Are people fined for public urination in France?

Reader question: Is it true, as I heard, that it is legal for men to relieve themselves in public in France, but not women? 

Paris has somewhat of a reputation for public urination, with tourists sometimes reporting strong odours particularly in metro stations – where gutters along platforms are often used for urination – as well as in some public squares and near to buildings.

It is not rare to see someone urinate on the side of a building, especially late at night.

This leads some people to think public urination is not an offence in France, especially for men who are more likely to be seen urinating in public. 

There are specific nationwide laws against public urination however. 

Article R634-2 of the penal code states that “the act of depositing, abandoning, throwing, or dumping, in a public or private place… garbage, waste, excrement, materials, unsanitary liquids, or any other object of any kind whatsoever, including by urinating on the public highway,” is punishable by a fine. 

Formerly a second (€35) or third (€68) class fine, since 2020 it has been a fourth-class offence (standard fine €135), with communes having the ability to increase this further through bylaws. In Bordeaux, fines can now reach €450 for public urination.

Law enforcement can issue this fine to anyone caught urinating in public, regardless of their gender. 

Note that a public place in this context includes any area such as a park, roadside, building, metro station, etc. 

Public urination in protected locations such as a historic monument, cemetery, or playground can come with heavier penalties. 

Legal and clean alternatives include asking in a café or restaurant (though they are not obliged to permit it, if you are not buying anything) or looking for a public loo. The website Toilettes publiques can help you find one.