In the bright August sunshine, who hasn't dreamt of a refreshing dip in the private pool in their garden, so blue it would make the sky itself pale with envy? In France, this dream has become a reality for more and more people. Beyond the simple pleasure of splashing around, it would seem that the French craze for private pools hides a growing and very serious aptitude: swimming.
Between 2010 and 2016, an astonishing phenomenon has taken hold: we French have become real fish in the water. The figures speak for themselves, and we're going to see how this aquatic ease has infiltrated our culture, but has also prompted a growing number of French people to equip their homes with a swimming pool. We swim better and we like to swim at home more and more.
The French float better!
The French have taken the idea of taking to the water seriously. According to the 2010 and 2016 health barometers, we are witnessing a real boom in swimming skills among our compatriots. More precise figures? In 2010, around 81.3% of French people knew how to swim, a percentage that rose to 83.7% in 2016. A modest increase on the face of it, but one that conceals huge disparities between age groups and regions.
While young people aged 15 to 24 have an impressive rate of 94.8% of swimmers, older people are not to be outdone. Between 2010 and 2016, in the 65 to 75 age group, the rate rose from 56.8% to 64.7%. A fine performance that proves that even our elders are ready to put their heads under the water!
The disparities between men and women still exist, but are slowly narrowing. Men continue to lead the pack with 89.2% of swimmers compared to 78.3% for women in 2016.
How can this general increase in buoyancy be explained? Learning to swim programmes, which have been part of the education system since the 1960s, are proving effective. And that's not all. The growing appetite for private swimming pools is a direct consequence and, dare I say it, an additional driving force. After all, what better way to perfect your breaststroke or butterfly than to dive into your own backyard pool?
A tide of private pools
If the figures for swimming in France have made you raise an eyebrow, those for private swimming pools are also growing fast. Here's another area where we excel: the installation of these pools at home.
The number of private swimming pools has grown so remarkably that you could almost call it a new French tradition. Some would say it's a direct result of our improved swimming skills. The better we swim, the more often we want to swim - and why not in the comfort and privacy of our own garden?
One swimming pool manufacturer told me that his best sales came just after the big swimming competitions on TV. "There's nothing like a good 4×100 metre relay to make people dream of their own water line". Let's wait and see what effect the Paris Olympics have!
Like a nice car, it's a sign of success. Like a basketball hoop in the garden, it's a leisure activity. But a swimming pool is also about safety and practice: parents see it as an ideal way of introducing children to swimming from an early age, in a controlled and safe environment.
The swimming pool is a family project, an investment in health and well-being, and a commitment to regular physical activity.
The swimming pool, a social mirror
The swimming pool is also a mirror reflecting the social and cultural nuances of our gentle France. Not all regions equip themselves with swimming pools with the same enthusiasm. The disparities between our regions speak volumes about our relationship with swimming and the luxury of a private pool.
Take the South, for example, with its hot summers and balmy evenings. Swimming pools are almost standard, especially in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. There, pools sparkle in the sunshine almost all year round. And what better place to perfect your crawl or simply float on an inflatable mattress while sipping a cool drink?
Let's move a little further north, where the climate is more capricious. The Hauts-de-France region doesn't share the same aquatic frenzy. Private swimming pools are less common, and when they do exist, they seem to be crying "resistance" to the often grey skies. It's not that people in the North can't swim, but rather that the climate doesn't always lend itself to the pleasures of swimming.
This geography of swimming pools shows us the extent to which economic, climatic and even educational factors shape our lifestyle choices.
The rising tide of private swimming pools in France reflects a society that values health, well-being and personal pleasure.
Swimming pools have become havens of peace in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, bubbles of fresh air in our overloaded diaries. They're a luxury, yes, but one that's increasingly accessible and, above all, increasingly desirable.
More than just a leisure activity, owning a swimming pool at home is also a way of affirming a certain mastery of the French art of living, where the practical is combined with the pleasurable: teaching our children to swim while enjoying the pleasures of the water. It's a choice that says a lot about our aspirations, our values and even our cultural identity.
So, to all those who are thinking of joining this very exclusive club of private pool owners, remember: every swim is a small victory against routine, a little luxury that makes life a little lighter, a little more beautiful!
This trend is spreading beyond our borders private swimming pools in Luxembourg are also popular!
