Seine closes to swimmers a day after its historic reopening
Swimming in Paris ' Seine River has been closed off to members of the public since 1923, but on Saturday morning the river lifted the swimming ban.
However, those who missed the inaugural day and planned to head down to the Seine on Sunday would have found its swimming areas shut once again.
The Seine stopped swimming over a century ago due to concerns over the levels of water pollution that could make people ill.
The day after excited swimmers took to the waters in its three designated areas for public bathing, the celebrations were dampened when red flags flew over the zones.
The wet weather raised concerns over water quality in the river, Paris City Hall said. City officials said the Seine would be assessed daily for the presence of the faecal bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococci.
Flags will inform bathers every day about the pollution levels, and if it rains, the sites will likely close, Paris city official Pierre Rabadan explained, according to Le Monde.
Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was also due to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which "compromises water quality', the local town hall said.
Eve Plenel, the head of public health at Paris City Hall, told The Telegraph: 'The water goes through a circuit… and if it is not swimmable, we will not open it for the day or until it gets better.
'So it's impossible to open the swim station without being sure the water is absolutely clear and OK and no risk for public health.'
As for how often the swimming zones would be closed, Ms Plenel said: 'It obviously depends on the weather.'
'If it rains a lot or there is any localised pollution anywhere on the Seine, then it can affect quality, of course that can happen.
'It's just like any beach in the summer. Sometimes beaches are polluted or closed and this is exactly the same.'
Swimmers have been allowed to return to the Seine following a €1.4bn (£1.2bn) cleanup project tied to the Paris Olympics that hosted open water swimmer triathletes in its waters.
After improving the water quality for the Games, authorities made a historic decision to reopen the Seine to bathers and constructed two new wooden decks.
The idea has been floated since 1988, when then-mayor and future president Jacques Chirac promised to clear up the river within six years.
While it took longer than expected, Paris will now join a number of European cities with safe-to-swim waters – so long as the rain holds off.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Luis Enrique dodges Kylian Mbappe talk as PSG prepare for hostile reunion in Real Madrid showdown
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique refused to be drawn into comparisons between his Champions League -winning squad and the team that previously featured Kylian Mbappe as his side prepare for a frosty reunion with their former talisman. Mbappe left PSG on a free transfer last summer following a drawn-out contract saga, joining Real Madrid in a move that infuriated Parisians. While, on the surface, losing arguably the world's best striker appeared a hammer blow, his departure allowed Enrique to truly transform PSG into the powerhouse we know today, prioritising the collective over individuality to create the side that at long last ended the club's wait for a Champions League title. Mbappe could be in for a hostile reception from the travelling PSG fans when he takes to the MetLife Stadium on Wednesday - but Enrique is not concerned with comparing the club's fortunes with and without Mbappe. "This is a question about the past and I'm not here to talk about the past, I'm only thinking about the future," Luis Enrique said at his pre-match press conference. Mbappe, who spent the group stage sidelined after being hospitalised with gastroenteritis, was back on the scoresheet as Real edged past Borussia Dortmund. The Spanish coach did acknowledge that facing his former player adds spice to the encounter, saying that "playing against the most successful team in the world" is "definitely extra motivation". "Playing against Real Madrid will be a special match, no doubt about it,' he added. 'At the same time, we like playing these kinds of games because it means you've done your job well and you're in a position to play in a semi-final.' He also refused to compare his star right-back Achraf Hakimi with Real Madrid's marquee arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold, who akin to Mbappe the Galacticos poached on a free after he ran down his contract at boyhood club Liverpool. 'I'm not a fan to analyse or compare players because here in this competition, all of them are top quality,' he added. 'But at the same time, I have to say that Hakimi is without a doubt one of the best right-backs that I have not only trained but watched in my career.' Enrique was the only manager to partake in press duties on Tuesday evening, with Xabi Alonso 's press conference being cancelled due to Real Madrid's late arrival.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Dozens hurt as wildfires bear down on Marseille: Mayor calls for lockdown after looting breaks out as inferno razes homes and cars as it races towards city centre
Hundreds of firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire that reached the outskirts of Marseille on Tuesday, prompting the mayor to call for a temporary lockdown after 100 were left injured. Aided by firefighting helicopters and aircraft, the firefighters had the blaze under control by evening, officials said, but a forecast of more strong winds meant it might yet advance further towards France 's second most populous city. Some 110 people have been injured, as well as nine firefighters, BBC reports. The city's mayor Benoit Payan called for a small lockdown to make room for emergency services to tackle the blaze. Meanwhile, there have been reports of looting in evacuated properties in the Estaque neighbourhood in the north of Marseille, French media outlet Frontiere reports. The fire, fanned by winds of up to 43 mph, could be smelt in the centre of Marseille as thick clouds of smoke hovered over the city on the Mediterranean coast. 'It's very striking - apocalyptic even,' said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, the town north of Marseille where officials said the fire started on a highway, roaring across 860 acres by the afternoon. It sent plumes of acrid smoke billowing into the sky, causing the airport to close its runways shortly after midday and cancel at least 10 flights, a spokesman for the Marseille Provence airport said. The air hub's website showed departures - including to Brussels, Munich and Naples - had been called off. The fire has burnt through 1,730 acres and was considered to be under control even though it is still burning, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said. About 20 buildings have been at least partly hit by the fire but no fatalities have been reported and hundreds of homes have been saved by firefighters, he said. Over 700 firefighters were battling the blaze, aided by firefighting helicopters and aircraft. Live TV footage showed light smoke giving the sky over Marseille's old port a dusty aspect as water-dropping plane tried to extinguish the fire in the outskirts of the city with some 900,000 inhabitants. Wildfires, which have become more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years and attributed to climate change, were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. There were also fires last week on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave. As the fire was spreading, residents of Marseille received official alerts on their phones telling them to stay at home and put damp cloths on any openings. 'As we speak, it's a battle,' Payan said, likening tackling the wildfire to 'guerrilla warfare'. 'We're waiting to see what happens overnight, because that's critical too. Everything is strategic: wind speed, humidity, nightfall — every factor matters. Once again, it's extremely complex, and the work is incredibly difficult.' Two residents of the 16th borough, in the north of Marseille, near where the fire started, described how scared they had been. 'It was dangerous, a lot of very dark smoke, we were really afraid. Police and firefighters did a great job,' said one resident, who did not give his name and said things now looked under control in his neighbourhood. Residents were told not to evacuate unless ordered so that roads could be left clear for rescue services. 'At this stage, populations must remain confined,' the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture posted on X. 'Close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads.' Anne, a 51-year-old woman who works in Marseille and lives on the outskirts, said by phone: 'The sky is grey with ash, and the smell of fire is very strong in the centre of Marseille.' In the coastal neighbourhood of l'Estaque, restaurant owner Simon Epenmbia said he was huddling in the restaurant with his family and neighbours. 'We are relatively close to the sea, where we feel safer for now and there is less smoke,' he said. 'I also saw other people who came here towards the beach and are sheltering in their cars.' A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. It was unclear when it would reopen. Many train lines heading to and from Marseille were suspended. Some roads and highways were also shut. A wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, was also still active on Monday. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt there, the local prefecture said. Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the intensity, length and frequency of the extreme heat that causes some forest fires.
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Miedema: Netherlands need to be at best to beat England
Vivianne Miedema is under no illusion that the Netherlands will still need to be at their best to get a result against England despite their opponents' recent struggles. The Netherlands won their opening match 3-0 against Wales, with all-time WSL scorer Miedema bagging the first goal - the 100th international goal of her career. But the Lionesses looked poor against France as they fell to 2-1 defeat at Stadion Letzigrund. However, Miedema is confident they will still prove a tough test for her side with England knowing a defeat will end their Euros defence. 'If you come up against a team like France, they have so much quality as well, so I'm not necessarily surprised that France beat England because they can beat anyone on their day,' she explained. 'It's also too readily said that, 'Oh England can't play football anymore,' because that's obviously not the case. 'They've got so much quality on the pitch and within their whole squad and I'm pretty sure they've not forgotten how to play football. 'We know that we need to be at our best tomorrow to get a result and that's the exciting thing about being at a Euros to play teams like England and in games like these.' Final session before Netherlands ✅ 🇳🇱 🔜 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 8, 2025 The Dutch will have momentum in their favour, having been offered what many would perceive as a kinder schedule in Group D after facing underdogs Wales first. It was a challenge that did not take them out of second gear, but while England have stuttered, they offer plenty of threats to a Netherlands side who have become familiar opposition. '[I expect] a really difficult game. Obviously we know their qualities and I think they know ours. It could be a big technical game but it comes down to who has the better day,' said Miedema. 'Looking at how we started the tournament, we can get a lot of confidence out of that game, but we also know to beat England we need to do a lot better than that.' Miedema is familiar with much of the England team having played alongside or against many in the Women's Super League during spells at Arsenal and Manchester City. Notably, manager Sarina Wiegman coached Miedema and many of her current teammates to glory at Euro 2017 with the Dutch striker able to recognise her influence on the England squad. 'I can definitely [see her influence] in their playing style. Their focus has become more and more possessional in a way,' she explained. 'They are basically playing in a way that we did when she was our head coach.' It brings an added dimension to the game, if there were not enough already, as Wiegman's current England assistant Arjan Veurink will return to the Dutch set-up as manager after the tournament. But while Veurink and Wiegman will undoubtedly have similar thought processes from their time together, current Dutch manager Andries Jonker also knows the England coach well, with Miedema able to spot similarities there too. It means that fans of both the Netherlands and England can expect entertaining football on Wednesday as friendships get cast aside as the Netherlands chase three points that will send them to the quarter-finals. 'Both of them are crazy about football,' said Miedema. 'I can give them a call at 3am in the morning if I want to discuss something. 'Both of them want to see beautiful football being played.'
