I have a client who is thinking about renting their second home out next year. They have a salt pool and I believe that if you rent out the property with pool it becomes a public pool.
In 2009 there was a document (can not remember where it is) saying that salt pool were not adequate for public pools.
Does anyone know if this is still the case or can point me in the right direction for an official document… I’ve tried searching but without success.
Thanks in advance.
Yes Terry. It is still the case, that said many of France’s largest suppliers Desjoyeux, Magiline etc flout the rule building pools for Gite complexes. There is a rare chance someone official might visit, mainly if someone got ill and the pool was a possible cause that they could get into trouble. There are systems that use a brine solition to make the chlorine on site and that is directly dosed into the pool so not actually a salt water pool. Most often people get seduced by marketing BS into believing a salt pool is some how wonderful and magical and all the problem of nasty chlorine disapear (they dont) as they are still chlorine pools but it brings in the convenience of only needing to purchase acid to control the pH, yes its a nasty chemical the marketing dept tell you a salt system doesnt have. Dumping in a couple of bags of salt each season is pretty easy compared to lugging home 20ltr bidons of eau de javel. Let them know the salt cell wears out after about 5-7 years and they are quite expensive to replace so usually the costs for running a salt pool are about the same as direct chlorine dosing.
The biggest difference they can make to their pool is the filter media, fitting Dryden Aqua’s AFM ng is revolutionary compared to sand, dont purchase a knock off looky like glass media, they are not the same as AFM ng.
Any more questions, happy to answer.
Contact your local ARS department who have all the documentation that you need.
Yes, technically the pool should be ‘public’ and chlorine. But this needs managing. Each month the pool needs to be tested for e-coli, users cannot swim in shorts or skirts and there are probably restrictions on diving depending on pool size.
The salt element is not a showstopper - just add a dosing pump and feed it with javel. Again, size comes into play coupled to the size of salt generator. The reason ARS insist on chlorine is that a generator cannot convert the salt into chlorine quick enough for heavy useage troughs. What size is your pool and the salt generator?
Must have a footbath and shower also.
Thanks everyone for the fast reply.
The pool already have a ph feeder, and the system has been running well for a couple of years. The pool is only 70m3 and the property only has space for a single family at a time.
If they need a dosing pump for javel/liquid chlorine, then doesn’t that effectively replace the salt system etc ?
As for a footbath., I doubt they will like that… shower maybe possible.
Yes it does, its a simple chemical injection point so they maybe able to fit to the existing plumbing without major re plumbing and the salt cell should have been installed on a servicing loop so could be valved off for now.
As its only one family at a time I bet you could forgo the dosing system as its very unlikely to cause a problem. The rules subject to anyones interpretation do say more than one family. I have lost count of how many salt systems were fitted to pools rented.
Putting aside the pool issue for a minute, any rental has to be registered with the authorities and the income declared in France.
Do you have to close down the salt generator if there is a doser in operation?
I rely on the salt generator always on with a dosing point as a back up for when it gets really hot and/or there is heavy pool usage.
I agree with what you say, if the generator is good and sized correctly - preferably over sized - and the pump is on for ten hours or more, then the chlorine level should remain pretty good and overcome most dips.
My pooll is 100M3 with a generator that makes 25g/l Chlor per hr. With the pump on for ten hours, a theoretical 2.5ppm (?) day on day that gives be an actual ppm of around 3.5 - 4 when I test. When I anticipate more chlorine is needed, I switch on the doser that is set to 6ppm. I always reckoned that the salt generator is a ‘dumb’ machine that just pumps out what it is told to providing it has the necessary salt and will not worry if there is extra chlorine in the water as well… On the times when I have forgotten to switch on the doser, like you say, never had a problem. (My generator is coming up to six years old, so I think next year I will change for a 50g/l model… yes, uses more salt, but will ensure a good job 
)
Back to the footbath - I cannot remember reading the detail, but do they ask for anything complicated? Would a large plastic bowl set in the ground (does it need to be set in the ground even…?) with a dettol solution might suffice, no? I do not remember anything about a shower, but if needed, not a difficult installation.
No you dont have to close the salt cell.
As to dumb equipment, some come with redox probes or later ones with amperometric probes to adjust output as required.
When you need to replace your salt system, you could look to a advaced oxidation process unit using low salt and hydroxyl radicals, thats the route I am going next. Although a 50g unit will produce potentially a lot more chlorine the salt is converted not used up so will turn back into salt for re conversion again.
I have all the details of whats needed to comply but finding my file after stopping building pools and whilst decorating the house could take time.
Would be very interested in your file when you get some spare time. 
@Terry_Keep sorry Terry, all the information has moved amd been revised around 2021 by the look of it. I have looked through lots of pages but busy getting ready to travel. Suggest Anses who seem to be a new agency formed from Sante who looked after things before. Or look through articles on Legifrance.gouv.fr
If said gite pool becomes a public pool does it mean budgie smugglers only? 
Please dont introduce another bit of leglislation for poor gite owners.
As said above, with it being a public pool, it needs monthly checks for e-coli, so the answer is yes!
As e-coli is so easily killed by chlorine in a pool it makes me wonder why, far more likely in to find e-coli in the showers.
Yes we don’t want legs leglislated against. 