Speedos in France??

Speedos are required for males in any pool. Not an issue at the beach but public pools are very strict about this.

"Budgie smugglers"

Very nice. Can I use that?

It’s true with public pools. They sell teeny tiny little speedos in vending machines (and swim caps for women) at public pools in Paris.

I have only seen the Speedo requrement at public pools not at any/every pool. I have gone with my husband and son, who refuse to wear to Speedos, to many pools and beaches and beaches in France where board shorts were not a problem. They were not the only males not wearing Speedos and no one cared. In sum, no worries at the beach, yes wear Speedos at public pools, and it depends on the rules of the place for resort pools.

It appears that in Europe at pools it is still speedos or nothing.

You may also see this enforced at water parks and the campgrounds, as noted above. Buy in advance, as it will be cheaper and you'll be able to purchase square cut suits with more coverage and less "snuggling" .

For the not so well informed ( me, and possibly others) what is the rationale for requiring speedos.?

The rule isn't actually "must be speedos" (and certainly isn't "must be the banana hammock")

The rule is that you can't wear anything that has pockets, or can be worn on the street. This is to stop people carrying dirt/dust/tissues/anything else into the water. This includes boardshorts.

You can wear any kind of specialist swimwear - this is me at our local pool https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article3908562.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/Hollywood-Hunk--Daniel-Craig.jpg. You can even wear knee length swimming suits traithlete style (I swim with the the man who designs Huub swimwear, and he tests his stuff at the local pool)

Word of warning - if you wear triathlete style trunks you should be able to walk the walk. The French take their swimming seriously

"This is to stop people carrying dirt/dust/tissues/anything else into the water"

This is the rationale and IMHO, it makes sense. As for not following "stupid" rules, when in Rome do as...the Americans??
I will eat raw beef in France, not in the United States though.

“this is me at our local pool”

Simon, crazy handsome and brilliantly funny you are!

hey simon
"this is me at the local pool"

"SIZZLING" HOT TO TROT & HANDSOME!

Ha Ha love it
aloha

I'm twice the man he is. Literally :)

But I do wear trunks style swimmers (in whatever strech fabric is en mode) - much less revealling than speedos

Of course the actual risk to sanitation of a pool has nothing to do with 'dust' from the street but everything to do with how clean the body inside the suit is; dangerous pool contamination is Ecoli and his friends. No one is making sure that people take a soapy shower before entry. Men can usually wear any close fitting swim trunk not just speedos. There are boxer type trunks that are not baggy that usually work fine.

And huffing and puffing about 'not following stupid rules' while disparaging everyone else's country won't get you in the pool in board shorts. They really don't care how superior you and your culture are.

Just to lighten things up a little again. This conversation reminds me of this TV ad for NZ ice cream. A classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Lx2ihpGbc

PS. Togs = swimming trunks

Many years ago, when I was in college, to use the swimming pool we had to wear tank suits and a swimming cap. No exceptions. The staff said it limited the junk that went through the filter system, including hair, lint, spangles or whatever from unnauthorized bathing suits or the cutoffs people wanted to wear. I remember my mother being upset that we had to pay for a new suit, when I already had a perfectly good bathing suit.

I think requiring caps is not at all uncommon. Again, it helps keep hair out of the filtration system.

Thanks all for your responses. I guess I need to go speedo shopping! My boys and husband will not be happy about this.

I guess I need to go speedo shopping! My boys and husband will not be
happy about this.

Maybe they will be more happy if they pick out their own speedos? (I remember when my Mom tried to buy me stuff at a young age...it was a no-go :-)

Kiwi!!! Love this...I opened the link in the employee lunch room, and we are all giggling. Thanks for the break!

"Nothing" is indeed an option in Paris. Google for naked swims. Co-ed. Still need to cover the hair, though. This is called naturism in Europe, nothing to do with bird-watching. Males who are so body-conscious as to recoil from small bathing suits should stay in their own bathtub.

Swimming trunks/boxers (the ones that are short and close to the body) are also acceptable in public pools, and body-conscious folks will be happier with those : https://www.decathlon.fr/boxer-homme-basic-gris-id_8307432.html than with traditional speedos.

No, body conscious men will not be more comfortable in anything other than the baggy shorts style swimsuits they already use.

Anything that clings like plastic wrap as these types of swimwear do are not comfortable on anyone not shaped like an Olympic swimmer. Although many men do seem to get over any self consciousness eventually when surrounded by others wearing the same styles.

The thing is....

No-one is looking at you. No matter what you're wearing. I thought I would be self conscious at the pool - that lasted about 5 minutes. Contrary to popular belief not all french people are super-model thin, and at the pool fashion just isn't a thing - ost people I know go there to swin

A pair of these are comfortable and not too revelaing (and besides, a pool is likely to be quite cool)
https://www.decathlon.fr/boxer-homme-fit-adi-noir-jaune-id_8361330.html

The trunks Simon’s wearing in his photo he linked, and his latest link, aren’t bad looking and are a big improvement over Speedos. And Simon’s right, no one cares.
Equally unflattering are bathing caps on most women.

I know we always say no one is looking at you but that is just not true. If you are very tall as I am, people will look at you. I know it because of things that complete strangers have said to me over the years. If you are very overweight, make no mistake, people will look at you. I have a relative who is very overweight and if I detailed all the times that people all over the world have said things to her about how she looks or what she is wearing, you would be appalled. And, I know that I look at people all the time and draw conclusions based on what they are wearing and I don't think I am the only person in the world who does that. What we should say is that we should learn not to care what people think about our clothing choices and I doubt that will ever happen.