Latest news with #Moreau
Fox News
3 days ago
- Fox News
Beach town cracks down on half-naked tourists with hefty fines for inappropriate attire
Another vacation destination is calling out beachgoers over their swimsuits as hot spots continue to combat the disruptions of overtourism. The seaside resort of Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, has implemented a ban against tourists frolicking around town in their swimwear. Yannick Moreau, the town mayor, took to his Facebook page to remind locals and tourists that it "is forbidden to walk around topless or in a swimsuit." "It's a question of respect for locals who don't want people wandering around their town half-naked," Moreau wrote. "It's also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets," he added. "It is also an elementary rule of public hygiene in our markets, our businesses, our alleys." Municipal police officers are empowered to enforce the rule, with violators facing up to $175 in fines. The town's campaign is accompanied by the slogan "In Les Sables d'Olonne, respect doesn't go on holiday." Flyers displaying the rule remind tourists that their beaches stretch seven miles, allowing tourists to sport their suits there – but not in the town. Les Sables-d'Olonne sits on the Atlantic coast of western France. It's known for being one of the largest seaside spots in the European country. Over 100 million international visitors traveled to France in 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism. Earlier this month, the mayor of Chetaïbi, Alegeria, called for longer and looser shorts on men — issuing a decree banning them from walking around in Bermuda shorts. "These summer outfits disturb the population. They go against our society's moral values and sense of decency," Mayor Layachi Allaoua said, as Fox News Digital previously reported. "The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing," he added. Officials in the coastal city of Annaba then called on the mayor to rescind his order. After two days of controversy, the mayor reversed the order — saying he wanted to preserve "peace and tranquility" for both locals and tourists and that he was not influenced by Islamist pressure, according to AP.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
French resort town gives half-naked visitors a dressing-down
A French resort town has introduced fines for people found to be walking around topless or in their swimsuits anywhere other than on the beach. Authorities in Les Sables d'Olonne, located in the Vendée region on France's Atlantic coast, have announced fines of up to €150 ($265) for those walking around the town 'half-naked,' according to a Facebook post from mayor Yannick Moreau, published Tuesday. Railing against topless men, Moreau criticised the 'indecent behaviour.' 'It's a question of respect for locals who don't want people wandering around their town half naked,' he wrote. 'It's also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets,' added Moreau, who called on local police to ensure that the rule is enforced. 'If you want to show off your pecs and your best swimming shorts in Les Sables d'Olonne there are 11 kilometres of beach at your disposal.' Moreau's post was accompanied by an image of a poster announcing the fine, alongside the tagline 'In Les Sables d'Olonne, respect doesn't go on holiday.' The move appears to have been well received, with many Facebook users leaving positive comments under the mayor's post. 'Thank you mayor. I find this completely intolerable,' wrote Dominique Camio-Martial. Claire Gourlaouen added: 'My parents are shopkeepers, sometimes they ask people to get dressed.' However, some suggested there are more important things to worry about, such as dealing with crime. Les Sables d'Olonne is the latest in a string of French towns cracking down on what is seen as disrespectful behaviour. In Arcachon, another popular holiday spot on the west coast, authorities have also introduced a €150 fine for anyone walking around town in a state of undress. In the south of the country, the town of La Grande-Motte has also introduced a €150 fine for scanty dress in any part of the town other than the beach or its seafront promenade. It's not just France that is trying to improve visitors' behaviour. In 2023, authorities in the Spanish city of Malaga announced that anyone seen in the street or public spaces without clothes, or wearing only underwear, would face a fine of up to €750. And in September last year, the city hall posted billboards that aim to educate tourists on appropriate behaviour during their visit, including one that reminds them to wear clothes.
9 News
3 days ago
- 9 News
French resort town to fine people who walk around in swimwear
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A French resort town has introduced fines for people found to be walking around topless or in their swimsuits anywhere other than on the beach. Authorities in Les Sables d'Olonne, located in the Vendée region on France's Atlantic coast, have announced fines of up to €150 ($266) for those walking around the town "half-naked", according to a Facebook post from mayor Yannick Moreau. Railing against topless men, Moreau criticised the "indecent behaviour." Authorities in Les Sables d'Olonne have announced fines of up to €150 ($266) for those walking around the town "half-naked". (Getty) "It's a question of respect for locals who don't want people wandering around their town half naked," he wrote. "It's also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets," added Moreau, who called on local police to ensure that the rule is enforced. "If you want to show off your pecs and your best swimming shorts in Les Sables d'Olonne, there are 11 kilometres of beach at your disposal," he said. Les Sables d'Olonne is the latest in a string of French towns cracking down on what is seen as disrespectful behaviour. (Getty) Moreau's post was accompanied by an image of a poster announcing the fine, alongside the tagline "In Les Sables d'Olonne, respect doesn't go on holiday". The move appears to have been well received, with many Facebook users leaving positive comments under the mayor's post. "Thank you, mayor. I find this completely intolerable," wrote Dominique Camio-Martial. Claire Gourlaouen added: "My parents are shopkeepers, sometimes they ask people to get dressed." However, some suggested there are more important things to worry about, such as dealing with crime. Les Sables d'Olonne is the latest in a string of French towns cracking down on what is seen as disrespectful behaviour. In Arcachon, another popular holiday spot on the west coast, authorities have also introduced a €150 fine for anyone walking around town in a state of undress. In the south of the country, the town of La Grande-Motte has also introduced a €150 fine for scanty dress in any part of the town other than the beach or its seafront promenade. And it's not just France that is trying to improve visitors' behaviour. In 2023, authorities in the Spanish city of Malaga announced that anyone seen in the street or public spaces without clothes, or wearing only underwear, would face a fine of up to €750 ($1332). And in September last year, the city hall posted billboards that aim to educate tourists on appropriate behaviour during their visit, including one that reminds them to wear clothes. World France council Travel tourism Europe CONTACT US
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
French hotspot clutching their pearls over tourists wearing swimsuits to local beach shops
In the battle between flip-flops and formality, this French beach town has drawn its line in the sand. In the coastal town of Les Sables-d'Olonne, the sight of bikini babes and shirtless men wandering from the beach to the bakery may soon become a thing of the past. 3 Beach-goers will now be fined for walking around in their swimsuits. Universal Images Group via Getty Images The town, nestled along the Vendée coast on France's Atlantic side, has introduced a new measure aimed at banning 'half-naked' people wandering around town. Tourists caught walking through the streets in swimsuits or without shirts will now face fines of up to €150 ($175), according to a Facebook post by the town's mayor, Yannick Moreau. 'This is indecent behavior that has a vicious tendency to develop summer after summer,' he wrote. 'So it's time to remind clearly: it's forbidden to walk around naked or in a swimsuit at Sables d'Olonne. A little outfit, please!' The regulation has sparked both praise and debate in a country where tensions over public order are growing. 'It's a question of respect for locals who don't want people wandering around their town half-naked,' wrote Moreau. 'It's also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets.' 3 Tourists caught walking through the streets in swimsuits or without shirts will now face fines of up to €150 ($175), according to a Facebook post by the town's mayor, Yannick Moreau. Facebook/Yannick Moreau The fine was announced with a disapproving slogan: 'In Les Sables d'Olonne, respect doesn't go on holiday.' The campaign reminds visitors that there are 7 miles of sandy beach available for sunbathing and swimwear — but the town itself, Moreau insists, demands a basic level of decorum. The initiative has been broadly welcomed by locals. 'Thank you, Mayor. I find this completely intolerable,' one resident, Dominique Camio-Martial, commented on the mayor's post. Claire Gourlaouen shared similar sentiments: 'My parents are shopkeepers; sometimes they ask people to get dressed.' And Les Sables-d'Olonne isn't the only one implementing a dress code. Similar measures have been introduced in Arcachon and La Grande-Motte, where fines for beachwear beyond designated areas are now also €150. In Cassis, a town along the Mediterranean, local authorities say the crackdown is part of preserving 'the elegance of the town.' The slogan there is equally pointed: 'When going from the beach to the town, we get dressed again.' France is not the only country pushing back against what it sees as unruly or disrespectful tourism. Last year, in Malaga, Spain, authorities introduced a €750 ($870) fine for tourists walking around town in underwear or less, accompanied by a public awareness campaign urging visitors to behave appropriately in public. Back in Les Sables-d'Olonne, police have already begun patrolling to enforce the new dress code. Uniformed officers are reportedly stopping tourists, issuing fines, and handing out warnings to those who aren't fully clothed. 3 The campaign reminds visitors that there are 7 miles of sandy beach available for sunbathing and swimwear — but the town itself, Moreau insists, demands a basic level of decorum. philippe Devanne – While the campaign to rein in bare buns has received support, some residents have pointed out the glaring contrast between the state's swift action on shirtless tourists and its slow response to more pressing concerns like rising violent crime. Across France, towns are reporting increasing levels of gang-related violence, knife attacks, and drug trafficking, with some areas becoming no-go zones for police without reinforcements. Critics argue that the government's focus on clothing infractions, while hard crime worsens, reflects a broader issue of chaos. Still, for Mayor Moreau and his supporters, the swimwear ban is about maintaining public decency and the town's identity. 'We are not nudists,' he declared.
CNN
4 days ago
- CNN
French resort town cracks down on ‘half-naked' visitors
FacebookTweetLink A French resort town has introduced fines for people found to be walking around topless or in their swimsuits anywhere other than on the beach. Authorities in Les Sables d'Olonne, located in the Vendée region on France's Atlantic coast, have announced fines of up to 150 euros ($175) for those walking around the town 'half-naked,' according to a Facebook post from mayor Yannick Moreau, published Tuesday. Railing against topless men, Moreau criticized the 'indecent behavior.' 'It's a question of respect for locals who don't want people wandering around their town half naked,' he wrote. 'It's also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets,' added Moreau, who called on local police to ensure that the rule is enforced. 'If you want to show off your pecs and your best swimming shorts in Les Sables d'Olonne there are 11 kilometers of beach at your disposal,' he said. Moreau's post was accompanied by an image of a poster announcing the fine, alongside the tagline 'In Les Sables d'Olonne, respect doesn't go on holiday.' The move appears to have been well received, with many Facebook users leaving positive comments under the mayor's post. 'Thank you mayor. I find this completely intolerable,' wrote Dominique Camio-Martial. Claire Gourlaouen added: 'My parents are shopkeepers, sometimes they ask people to get dressed.' However, some suggested there are more important things to worry about, such as dealing with crime. Les Sables d'Olonne is the latest in a string of French towns cracking down on what is seen as disrespectful behavior. In Arcachon, another popular holiday spot on the west coast, authorities have also introduced a 150 euro fine for anyone walking around town in a state of undress. In the south of the country, the town of La Grande-Motte has also introduced a 150 euro fine for scanty dress in any part of the town other than the beach or its seafront promenade. And it's not just France that is trying to improve visitors' behavior. In 2023, authorities in the Spanish city of Malaga announced that anyone seen in the street or public spaces without clothes, or wearing only underwear, would face a fine of up to €750 ($874). And in September last year, the city hall posted billboards that aim to educate tourists on appropriate behavior during their visit, including one that reminds them to wear clothes.
