As far as I can tell, in France it is totally acceptable to pee anywhere you’d like, as long as you are wearing cycling kit and riding a bicycle.
Here in San Diego, we’re always looking for a public restroom of some sort, maybe a gas station or a roadside cafe. One time in France, we all stopped when one rider got a flat. We happened to stop near a couple of Gendarmes. We all peed (including the women) in various places. The Gendarmes had no comment.
Vive le France!
2010 Leadville Trail 100
2010 Julian Death March
I Do Not Ride Alone
My Secret Leadville Plan
Previewing the Leadville 100 MTB Course
2010 Triple Bypass
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
hehe
great photo
In a tiny French village, at the start of a cyclosportive a few weeks ago, everyone was busy peeing before the (early) start.
My buddy peed in the corner of a building beside the start (just like a 100 other guys) and suddenly a gendarme came around the corner, grabbed his arm and started yelling.
We were peeing on the local police station!
As the hundreds of riders at the start started laughing and joking …. the gendarme got angrier and angrier: “do not urinate on my office” …. fair enough.
“Relief on a French Roadside” by U.P. Freely
@will: Great story. I can just imagine the look on the gendarmes face