Good commentary, I’ve had friends from France and the UK visit my home at the Jersey shore over the years that I had to strongly advise to go into town and purchase baggy swim trunks as their speedos would be met with disapproving stares. They thanked me as did my wife! A couple guys wore them anyway.
Also dated a young lady I met in France and she insisted on sun bathing topless. I thought my father would have a heart attack.
Reminds me of purchasing my first swim trunks in France. Back in the last century, I did an independent study project while visiting my future spouse for several months at L'Université de Rennes where she was studying for a year.
After learning that I would not be admitted to a pool with my cut-off jeans, I went to a sports store somewhere in the middle of Rennes and engaged a young sales lady to assist me in purchasing swim trunks. I said I wasn't quite ready for Speedos, so she showed me slightly larger trunks that had about half the fabric of my Jockey briefs.
I tried them on and found them a bit, ahem, snug. I asked her if I could get the next size up.
With a slight smile, she said, "But monsieur, you don't want them to fall off when you're swimming!" Sold.
Very amusing reading this from Rennes where I live with my American spouse whom I met while he studying at U de Rennes. I concur - the Speedo at the pool rule still holds, but not at the beach in Cancale
So I've heard! Haven't been to Cancale beaches yet, still busy exploring the beaches in the Penthièvre, near our home. But come oyster season, we will head for Cancale.
Try Port-Mer, or chez Colette for oysters. Penthievre is beautiful but I’m also partial to north Finistère as a native; the best oysters in the whole (Breton) world are the Prat-ar-Coum ;-)
Thank you, Anne! I will be sure to follow your expert advice. We haven't been to Finistère in ages - it is truly wonderful. Le cœur de la Bretagne for culture and music. Time to revisit - it's an easy drive from our area, around Lamballe.
Two friends and former colleagues from Seattle visited us a couple weeks ago. They've retired and are thinking of moving to Brittany. They spent a week in Brest and loved it. We took them to Pléneuf-Val-André for the day. As Seattle natives, the weather suited them just fine.!
I am still deeply traumatised by the memory of a visit to a municipal swimming pool in France over thirty years ago. My perfectly decent swim shorts, which have the equivalent of net speedos within, were rejected as unsuitable. Rather than disappoint the kids, I…I…oh this is still so hard….I accepted the loan of a pair of Frenchman’s damp underpants and swam.
I’m going to have to take a long shower again now…perhaps forever.
“ all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this…”
Last year, in the French segment of my odyssey, I cycled from St Malo to Mont St Michel then south to Spain.
In contrast to those in the UK, the French cycle paths were magnifique, well made, well drained, clearly signposted and a joy to ride on. Only once did this 72 year old find a goat track with 9inch bridges across deep rivers but I put that down to my cycle-oriented GPS’s insane optimism and failure to understand the word “touring” in its settings.
This was a fun read 😃 The speedo thing always shocks the British when they visit us in France. And the dogs without leashes surprised me when we first moved over. I didn't know topless sunbathing was illegal - I presumed it was legal in most countries!
When my wife and I travelled to France a couple years ago I noticed the absence of those evil contraptions. They’re ubiquitous here in southern Cali and when I win the ‘28 presidential election they’re gone on Day 1.
Where we live in western French-speaking Switzerland, no noise making on Sundays or holidays so no lawnmowers, no recycling glass, definitely no stores open. I’m not sure if you can run household machines on a building. It’s about creating quiet space in the week. It’s both annoying and welcome especially when I hear someone recycling on a Sunday and I can say « what the heck are they thinking? Ce n’est pas normal! ». MDR but my husband is very grateful that he can wear board shorts at the pool although he now has a small collection of the mini minis because of trips to France and this rule forgotten.
Haha not just topless but naturism as a whole is..we live near a naturist beach, it’s usually empty cause obviously not everyone is comfortable with it (actually most people aren’t)
Good commentary, I’ve had friends from France and the UK visit my home at the Jersey shore over the years that I had to strongly advise to go into town and purchase baggy swim trunks as their speedos would be met with disapproving stares. They thanked me as did my wife! A couple guys wore them anyway.
Also dated a young lady I met in France and she insisted on sun bathing topless. I thought my father would have a heart attack.
Different customs!
Reminds me of purchasing my first swim trunks in France. Back in the last century, I did an independent study project while visiting my future spouse for several months at L'Université de Rennes where she was studying for a year.
After learning that I would not be admitted to a pool with my cut-off jeans, I went to a sports store somewhere in the middle of Rennes and engaged a young sales lady to assist me in purchasing swim trunks. I said I wasn't quite ready for Speedos, so she showed me slightly larger trunks that had about half the fabric of my Jockey briefs.
I tried them on and found them a bit, ahem, snug. I asked her if I could get the next size up.
With a slight smile, she said, "But monsieur, you don't want them to fall off when you're swimming!" Sold.
Very amusing reading this from Rennes where I live with my American spouse whom I met while he studying at U de Rennes. I concur - the Speedo at the pool rule still holds, but not at the beach in Cancale
So I've heard! Haven't been to Cancale beaches yet, still busy exploring the beaches in the Penthièvre, near our home. But come oyster season, we will head for Cancale.
Try Port-Mer, or chez Colette for oysters. Penthievre is beautiful but I’m also partial to north Finistère as a native; the best oysters in the whole (Breton) world are the Prat-ar-Coum ;-)
Thank you, Anne! I will be sure to follow your expert advice. We haven't been to Finistère in ages - it is truly wonderful. Le cœur de la Bretagne for culture and music. Time to revisit - it's an easy drive from our area, around Lamballe.
Two friends and former colleagues from Seattle visited us a couple weeks ago. They've retired and are thinking of moving to Brittany. They spent a week in Brest and loved it. We took them to Pléneuf-Val-André for the day. As Seattle natives, the weather suited them just fine.!
I am still deeply traumatised by the memory of a visit to a municipal swimming pool in France over thirty years ago. My perfectly decent swim shorts, which have the equivalent of net speedos within, were rejected as unsuitable. Rather than disappoint the kids, I…I…oh this is still so hard….I accepted the loan of a pair of Frenchman’s damp underpants and swam.
I’m going to have to take a long shower again now…perhaps forever.
“ all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this…”
Similar laws here in Germany, although we allow baggies at the pool.
All seems so civilized to me!
“that’s only when they’re dropped off the side of a cliff” - love it 😊
French cycle paths must be mentioned.
Last year, in the French segment of my odyssey, I cycled from St Malo to Mont St Michel then south to Spain.
In contrast to those in the UK, the French cycle paths were magnifique, well made, well drained, clearly signposted and a joy to ride on. Only once did this 72 year old find a goat track with 9inch bridges across deep rivers but I put that down to my cycle-oriented GPS’s insane optimism and failure to understand the word “touring” in its settings.
How wonderful to do this! It sounds fantastic.
This was a fun read 😃 The speedo thing always shocks the British when they visit us in France. And the dogs without leashes surprised me when we first moved over. I didn't know topless sunbathing was illegal - I presumed it was legal in most countries!
And here I thought Husqvarna only made sewing machines.
Please tell me there’s a ban on leaf-blowers.
So far, I've seen only battery-operated leaf blowers. Much quieter.
When my wife and I travelled to France a couple years ago I noticed the absence of those evil contraptions. They’re ubiquitous here in southern Cali and when I win the ‘28 presidential election they’re gone on Day 1.
Félicitations! C’est le blog le plus divertissant de ces dernières semaines. Merci beaucoup!
Sounds like they’re on to something. Except for the Speedos.
Where we live in western French-speaking Switzerland, no noise making on Sundays or holidays so no lawnmowers, no recycling glass, definitely no stores open. I’m not sure if you can run household machines on a building. It’s about creating quiet space in the week. It’s both annoying and welcome especially when I hear someone recycling on a Sunday and I can say « what the heck are they thinking? Ce n’est pas normal! ». MDR but my husband is very grateful that he can wear board shorts at the pool although he now has a small collection of the mini minis because of trips to France and this rule forgotten.
Very interesting Don. I, too, am from Philly living in France for the past year. I was unaware of these.
Haha not just topless but naturism as a whole is..we live near a naturist beach, it’s usually empty cause obviously not everyone is comfortable with it (actually most people aren’t)
Awesome piece!
Love it! We absolutely love France. Many strange little laws, but most are for the benefit of others, not just the individual.
However, requiring Speedo’s on men CANNOT be for the benefit of others….
How civilized. Love it.
Especially the dogs off leashes and lawnmower rule.
That was fascinating. I love the lunch time lawn mower ban.