The French and Underpants of swimming

[rupert the dog]

Just returned from a (mostly) wonderful 6 weeks in Italy and France, mixed camping and hotels. I was thrown out of a swimming pool in a campsite in Languedoc because I was wearing swimming shorts rather than swimming trunks! My shorts were Speedo, bought for the holiday, but apparently not acceptable in les piscines Francaises. Now bear in mind I am a, er mature gentleman, who would probably look rather silly (if not scary) in mini trunks - why do they have this rule? On the same day, a boy of about 7-8 yrs was also hauled out of the pool and was crying his eyes out because he wasn't allowed to swim.

Anybody know why they have this rather arcane rule?

[Puggit]

They do it in interest of everything in each?

At least they didn't catch you playing the ball!

[rupert the dog]

Uh?

[Puggit]

In all seriousness, this is a law practised fairly widely across Europe. The reason is to prevent people wearing the shorts outside and then coming in with the same shorts.

[rupert the dog]

I repeat - Uh?

[dave stew]

Aha - the old 'slip de bains' routine. Been there too!

[VX Foxy]

Puggit said:

The reason is to prevent people wearing the shorts outside and then coming in with the same shorts.

So what if they do? I'm slightly more worried about the gallons of piss and snot deposited in the pool...

[carter711]

I've always thought it was to deter yobbish behavior? Yobs tend not to wear trucks. I could be wrong ( although it hasn't happened since 1987).

[prand]

Something to do with hygeine I have been told. I can't see any logic behind wearing skimpy trunks compared to the baggier and more modest swim shorts. Although i've not ever been pulled up for it when I've been in French campsites.

[Zad]

Here in the UK we have been infected with the whole USA puritan ethos where if you show anything above the knee then you are immediately accused of being a kiddyfiddler or (apparently worse still) a ghey. Heaven forbid that a male should actually show any sign that they have reproductive equipment.

Whatever size and shape you are, baggy shorts are horrible garments for swimming. I bet if you wore the regulation trunks in the pool along with everyone else, you'd forget about it within five minutes.

ETA: It is not unknown for people to swim in their underwear, which I think is what the poster was referring to, rather than baggy shorts.

Edited by Zad on Monday 10th September 22:21

[garos]

It is for hygiene, pretty much so that you cant jump in the pool wearing shorts that you may have worn all day.

[rhinochopig]

dave stew said:

Aha - the old 'slip de bains' routine. Been there too!

That's French for Pork and Beans right.

[anonymous-user]

In my old gym in Woolwich the lifeguards were constantly throwing out people who would turn up and just jump in wearing their boxers which is pretty rank so I guess its just to make that task easier

[Mark.]

garos said:

It is for hygiene, pretty much so that you cant jump in the pool wearing shorts that you may have worn all day.

Yet you can eat snails, horses and animals that have been force fed until their liver explodes.

Got to love them

[rupert the dog]

Sorry I don't agree with most of you. As far as hygiene is concerned, surely the looseness of shorts is better than skintight trunks? Anyway, obviously I'm biased, and thwere was no way the French were going to make me go and buy a pair of skimpy trunks, because - why? So I went to the beach instead, but frankly what a load of bks - the Italians didn't mind.

[hidetheelephants]

garos said:

It is for hygiene, pretty much so that you cant jump in the pool wearing shorts that you may have worn all day.

Hygiene is ensured by the pool being chlorinated. Do they make people de-louse before bathing? What a fatuous rule.

[thehawk]

I once went to a German spa, was told to get nude or get out.

Still at least they have some sensible rules, I can't abide going to a swimming pool and then the next thing you know the bloke next door has brought his tuba.

[Pints]

rupert the dog said:

Sorry I don't agree with most of you. As far as hygiene is concerned, surely the looseness of shorts is better than skintight trunks? Anyway, obviously I'm biased, and thwere was no way the French were going to make me go and buy a pair of skimpy trunks, because - why? So I went to the beach instead, but frankly what a load of bks - the Italians didn't mind.

You were happy to wear budgie smuggling Speedos but not to wear a pair of tight trunks?

[saleen836]

Heard about this on Chris Evans breakfast show a few weeks ago, some chap phoned in and said it was to stop people wearing shorts which can collect/hold sand if they have been on a beach wearing them, the sand then gets loose in the pool and clogs filters.

[bad company]

I had this & just carried on swimming. Not much they could do, I was wearing swimming shorts.