Life’s great mysteries

[rabbit]

Why do public toilets in France not have seats?
A marina I use has great, showers and clean toilets but never any loo seats. People have told me variously - a) they get stolen (hard to believe) b) hygiene ( I don’t see how it can be more hygienic)

[basquesteve]

Its only in the last 20 years they have modern toilets before it was just crouch and watch out for your feet

[Spardo]

Its only in the last 20 years they have modern toilets before it was just crouch and watch out for your feet

The most healthy option in my opinion, providing they are kept clean of course. Good for the knees too, as long as you don't leave it too long before allowing it to become a habit.

Surely cold porcelain is likely to habour less germs than wood or plastic? As a driver over many decades I only ever use the porcelain anyway, even at home, and would not object to a la Turque either.

There was a resto for drivers in Concorezzo, Milan, next to the Dogana clearing place and a la Turques were combined with showers. Sounds grim but were scrupulously clean, you did your business over the hole, flushed it, then dropped a wooden duckboard which fitted nicely into the square of porcelain, and had your shower. No need for toilet paper.

[Sparkle]

In our Leclerc supermarket there is/was (not sure if it's still there as I wont go unless absolutely desperate) a dispenser so that if you needed to sit (I had to watch my spelling there ) had disposable plastic seat covers that you could drape over the seat and then push into the loo when finished - warmer than sitting on cold porcelain unless following in a person that's just come out!

[Hotrodder]

I noticed that kind of thing in 1960s California. Made of paper. We called them "ass gaskets".

[Bayleaf]

[Blaze]

We've always been surprised at the rarity of public loos in France and when pressed have gone into a café. I remember the public loo near the Mairie in Saumur was horrible, a tin pot with no seat where years ago there was a 'normal' porcelain one. Equally, on the outskirts of Saumur, when Intermarché revamped itself years ago, the loos were still pretty disgusting, not cleaned out regularly ... Perhaps they've cleaned up their act since Covid
In Saint Malo, the 2 council-run ones on the sea front (Sillon) are immaculate but there's someone on site to keep them so.
Like Sparkle, I've come across a supermarket that supplied paper/plastic seat covers but it was a while ago and I can't remember where. You can always put loo paper round the rim

I think the reason for removing lids is just as likely to be the constant need for repair : if large people sit down heavily, there can be consequences .....

[Sparkle]

You can always put loo paper round the rim

I think the reason for removing lids is just as likely to be the constant need for repair : if large people sit down heavily, there can be consequences .....

yep, I've used the loo paper option a couple of times. The loos at Hyper U Mayenne are cleaned regularly and have been revamped recently but they did and still do stink awful and what's worse they're situated beside the coffee shop/restaurant

[Blaze]

The ones in the Carrefour shopping centre in Saint Malo are very modern and all hands off basins. It takes a while to suss out where the soap, water and air come from - you have to wave your hands around hoping you hit the right spot. But all too often loos are out of order, basins are taped off, but they are at least clean

[Doug]

Today for the first time in years I used the wc in a rush, in the large l,clerc complex in Bergerac.
Super clean, seats clean as well plenty of paper, and a clean toilet brush.
In passing before noticed the cleaning ladies often doing their work.