Bidets.

[SFB]

For the smelly arsed brigade to pick holes in.

"A bidet is a sit-down wash basin that's convenient and helps conserve water. Long considered to be a luxury item, bidets are becoming an increasingly common addition to the bath."
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatal...sp?category=15

You see that's another thing Brits don't consider, water conservation, so not content with just having smelly bums they also waste water. It's a national pastime.

http://www.knovelty.com/bidets.htm
Space age bidets, not for the 80s freaks among you!

Wiki tells the whole story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidet

"Using a bidet is generally more hygienic than toilet paper. However, most people usually use both, wiping with toilet paper before washing with the bidet."
"Bidets are common bathroom fixtures in some European countries (especially Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal), some Latin American countries (especially Argentina and Uruguay; there they are found in approximately 90% of households),"

Until along come the Brits and rip them out.

[Le Chant]

I'm definitely ripping ours out. Occupancy in our gites is 99% Brits. There's some Dutch, and French in the mix. NONE of those who've hired the gites have used the bidet. I'm not going to be the one to 'educate' them in the use thereof, SFB.
For us, they're a waste of space, plumbing and cleaning time (they are still cleaned even though they're unused). I can find better things to waste my time on.
For you however, they may well be the DB's, but that doesn't mean we all have to think so.
Each to their own.

[sixaparrat]

...For you however, they may well be the DB's, ...

Surely it should be "Les ballons du chien"

[Le Chant]

Call 'em what you want Chris, they're still bollocks in any language!

[SFB]

How do you know people don't use them Stu, is it on your gite questionaire?

Just because they're dry when you get round to cleaning them doesn't mean that they haven't been used, or does it?

I'd bet a few Euros that you're hazarding a guess at this question and don't realise that most Europeans (Brits excluded) expect a bidet to be installed in their accomodation? This isn't my personal thing, it's the norm!

[Le Chant]

We have asked so many of them SFB. It's not on a questionnaire, just asking people whether they use them or not. The vast majority don't, so they're useless to us. Just get in the way...

[Le Chant]

Oh, and the local hotel that we eat in, and where my daughter works is run by Parisiens, and they don't have bidets in their en-suites either. Nor do any of our friends who run similar estabishments, so I guess it's not as common as you think it is up here? Maybe it's just that it's gravitating further south?

[A_B]

I've never seen one this side of France either. We stayed in a villa in Montpellier that had one - she was a designer though and the whole villa looked like it'd been designed in the 80's.

[SFB]

We have asked so many of them SFB. It's not on a questionnaire, just asking people whether they use them or not. The vast majority don't, so they're useless to us. Just get in the way...

Do you honestly think that the 'vast majority' or anyone else would admit to their toilet habits to you if asked?
Do the correct thing and re-install them, just because you're a smelly arsed Brit doesn't mean you shouldn't give other people the option, does it?

As far as A_B's 80s and the beginning of life is concerned, I'm not really interested.

[A_B]

I'd be willing to say whether I used one or not - I probably wouldn't go into details on how I squat and stuff, but I think most people would be honest. It's not as if a bidet is something perverted or embarrassing.

I just think the 'trend' for them went out long ago (in the 80's sometime ). You found the 'wannabe snobs' getting them installed, but never using them - they're just hassle.

SFB - you say you'd wash pooh off your hand, so that's what you do with your bum - but if you got urine on your hand, would you wash it off?

I don't see many men being bothered about that when they go to the toilet - so it's the same with all toilet 'products'.