French Court Strikes Down Burqini Ban on Riviera Beaches
France’s highest administrative court has overturned a burqini ban imposed by a Riviera town, reigniting the national debate over secularism, religious freedom, and women's rights.
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A French administrative court in Marseille overturned a municipal ban on burqinis, swimsuits covering most of the body worn primarily by Muslim women, ruling it a “serious and unlawful violation of fundamental rights.” The decision followed an incident earlier this month in which police ordered an 18-year-old Muslim woman to leave a Riviera beach for wearing the garment.
The ban, issued in June 2024 by Mayor René-Francis Carpentier of a Riviera town, cited safety concerns, arguing that full-body swimsuits lack sufficient buoyancy under Archimedes’ principle, posing drowning risks. The court found no health or safety justification for the prohibition, nor evidence of a public order threat.
The confrontation that sparked the ruling occurred when municipal inspectors told the young woman her swimsuit was “not compliant,” according to her twin brother. The incident escalated into a heated dispute among beachgoers, with police reinforcements threatening a fine if the family did not leave. The woman has since withdrawn socially, deeply affected by the ordeal.
Human rights groups, including the League for Human Rights, criticized the ban as veiled religious discrimination. The ruling rekindles France’s ongoing debate over religious attire, following bans on hijabs in schools (2004) and burqas in public spaces (2011). While activists praised the decision, some local officials, like the mayor of Sisco in Corsica, expressed frustration, claiming such bans aim to maintain public order.