The Raffarin Law - swimming pools in

France

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Travel Resources In December 2002 the French
Advertisers government passed the Raffarin
Login / Register Law. This regulates the safety of
Owner Advice 'inground' swimming pools.
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Testimonials The law was introduced to help
General reduce the number of deaths by
Help And FAQs drowning, particularly of under
About Us / Media fives.
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Add to Bookmarks The new regulations have been in
force since May 2004 and apply to
all privately owned buried or
partially buried swimming pools.

This includes those at private rental

properties.

We have summarised the requirements for you, but full details (in
French) can be found on afnor.fr. AFNOR is the French safety
standards body. Search for 'piscines' to bring up relevant standards
and articles.

The following points are intended as basic guidelines but are not a
definitive interpretation of French law regarding swimming pool
security measures:
What does the Raffarin Law mean for me?

If you have one of the following types of pools, you are not affected
by the law:

1. Indoor swimming pools

2. Ponds
3. Pools entirely above ground (usually accessed by a ladder)

However, all open air pools that do not fall into any of the above
categories will need to comply. Failure to do so could result in a
fine of €45,000.

Each safety measure (outlined below) has an NF number. This is

an official mark of conformity. When fitting equipment, you must
make sure it carries this mark. Your supplier or installer should be
able to advise you on this.

Check with your insurance company and letting agent as to which

type or make of security measure is acceptable under their terms.

As set out by AFNOR, pools covered by the Raffarin Law must be

protected by at least one of the following safety measures:

1. Safety barriers (NF P90-306)

o If a pool is collectively used, for example at a
holiday home, any barrier must be at least 1.10m in
height.
o Any access points, such as gates, must be self-
closing and self-locking. They must entail at least
two actions to be opened.
o Any barrier must be made of a specified pool
security fencing material.
o Natural barriers such as hedges and ditches do not
count.
2. Pool alarms (NF P90-307)
o There are two main types of alarm available:
immersion detectors and perimeter alarms.
o Immersion detectors register a fall into the pool and
an alarm must sound within 12 seconds.
o Perimeter alarms work by using infra-red beams,
which trigger an alarm when broken.
o Any alarm must be tested monthly.
o A responsible adult must be able to respond to the
alarm in under three minutes.
3. Pool covers (NF P90-308)
o If this is the sole safety measure, the cover must be
used whenever a pool is unattended.
o If you already have a cover which you use over
 winter (and did so before the law was passed), this
must also be AFNOR approved and replaced if
necessary.
o If the cover is only used in winter, one of the other
three measures must be employed during the summer
months.
4. Pool shelters (abris) (NF P90-309)
o This is a sturdier,
more permanent cover as
per the example on the
right.
o Shelters can either
be fixed position or fitted on
telescopic rails. They can
also be high or low
ceilinged.

o This is the most

expensive option, but will
help with heating and
cleaning costs as they keep
warmth in and debris out.

The safety measures outlined in the Raffarin Law should not replace
the vigilance of a responsible adult. Ensure your guests are aware of
this.
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France - sport -
Article published the Monday 16 August 2010 - Latest update : Monday 16
August 2010

France wins big in European Swimming Championships

Members of France's relay pose with their gold medals in the 4x100m medley
relay final

Reuters

By RFI

The French swimming team shone bright this week in Budapest during the 2010 European
Swimming Championships taking 21 medals: eight gold, seven silver and six bronze. The
result is France’s strongest ever performance in the European Championships.

France leaves the championships at the top of the table. Russia follows, with 12 medals
including eight gold. England made it into third place, with a strong perfomance of 18
medals in total, including seven gold.

For the French team, Camille Lacourt and Sébastien Rouault twice won gold in individual
events. Eighteen year-old Yannick Agnel, winning the 400-metres free-style, brought a breath
of fresh air into the already talented French team.

Alain Bernard defended his 100m title, making amends for a disappointing performance in
the 4x100 relay. Frederick Bousquet took the 50m sprint with a European record and
triumphed in the 4x100 medley.

Dubosc took bronze in the breaststroke, performing strongly despite being relatively old at
29. Jeremy Stravius, Benjamin Stasiulis and Fabien Gilot also took to the podium in
individual events.

In the women’s, however, the French team leaves the championships with a sense of
unfulfilled potential. They departed without a single gold medal. Ninteen year-old Ophélie-
Cyrielle Etienne, remains a bright hope for the future, taking three silver medals.

President Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday congratulated the French team for their "fabulous
performance". The entire team is invited to a lunch at the Elysée palace on 26 August.

tags: France - Sport - Swimming

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France - sport -
Article published the Monday 16 August 2010 - Latest update : Monday 16
August 2010

France wins big in European Swimming Championships

Members of France's relay pose with their gold medals in the 4x100m medley
relay final

Reuters

By RFI

The French swimming team shone bright this week in Budapest during the 2010 European
Swimming Championships taking 21 medals: eight gold, seven silver and six bronze. The
result is France’s strongest ever performance in the European Championships.

France leaves the championships at the top of the table. Russia follows, with 12 medals
including eight gold. England made it into third place, with a strong perfomance of 18
medals in total, including seven gold.

For the French team, Camille Lacourt and Sébastien Rouault twice won gold in individual
events. Eighteen year-old Yannick Agnel, winning the 400-metres free-style, brought a breath
of fresh air into the already talented French team.

Alain Bernard defended his 100m title, making amends for a disappointing performance in
the 4x100 relay. Frederick Bousquet took the 50m sprint with a European record and
triumphed in the 4x100 medley.
Dubosc took bronze in the breaststroke, performing strongly despite being relatively old at
29. Jeremy Stravius, Benjamin Stasiulis and Fabien Gilot also took to the podium in
individual events.

In the women’s, however, the French team leaves the championships with a sense of
unfulfilled potential. They departed without a single gold medal. Ninteen year-old Ophélie-
Cyrielle Etienne, remains a bright hope for the future, taking three silver medals.

President Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday congratulated the French team for their "fabulous
performance". The entire team is invited to a lunch at the Elysée palace on 26 August.

tags: France - Sport - Swimming

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