‘Mayors do not have the right to ban burkinis’

But it is likely to set a precedent for other towns that have banned the swimwear on their beaches.

But the ruling, which only applied to the ban imposed by Villeneuve-Loubet, was quickly dismissed by several other towns, including Nice, which vowed to keep the restrictions in place and continue imposing fines on women who wear the full-body swimsuit.

But the town’s mayor, Lionnel Luca, denounced the ruling.

The restriction on swimwear came in the wake of a series of Islamic extremist attacks that terrorized the country in the past two years.

The burkini bans have prompted a row over the French principle of laïcité – secularism – amid accusations that politicians are twisting and distorting this principle for political gain, and using it to target Muslims.

The city banned the burkini on its beaches last week, following about 15 seaside areas in south-east France where mayors had done the same.

Jess McHugh is a digital reporter for Travel + Leisure.

In its decision, the court said local authorities could only introduce measures restricting individual freedoms if wearing the swimsuit on beaches represented a “proven risk” to public order.

He stuck to his guns Friday evening, saying the State Council’s ruling “does not end the debate which has been opened”.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has labelled the burkini a “provocation” that supports radicalised Islam.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls robustly defended the burkini ban on Thursday while some ministers criticised it, exposing divisions within the government as campaigning begins.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Europe director had called for France to overturn “a discriminatory ban that is fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance”.

One woman – who gave her name as Siam – told SkyNews she was horrified when police ordered her to remove her headscarf while she was on the beach in Cannes.

The ban – which is now in place in 15 towns in France – was issued following the Bastille Day attack in Nice and the murder of a priest in Normandy.

The controversy intensified after pictures and video of police appearing to enforce the ban by making a woman take off an item of clothing prompted widespread anger.