up.
I had heard about men’s swimming short rules before and at the time was most surprised. Thanks for all your further information. On our trips to France over the last seven years it has not been hot enough to swim, but I am now prepared… thanks for your post. Annette #AllAboutFrance
You’re welcome! I hope your next trip has good weather.
Like Britain, France has created more and more rules over the years. Swimming is perhaps one area where the rules seem to be mostly respected – they take their beaches seriously. When I first arrived, you could swim anywhere on the beaches of the Landes, which I happily did until I almost drowned. Fortunately, they don’t allow that any more – a crowded beach is a small price to pay for staying alive.
Yes the safety measures are very different to the UK. I envy them! The authorities in France are prepared to take steps to improve safety, but I find in the UK the authorities are more fatalistic.
In Normandy, where I live there are some beaches that allow dogs all year round and most allow them early in the morning and in the evening. But then there are the French who ignore the rules anyway and there are always a number of dogs on the beaches even where they are not supposed to be. As for the burkini – I am waiting to see what will happen next summer. It wasn’t an issue up here in the North thank goodness although it fuelled many a dinner party debate. #AllABoutFrance
I love Normandy, my big sister’s family lived there 10 years and I spent most school holidays there but we never spent enough time on beaches to suit me. We did all like Etretat though!
Fascinating! I never knew baggy men’s shorts weren’t allowed. A family on one of our campsites said they’d been told off for carrying a barbeque down to the beach one evening – you’re right, it’s worth checking out the local rules before you make plans.
If nothing else, it saves a few blushes! Thank-you.
Very interesting post, thanks for all of that!
Thanks!