Whether you're travelling for business or pleasure, or simply don't have access to your own sanitary facilities, here are a few tips to help you find toilets and showers wherever you are!

Public toilets: for holidaymakers and locals alike

Public toilets are an important factor in a tourist's experience of a city. In fact, they make a city more welcoming to foreigners, who find quick access to a service essential to every human being: hence the growing number of projects to install public toilets in cities. These play a major role in the image of a place, even if this type of infrastructure is not usually the first thing on tourists' minds when planning their trip.

The absence of public sanitary facilities is not only an obstacle to tourism, but also to the well-being and hygiene of the local population. Parents and their young children, the homeless, people with disabilities or incontinence problems are all categories of people who frequently need public toilets, sometimes unpredictably. For these people, the presence of public toilets is a real social health issue: hence the importance of providing, if not free, at least inexpensive access to clean sanitary facilities. It's no wonder, then, that Iceland ranks among the countries with one of the best qualities of life in the world; it's the country with the most public toilets per inhabitant, a testament to its particular attention to hygiene and health.

BubblesMapper, the easy way to find toilets around you

An application such as BubblesMapper can be a real asset for both visitors and residents of a city: it allows you to visualize the public toilets available in the vicinity, and to move around the city with greater peace of mind for all concerned.

A few tips for finding sanitary facilities

Some places offer toilets freely, others to their users. Find out how to access free or low-cost toilets and showers, in the city or out in nature!

Going to public facilities

Some facilities will let you use their facilities for a small fee. Les piscines publiques disposent de douches et de toilettes que vous pouvez utiliser : soit en payant l’entrée à la piscine, cas dans lequel vous pourrez profiter de toutes les infrastructures, soit en payant un tarif réduit pour avoir accès aux sanitaires uniquement. <br> <br>

Des infrastructures publiques culturelles telles que les bibliothèques ou les musées disposent souvent de toilettes : renseignez-vous ! Il est possible pour certaines d’y accéder à partir du hall d’entrée, sans avoir besoin de payer l’entrée.

En ville ou en périphérie : rendez-vous en magasin

Les centres commerciaux et certaines grandes surfaces mettent à disposition des toilettes pour leurs usagers ; pas besoin de d’acheter quoique ce soit pour y avoir accès ! En revanche, attention, dans certains pays, ces sanitaires peuvent être accessible moyennant un paiement de quelques dizaines de centimes.

Sur la route : les stations-services

Il en va de même pour les stations-services, qui proposent généralement des sanitaires à leurs usagers. En fonction de la taille de la station, elles peuvent avoir de simples toilettes, mais aussi des douches et tables à langer

Campsites, hostels, hotels

Youth hostels and campsites may also be willing to lend out their sanitary facilities: these are places used to visitors, and it's often the case that, in exchange for a relatively small financial contribution, you can have access to their shared toilets and showers.

Some hotels have toilets in the lobby. You may well be able to get there without too much trouble, especially if there's a lot of foot traffic!

Take advantage of gyms

If you're a member of a gym chain and one of them happens to be on your way, take advantage of it and use their showers and toilets, even if you haven't exercised there yet! If you're not a member, you may still be able to get by by asking at reception.

Invest in sanitary facilities

Are you a frequent road-tripper? It may be worth investing in portable sanitation systems, often used on remote campsites or in the wilderness.

Opt for an interactive solution : BubblesMapper

BubblesMapper is an ideal, fast solution for finding the nearest available sanitary facilities. Working in partnership with local shops and businesses, the app allows you to ensure your stress-free well-being, whether you're in town for an hour, a day, or live there! Locate the PMR toilets, water fountains, toilets and changing tables closest to you, so you can make the most of your day!