Breastfeeding in public is legal in France: no text forbids it, and the French Ministry of Justice made clear in 2018 that breastfeeding a child is not indecent exposure. On the other hand, no text expressly protects it either, as the government acknowledged twice before the French Senate, in 2021 and 2023. This article brings together the official answers, the bill filed at the end of 2024 and practical pointers for responding to a remark.
Breastfeeding in public: what French law says today
In the absence of a dedicated law, three official sources frame the question.
No ban, but no specific protection
Questioned by Senator Yves Détraigne, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health replied on 14 October 2021 that no specific regulation governs breastfeeding in public spaces. It added that a physical or verbal attack on a breastfeeding woman can lead to criminal and civil penalties for the person responsible. A second question, published on 17 November 2022, summed up the situation: “no law prohibits breastfeeding in public spaces in France, and no official text protects it either”. The answer of 9 February 2023 announced no new text.
It is not indecent exposure
Article 222-32 of the French Criminal Code (Code pénal) punishes “exhibition sexuelle”, the French equivalent of indecent exposure. In an answer published on 4 September 2018 to a question from MP Paul Molac, the Ministry of Justice pointed out that this offence requires intent. It expressly cites the case of a woman who bares her breast “on a beach or to breastfeed a child” as an example of a situation that falls outside the scope of the offence. This answer followed a ruling by the Cour de cassation (France’s highest court) of 10 January 2018, which did not concern breastfeeding.
Employment law protects you, but only at work
The only text that organises breastfeeding outside the home is the French Labour Code (Code du travail), with a daily breastfeeding hour for one year. We cover it in detail in our article on breastfeeding at work. Nothing equivalent exists for a restaurant, a museum or a park.
Can a shopkeeper ask you to stop breastfeeding?
They cannot rely on any law to do so. A business sets its own house rules, but no provision gives it the right to ban a legal act on the grounds that it might bother someone. A remark therefore has no legal basis; an insult or physical coercion, however, can be prosecuted, as the ministry indicated in 2021. This article offers general pointers and does not replace legal advice on a specific situation.
Repeated incidents, documented by parliamentarians
The question put to the Senate in 2022 mentioned incidents in a theme park, a national museum and a restaurant, as well as a petition by the Coordination française pour l’allaitement maternel (a French breastfeeding association). The explanatory memorandum of bill no. 677, filed in the Assemblée nationale (the French National Assembly) on 3 December 2024, lists others reported in the press: Disneyland Paris in 2021, a service area on the A20 motorway in 2022, the Louvre in 2022, a library in Nice in 2022, Lille zoo in 2023 and a swimming pool in Toulon in 2024.
These cases say nothing about how often it really happens, as no public statistics measure it. They do show, however, that the remark usually comes from a member of staff or another customer, and rarely from a written rule.
A bill to enshrine the right to breastfeed in public
Bill no. 677, tabled by MP Anne-Laure Blin and 27 co-signatories, proposes adding the following sentence to Article 222-32 of the Code pénal: “Breastfeeding a child in a public place does not constitute the offence set out in the first paragraph.” It also creates a fine of €1,500 for banning or attempting to ban breastfeeding in a public place. Other articles cover information for pregnant women, training for doctors and longer maternity leave for women who breastfeed.
The text was referred to the social affairs committee. To our knowledge, it had not been passed as of 29 October 2026. Similar bills had already been filed during the previous parliament without success. Until a text is voted through, the situation remains as described above: legal, but with no written protection.
Why the issue weighs on how long women breastfeed
According to the 2021 Enquête nationale périnatale (France’s national perinatal survey), cited in the bill, 74.2% of women breastfeed in the maternity unit, but only 34.4% are still exclusively breastfeeding at two months. The reasons are many, and the way others look at you is one of them: a woman who dreads having to hide goes out less, or switches to the bottle for outings. The French figures and WHO recommendations are covered in our article on breastfeeding in France and the official data.
The 2023 ministerial answer recognises what is at stake: the Haut Conseil de la santé publique (France’s High Council for Public Health) recommends breastfeeding-friendly environments in public places, and the Programme national nutrition santé (the national nutrition and health programme) plans a sticker for venues that welcome breastfeeding. No rollout date was given.
How to respond to a remark when you breastfeed in public
The pointers below come from organisation and common sense, not from an official text.
- Stay factual. One sentence is enough: “No law forbids breastfeeding here.” There is nothing to justify.
- Say no to the toilets. Suggesting you breastfeed in the toilets amounts to suggesting a child eats there. A quiet corner of the room, if you would like one, is another matter.
- Ask for the manager if the remark comes from a member of staff, and remind them that no written house rule can ban a legal act.
- Write down the facts if there is an insult or coercion: place, time, witnesses. Filing a complaint or a report remains possible, as the ministry pointed out in 2021.
- Don’t force yourself. Some women prefer a muslin over the shoulder or breastfeeding clothes, others don’t. Both choices are legitimate; neither is compulsory.
Getting organised to breastfeed out and about with peace of mind
Most outings go by without incident. A few habits make the rest easier.
- Choose your seating rather than the place: a backrest, an armrest or a bench with support eases tension in your back. Away from home, a rolled-up bag can stand in for a nursing pillow.
- At a restaurant, mentioning on arrival that a baby is part of the table avoids most misunderstandings. Our pointers for going to a restaurant with a baby cover timing and choosing the venue.
- On public transport, babywearing lets you breastfeed without stopping; a seat by the window is easier than one on the aisle.
- Museums, libraries and department stores often have a baby area signposted at reception. Our article on visiting a museum with a baby tells you what to ask for when you arrive.
- In the first few weeks, short outings between two feeds are the easiest; you will find pointers in going out with a newborn.
Finally, whether to breastfeed, and for how long, remains a personal choice. Our article on breastfeeding, its benefits and challenges lists reliable sources of support.
Key takeaways
- Breastfeeding in public is legal everywhere in France; no law forbids it and it is not indecent exposure.
- No text expressly protects it: the government acknowledged this in 2021 and in 2023.
- A bill from December 2024 aims to enshrine it in the Code pénal and penalise those who ban it; it has not been passed.
- Faced with a remark: stay factual, say no to the toilets, ask for the manager, write down the facts if there is an insult.
Sources
- Sénat, written question no. 23789 by Yves Détraigne, “Droit à l’allaitement dans la sphère publique”, published on 15 July 2021; answer from the Ministry of Solidarity and Health published on 14 October 2021.
- Sénat, written question no. 03785 by Yves Détraigne, “Allaiter dans la sphère publique”, published on 17 November 2022; answer from the Ministry of Health and Prevention published on 9 February 2023.
- Assemblée nationale, written question no. 9763 by Paul Molac, “Définition de l’exhibition sexuelle”, published on 26 June 2018; answer from the Ministry of Justice published on 4 September 2018.
- Assemblée nationale, bill no. 677 “visant à protéger et à sensibiliser à la pratique de l’allaitement maternel”, registered on 3 December 2024 (17th parliament).
- Code pénal, Article 222-32; Code du travail, Articles L1225-30 et seq.
