French Embassy warns tourists against open defecation

  • 15/03/2017

The French Embassy has warned tourists against open defecation, after a French freedom camper was videoed doing her business outside a Dunedin business.

"The French Embassy invites you to refer to the general information and travel advice for French citizens on the embassy website, and on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website," the embassy says.

Tourists, it says, are "expected to obey New Zealand laws and regulations, apply common sense and display good manners".

Open defecation is a widespread problem in developing countries, where it has significant public health effects.

The embassy would not be drawn on whether it is a common problem in France.

In the video, the woman can be seen pushing her deposit into the gutter. Are these the good manners the French Embassy was referring to?

After the woman finishes up, she can be seen getting back into a white Mazda van.

We approached a couple inside the van on Monday afternoon, playing them the offending defecation footage.

French citizen Florent Aouidad and his partner denies any knowledge of the incident.

"No I don't think so," he says.

Mr Aouidad goes on to explain they are travelling around the country but stayed in the Dunedin street overnight because their van was broken.

The pair then drove off.

Dunedin City Council says freedom camping in non-self-contained vehicles is prohibited in the city area, and offenders could be fined $200.

Police say they are looking into the matter.

Newshub.