la salle de bain vs la salle de bains

Hello Alasdair,

I have always thought that the bathroom is French is 'salle de bains' because

la salle = the room

de bains = is where you have baths in

And as you have more than one bath it is more natural to use the plural for bains.

But there are some regional differences, in some French-speaking regions, "salle de bain" (singular) is also used, but "salle de bains" (plural) remains more common and is considered standard French.

It's worth noting that when referring to a public restroom or toilet, French speakers typically use "les toilettes" (also in plural form) or "les WC."

 

Hope this helps!