Overview

• Uniformed officers began patrolling town centers on July 27 to stop visitors wearing swimsuits or going bare-chested off the beach.
• Authorities have issued a small number of warnings and €150 fines to enforce the prohibition outside designated seaside areas.
• Mayor Yannick Moreau described the regulation as necessary to uphold respect, basic hygiene in shops and markets, and preserve local character.
• In the absence of national dress code laws, coastal towns from Arcachon to Saint-Tropez have adopted similar ordinances and signage.
• Local residents have praised the crackdown on underdressed tourism as a way to restore decorum and protect community standards.