French law bans long swim trunks

[JamesSwim]

I learned that in France (and in some other countries), a rule prohibits men wearing long swim trunks in many public pools for sanitary reasons. I thought most rules like this went the other way.

Not sure what their rules require for women to wear.

[sebbie]

French women are all required to go topless ROFL

[Byron]

http://springinparis.files.wordpress.com/2011/106/shorts-interdit

Yes, a subject of pool hygiene applicable to France and other European countries often raised on the old board - the idea being that speedos will be worn afresh to swim and will not therefore be dirty shorts with pockets which have also been used as street wear.

[Byron]

URL correction for sign: http://springinparis.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/shorts-interdits-med.jpg

:o

[JamesSwim]

Thanks for explaining the sanitation rule.

So I guess they can also ask a girl to wear a bikini or a one-piece suit if by rare chance she wants to swim in something worn on the street.

[California Dolphin]

This is an excellent idea as far as sanitation (and eroticism) is concerned!!!

I believe the idea of guys wearing just "trunks" (and a bikini for girls) as swim suits came about in the 1930s to minimize the amount of fabric and suspended lint in the pool water and keep the filtration system clean.

In fact, when Adolf Keifer and Roy Jacuzzi proposed the modern swimming pool, their approach was toward more nudity because it minimized the amount of lint in the system and there would be fewer places for bacteria to hide.

Just look at the amount of gunk in the filter of a washing machine VS what collects in the bottom of a shower and it's obvious that nuder swimming is better. ;)

[louis]

All that is very true, and thery even have at all there public pools brief style (speedo) vending machines.
I happen to have one of them (not the machine silly the suit (lol)
And not bad at all, GOOD FIT.

[JamesSwim]

I found an example of the vending machine here
http://en.topsec-equipement.fr/s/11304_
with the suits here
http://en.topsec-equipement.fr/s/11310_woman
http://en.topsec-equipement.fr/s/11311_man

[Torchwatch]

Spending a day cycling south through the Brittany (France) countryside and running out of water, I hadn't seen anyone for hours and was thirsty. First I saw a mobile phone mast and thought that where there are mobile phones there are people and something to drink. Then I saw the top of a water slide and thought that where there are water slides there are swimming pools and cool drinks.
Parking the mountain-bike I went to the poolside bar and had a cola with ice, sat back and watched the sun tanned swimmers playing in the water, the sun light reflecting on their wet bodies, the men and boys wearing only speedos.
The whole community seemed to be there, all ages happy together in this outdoor pool in this one horse ville.
There is a swim briefs rule in many French pools, and it works; without boardshorts even a crowded pool looks inviting.

[Byron]

USA as well - Speedo trialling vending machines in 15 pools
(Florida,Kentucky,Minnesota,New York,Ohio)

[Byron]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index/?qid=20080314130423AA98fSr

[Byron]

French Swoof black briefs ref: 514 can be obtained from machines of Aquatik Distribution Automatique.

http://www.swimart.eu/Swoof_SwimwearRange.html




PS: URL for Yahoo Q&A in post above is four years old and does not work - but if of interest the discussion can be followed by googling
"What do the French have against swimming shorts?"

[sebbie]

The French would not be hung up on only brief-style suits. A snug nylon/lycra squarecut that looks like a swimsuit not baggy walking/board shorts would be perfectly acceptable as well.

I've never understood the practicallity of baggy shorts as swimming attire.The French haven't either. For starters, the bigger and baggier the short, the more drag they will create. At some point this becomes a serious swimming safety concern. Then you have the cleanliness concern of wearing what could be street attire in the pool. Finally wearing baggy shorts coming out of the pool creates this large dripping-wet piece of cloth that you somehow need to dry.

A final issue is that some "modest" men who are a little overweight think that it will be less apparent that they are carrying excess pounds if the swimming attire is baggy. But lets face it: an overweight person isn't suddenly going to look slimmer in baggy shorts. Overweight is overweight, and trying to cover it all up is not the answer.

If one wants to wear baggy shorts, fine, but put a real (brief or squarecut nylon/lycra) swimsuit underneath. Then you can removre the baggy shorts just before entering the water. Reverse the process coming out, putting your still dry baggy shorts back on after letting your real suit dry out for a few minutes while lounging at the pool. Carry along a tee shirt to protect you from the sun, and you are all set!. If you are staying at a hotel/motel, my room key-card stays dry in the pocket of the baggy shorts.

[Byron]

OUI ! (I don't know the French for 'storm in a teacup')