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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

alex_heney, apart from the aesthetics, I think there is a suspicion and dislike of (almost) pointless rules made by Johnny Foreigner, apparently specifically to catch us Brits out.

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alex_heney, OK, so assuming for a moment that your reasons are valid, why do they not enforce the wearing of bikinis rather than swimsuits for women for the same reasons (bar perhaps the use of the swimsuit for other things first)

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Megamum, They probably should do so.

Possibly they think there would be just too much protest - while shorts are a fairly new thing, many women have always worn one-piece swimsuits (for as long as public swimming pools have existed).

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Then I'm surprised that men haven't challenged the 'no shorts' instruction on the basis of descrimination. In the same way that some ladies want to cover themselves to a certain degree in the pool there must be men who would prefer to also do the same with longer shorts.

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alex_heney, Thats all bollocks. Please support your puerile post with some scientific fact.
Modern swimming pool filtration systems do not have a problem with any swimwear, or are you suggesting that England is the only EU country capable of maintaining hygiene levels in swimming pool water!

After all it is free

Today in bourg st maurice we were refused entry with shorts but were we ciuld have borrowd some spare peanut smuggelers they had behind the counter

We decided not to risk it and crossed the road for a mcdonalds milkshake instead!!!

alex_heney, I have to agree with Boredsurfing, on that.
That would implie in an ideal world we would be sterilised before getting into the pool and their pools would be perfect in the first place.

Have you got some figures to show amounts of bacteria in shorts compared to trunks?? Unless you know that for a fact and can back it up I would also have to say, dangly bits.

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I'd imagine that the number of bacteria on a swimmer's swim (before entering the pool) would be orders of magnitude more than on a cossie.

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richmond, probably, but if someone is going to make statements as such, saying this is the reason, they should at least have some evidence rather than " i reckon"

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You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

anotherproblem, BTW, while I was looking fro research results on swimwear and hygiene, every reference I came across to shorts being banned in French pools stated that it was for hygiene reasons.

So whether you agree with the points or not, that certainly appears to be the reason for the rule.

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There are no such restrictions for wearing shorts in public pools in Austria, so just go there instead - the scenery is better anyway.

A snowHead

masmith is correct and this very common rule is mainly do counter the fact that the main users of public pools in France being groups of dirty teenagers, a good proportion of them are/were wearing surf type boadshorts which tended to double up as day short/swim short..
Having seen some bad examples here as well so I sympathise with the sentiment...
Speedos are just something people are just not walking about it in (usually) , so on the assumption that personal hygiene is up to scratch they'll be better for the hygiene of the pool..
It obviously does not make that much sense in the winter or when talking about middle-age people but I suppose they can only enforce one rule for all or it gets complicated..

It made for some pretty ugly sights of me this summer...and my wife got a good laugh out of it.. Very Happy

And again as masmith says, consider yourself lucky when they don't require a "bonnet de bain"...not only does make the look even worse but they tend to be so tight on the forehead, you end with a splitting headache...and half your hair out when you take them of... Toofy Grin

(Those are sometime required because hairs mess filters up big time..)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Of course swimming pools were originally called "Public Baths" as the whole intention of them was to get the dirty smelly proles clean occassionally in the first place - stuff the costumes it was getting their skin clean.

Most people will have a quick rinse down under the shower - but that ain't going to remove all the suncream, sweat, and worse which people will take into the pool.

I can see the reasons behind the rule - just think it is pointless

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Boris,

I agree that in most places I can't see that it makes a difference...especially with the amount of chlorine they usually put in...

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alex_heney,

There are plenty of things they ideally should do. In practice (what I found, and what I was told by someone managing a gym in the UK) they put as much chemical in (within legal/recommended limits) as they can because having to close and service the pool if some contamination is detected is a plain pain in the back bottom..
So you might still have a lot of dirt on you when you come out of the pool but it's "clean" dirt.. wink

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This thread is putting me right off the idea of using public pools Shocked

After all it is free

Schuss in Boots, we recently hired a local UK pool for a swimming party for our kids, along with some other parents.

When we got there, their was something very unpleasant at the bottom of the pool, left by the previous toddler group (think Caddy Chack and choccy bars)

As it was still "solid" and was retrieved - the pool guidelines said there was no need to close the pool or take any other measures due to the chemicals in place.

Ok the logical part of me could understand the relative volumes of water and object and the chemicals involved - but trust me the parents keeping an eye on kids all swam with heads well above the water line Shocked

Talking to a friend who works there - it is a very common occurance

Put you off swimming yet - just think what's lurking in the sea Shocked

alex_heney, you say it is obvious, that may be, I am not saying that it is wrong, but if you are going to state something like that, back it up with fact. If you are going to say hygiene, come up with reasons and some proof for it.

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anotherproblem, There is the simple fact that every website I found mentioning the requirement said it was for hygiene reasons.

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Boris,

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anotherproblem, there is always another option

You know it makes sense.

Nice bump, but just booked a few nights in the Dordogne with Canvas Holidays, and their FAQ suggests I need to go shopping for some budgie smugglers.

Question: are tight swimshorts ok or do they really want budgie smugglers???

Are "swimming trunk only" regulations strictly adhered to?
Local government campsite rules usually require everyone to wear proper swimwear in campsite pools. Shorts of any description are banned. Some sites require the use of swimming caps.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

kitenski, round here, tight swimshorts seem to be fine in the pools (and surf shorts are fine in the swimming lakes).

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kitenski, Just freeball - see how they like them apples

A snowHead

kitenski, it doesn't matter how long they just so long as they're clingy.

I tried to slip into the pool at Bourg d'Oisans while wearing my long shorts with Speedo in big letters down them. Non! I was told firmly. Yet others with even longer but clingy (I might even say saggy) shorts were fine.

Go figure!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I've never had to wear them at several privately owned pools (apartment complexes, camp sites, etc) around France over 15 years or so. I think it's more common for public pools.

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Last year when son and family were going to one of those camp places (not Canvas Holidays, it seemed to be a French outfit) I telephoned specifically to ask this, as son was not impressed with the idea of budgie smugglers. The woman was most emphatic that they were required, including for small kids in the paddling pool. Logical, I suppose, as they are the ones most likely to be sitting round permanently in their cossies. However, son said that in the event, they didn't seem too fussy. I'd be inclined, if you don't have suitable garments already, to hope for the best, then pop down to the nearest supermarket and get some if they're strict.

I remember when swim caps were compulsory in public baths here. I loathed them, but rules was rules. In those days Guildford Crescent Baths, in Cardiff, also had a "Ladies Pool", a "Men's Pool" and - for the daring - a Mixed Pool.

There is one good reason for proper swim trunks rather than any old shorts. I still remember a picnic on a Pacific Island - the event is engraved on my mind - where the British High Commissioner was wearing rather baggy shorts and nothing underneath..... it was comical to see people re-arranging themselves so as not to get an eyeful of His Excellency's balls.

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The Italians at la thuiles planibel pool also insist on trunks rather than shorts plus a swimming cap.

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Looks like they were mandatory in the Dive Pool today as well - must be catching on!

After all it is free

You say speedos aren't worn for other activities, but believe me, the late middle-aged man with considerable paunch I witnessed hiking up Vulcano in a mankini last summer will be forever graven on my mind.

Help!!

Will I need to dig out my posing pouch?

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