Is the burkini banned in swimming pools?
There is no law banning the burkini in swimming pools in France. Each venue sets its own dress rule. Of the 415 French venues that have stated their rule in writing to HerWhere, 164 accept covering swimwear and 248 refuse it.
The short answer
No national text bans covering swimwear in pools. What exists is a patchwork: every pool, hotel and campsite writes its own rules, and they contradict each other from one town to the next.
That is measurable. Among French venues that answered us in writing, 164 accept and 248 refuse. Neither side is a majority large enough to call a rule.
Why the rule is almost never about religion
Read the regulations and you find they talk about fabric, not faith. The recurring sentence is that swimwear must be made of swimming fabric, close-fitting, and worn only in the pool. Bermuda shorts are banned by the same sentence.
That is why 35 French venues accept fitted covering swimwear while refusing a loose burkini: their rule is written about the cut, not about coverage.
What to do before you travel
Ask in writing, and keep the answer. That is exactly what HerWhere does, venue by venue, and every published verdict carries the exact sentence and its date.
See French venues · What the law says
This page summarises French law as it stands, to help you find your way. It is not legal advice: HerWhere is not a law firm. If you are refused entry and believe it is discriminatory, contact the Défenseur des droits.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a French law banning the burkini in pools?
No. No national text bans covering swimwear in swimming pools. Rules are set by each venue, and for municipal pools by the local authority.
Can a municipal pool refuse it?
A municipality can set hygiene and safety rules for its pools, including rules about the cut and fabric of swimwear. In its order of 21 June 2022 concerning Grenoble, the Conseil d'État held that a municipality could not amend its pool regulations to grant an exemption meeting a religious request, as this breached equal treatment of users of the public service.
And on the beach?
In its order of 26 August 2016 on Villeneuve-Loubet, the Conseil d'État suspended a municipal order banning covering swimwear on the beach, finding a serious and manifestly unlawful infringement of fundamental freedoms in the absence of any proven risk to public order.
How reliable is this?
Every verdict published by HerWhere rests on the venue's own written answer or its published regulations, with the exact sentence and the date. 415 French venues are documented this way.