Villeneuve-sur-Lot mayor bans hanging laundry on balconies

The Mayor of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Guillaume Lepers, has implemented a decree prohibiting residents in the city center from hanging laundry on window sills or balconies. The ban, which has been in effect since June, is justified by the mayor on the grounds of public security and tourism.

Lepers cited concerns that certain items of clothing could “affect public tranquility” and noted that the decision was inspired by a similar 2014 decree in Béziers. Local opposition has criticized the measure, arguing that it disproportionately affects low-income residents who may lack space in their homes or access to clothes dryers.