PARIS (AP) — Swimming in the Seine River has become a new summertime tradition in Paris, as the city opened three supervised bathing locations for the second year running this past Saturday.
The three free swimming zones — situated near City Hall, the Eiffel Tower, and in the eastern part of the city — will stay open throughout the summer, weather and water quality permitting. Lifeguards are stationed at each site, and officials test the water every day to ensure it meets safety standards.
Those who took the plunge described the experience as something they won’t soon forget.
“It’s amazing to be swimming in the Seine while looking at the Eiffel Tower,” said Stewart Talbot, a tourist from Melbourne, Australia, who was spending a week in Paris. “Maybe it’s not as good as the sea in Australia, but it’s better than our rivers.”
Locals are also eager to check the activity off their bucket lists.
“It’s great because it’s such a mix of people,” said Hermine Jegou, 19. “I love that everyone can get into the water — grandmothers, children — it’s just really nice.”
Her sister, Joanne Jegou, 21, said she would gladly return. “It’s such a cool experience, especially being out in the sun and cooling off.”
The Seine served as a competition venue for swimming and triathlon events during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Those games helped speed up a massive, multibillion-euro river cleanup effort that included major sewer upgrades, new rainwater storage systems, and other pollution-reduction projects.
Despite the progress, last summer saw multiple swimming days scrapped after heavy rainfall pushed pollution levels higher upstream.
At the Grenelle site near the Eiffel Tower, staff were already preparing for large crowds expected to seek relief from upcoming hot temperatures.
“The maximum capacity here is 200 people,” said Clémence Donazzan, deputy manager of the Grenelle site. A queuing system will be in place at the entrance, and staff will track swimmer numbers in real time, she added, “so everyone will eventually have access, even if there’s a short wait.”
Swimming in the Seine had been off-limits for roughly a century before 2024 due to longstanding water quality concerns. A canal in northeastern Paris has offered public swimming during the summer months for several years.
