"We're just reminding people of some common-sense rules related to hygiene and indecent exposure," said the mayor of Narbonne after the local bylaw outlining the €150 fines was published.
Narbonne, on the south coast, is the latest in a string of French towns to introduce summer dress codes, aimed at getting people to put some clothes on when they leave the beach.
READ ALSO: The rules on going topless in France
The summer-only bylaw in Narbonne - it runs until September 30th and only covers the central part of the town - bans both men and women from being topless, it is also forbidden to wear only swimwear in the town centre, and visitors are also expected to wear shoes (although sandals or flip flops are fine).
Failure to respect these rules can result in a €150 fine.
Swimwear and bare chests on the beach are fine, but multiple French towns have dress codes for the town centre and they all have the same purpose; to maintain a sense of decorum even when the weather is very hot.
Launching their 'topless fines' of €135 in 2024, the mayor of the west coast beach resort of Les Sables D'Olonne asked visitors to show "a little restraint".
"It's a question of respect for the Sablais, who don't want people walking around their homes half-naked. It's also a basic rule of public hygiene in our markets, shops and alleyways," he said.
And the locals in Narbonne seem to be in favour of the fines.
“I think it's normal - it's a matter of hygiene and respect for other people. So yes, I think this decision makes perfect sense. That said, €150 euros is still pretty expensive,” one told France Info.
“In the city centre, I can’t really imagine walking around with my family and seeing someone in a bikini or shirtless walking by. It’s a little awkward," added another passer-by.
Going topless - for men or women - is allowed on all French beaches. City parks set their own rules so vary according to the area, but most discourage people from going topless.
France has plenty of nudist beaches but in general people who want to strip off should head to the designated nudist beach, or the nudist section of the beach. If you are in a nudist area, it's considered polite to be naked - if you would rather stay covered up it's best to move to the non-nudist section.
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