Overview
- On July 27 police in Les Sables-d’Olonne started issuing warnings and fines of up to €150 for off-beach shirtless or swimwear attire.
- Similar bylaws have been adopted by coastal councils in Nice, Palavas-les-Flots, Cassis, Arcachon, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and La Grande Motte.
- Mayor Yannick Moreau said the fine reflects respect for residents and basic public hygiene in markets, shops and streets.
- Poster campaigns and local signage in Les Sables-d’Olonne alert tourists to clothing restrictions and the risk of penalties.
- French courts continue to uphold designated naturist zones and have overturned past burkini bans, reinforcing the legal distinctions for public nudity.