An Australian influencer has revealed how a family trip to a local pool in France ended in disappointment after her husband and son were denied entry for wearing board shorts.
Lifestyle influencer Lauren Lakin said she and her family had planned to cool off at a pool near their Airbnb, only to discover male swimmers must wear tight-fitting swimwear rather than loose board shorts.
“No swim shorts allowed,” her husband Kit said in a video documenting the experience.
“You have to wear Euro shorts or Speedos. Or they must be boxer briefs, they must be skin-tight and hugging the genitalia.
“I don’t know about being too conservative, but that’s the rule.
“So just be warned. Maybe pack some of those.”
Ms Lakin said the venue sold approved swimwear through a vending machine, but her son Houston was still turned away in his board shorts.
The video then showed the family’s children trailing behind and fanning themselves in the heat after missing out on a swim.
“The girls you could wear whatever, but the boys had to wear the Speedo-type swimmers,” she said.
The response online was largely unsympathetic, with many commenters quick to defend the policy, arguing it exists for hygiene reasons.
One commenter said the rule helps ensure swimmers are wearing dedicated swimwear rather than everyday shorts worn outside.
“Proper pool hygiene,” another wrote.
“An incredible amount of boys and men wear their normal underwear under those shorts or use them as streetwear.”
Another commenter added, “Your husband isn’t wearing a swimsuit. Those are walking shorts.”
Others suggested the solution was simple.
“So, buy two pairs from the vending machine and have a nice time with the family rather than complain and make this video,” one person wrote.