What’s interesting is that our regional capital - Rennes - took the same step (allowing both men and women to wear any design of swimwear in public pools) 3 years ago without any controversy - so yes, it’s just the extreme right playing culture-war politics in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
I see Tory Baroness Warsi has just made a speech condemning the ‘culture war’ tactics of the UK govenment:
“I’m increasingly of the view that culture wars are sapping our energies and stopping us from solving the real issues of the day. A divided country may help win elections, but it doesn’t win a nation.”