"Decency please!": Holiday resort fines tourists with bare upper bodies 150 euros

Les Sables-d'Olonne is a French seaside resort on the Atlantic Ocean that attracts many tourists from all over the world in the summer. They are welcome, but not topless.

Mayor Yannick Moreau has made it clear on social media that it is no longer permitted to walk around the city without a shirt or only in a swimsuit.

"This is indecent behavior that unfortunately tends to spread summer after summer. It's time to reiterate: It is forbidden to walk around bare-chested or in swimwear in Les Sables d'Olonne. A little decency, please!" he writes on Facebook.

It's a matter of respect for the residents of Les Sables d'Olonne, who don't want people walking through their town half-naked. It's also a basic rule of public hygiene in the markets, shops, and alleyways. He has asked the police to enforce this rule. "In Les Sables d'Olonne, you have eleven kilometers of beach at your disposal to show off your pecs and your best swimsuit." Anyone caught topless faces a fine of up to 150 euros.

The measure has met with mixed reactions. Many residents support the ban, while critics argue the city should focus on more important issues like crime.

With this law, France is pursuing an anti-tobacco strategy to reduce the high number of deaths caused by tobacco consumption. Minister Vautrin described tobacco consumption as a "collective scourge" and did not rule out further measures.

This applies to streets, squares, gardens, parks, public or publicly accessible areas, and their surroundings. The regulation applies throughout the municipality from midnight on April 19th to midnight on November 1st each year.