‘A little decorum, please!’: Shirtless tourists face hefty fine in French holiday hotspot

A French seaside resort is cracking down on “half-naked” tourists who go shirtless in its town centre – with hefty fines for those who flash too much flesh.

Yannick Moreau, the mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne, called for “a little decorum, please!” in a Facebook post on 22 July.

Moreau wrote: “This is indecent behaviour that has a nasty tendency to escalate summer after summer.

“So it's time to make it clear: it is forbidden to walk around shirtless or in a swimsuit in Les Sables-d'Olonne.”

Topless tourists face fines up to €150 (£130) if they are caught without clothes away from the beach.

A poster promoting the ban says that being shirtless in Les Sables-d'Olonne – a place with “200 years of elegance” – is “forbidden”.

It also tells tourists “not to end up in your underwear in our alleys”.

According to Moreau, the ban is a mark of “respect” for the residents of Les Sables-d'Olonne.

He added that the new rule is one of “public hygiene in our markets, our shops, and our alleyways”.

The mayor has instructed municipal police officers in the area to enforce the rule.

Les Sables-d'Olonne, a seaside resort on the French Atlantic coast, is known for its surfing, sailing and long stretch of beach.

Moreau said: “To show off your pecs and your best swimsuit in Les Sables-d'Olonne, 11 km of beaches are at your disposal.

“Enjoy them, while respecting the rules and traditions of our seaside resort.”

It’s not the only tourist town encouraging travellers to cover up.

In February, Albufeira in Portugal proposed huge fines for holidaymakers if they walk through the city in only their swimwear.

The party city in the southern Algarve region, a popular beach destination amongst British tourists, could start dishing out fines up to €1,500 (£1,250) for those who wander the city’s streets in only a bikini or swimming trunks.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast