Did you know that men/boys are not allowed to wear board shorts/loose-style swimming trunks in public swimming pools in France?  Well now you do!  I’m sure there could be some exceptions to the rule as I certainly haven’t visited every public swimming pool in the country but as far as I know it’s pretty much standard everywhere.

Men (of all ages) have to wear tight-fitting speedo-style “budgie smugglers”!

The number of times visiting guests from England used to get caught out when we lived in the Paris region was incredible.  Yes, we forgot pretty much every time to tell our friends and family to bring tight swimmers if they wanted to go to the pool with us. But over the years the amount of times they forgot too and seeing my dad sitting quite happily (dare I say smugly) on the side watching his grandson splash around at bébé-nageur sessions made me think perhaps they forgot on purpose.

I have no idea what the thinking is behind this rather ridiculous rule.  Some say it’s for hygiene. Uh? To stop pubic hairs falling out apparently but then it shouldn’t apply to young boys. Others say it’s to avoid seeing a rogue bit of male anatomy flopping out!  But doesn’t the unattractive bit of netting inside the shorts do this?   And isn’t seeing the said bit of anatomy very graphically outlined, if not actually in the flesh, squashed into a tiny posing pouch even worse? I don’t get it, but you have to abide by the rules if you want to swim in the local municipal pool. Don’t worry, there are no such rules at the pool at Lou Messugo!

Does your local pool have this rule?  Do let me know.

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