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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
People can finally swim in European city's iconic river after 100-year ban is lifted - but would YOU do it?
The River Seine has officially reopened to the public for swimming for the first time since 1923, marking a major milestone for the French capital. At 8.00am local time on Saturday, 19 July, dozens of swimmers gathered along the banks of the iconic Parisian river and entered the water as part of the historic reopening. The monumental event comes after decades of efforts to clean up the Seine, which had been off-limits to swimmers for over 100 years due to pollution and safety concerns. However, more than £1.2bn was invested into cleaning up the river ahead of last year's Olympic Games, during which open-water swimming and triathlon events were held. Swimming in the Seine was banned in 1923 due to high levels of pollution and the risk of accidents caused by heavy boat traffic. Over the years, multiple plans were put forward to reverse the ban, including a proposal in 1988 by then-mayor and future French president Jacques Chirac who promised Parisians that they would one day swim in the river. Now, it's been fulfilled. Authorities say the water is now safe for public use, with daily testing of bacteria levels and several lifeguard stations at all swimming zones. Speaking to EuroNews, Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Paris' Ile-de-France region said: 'The water quality is exceptional. 'We are monitoring two bacteria, E. coli and enterococci, and for one we are ten times below the thresholds and for the other more than 25 times below.' There are three designated swimming sites along the river: one near the Eiffel Tower, one close to Notre Dame Cathedral, and one in eastern Paris. Each location includes changing rooms, showers, and beach-style seating areas, accommodating up to 300 people. The swimming areas will be open until 31 August, and access is free during scheduled hours. Entry is allowed for individuals ages 10 or 14 and up, depending on the location. All swimmers must demonstrate basic swimming ability, wear provided flotation rings, and children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Access is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations required. Meanwhile, MailOnline Travel has shared 10 hidden gems to take holidaymakers off the tourist trail in Paris - from an unmissable viaduct 'park' to a secret vineyard. Around 50 million tourists flock to France's capital every year, with crowds heading straight for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Notre-Dame. After Parisians fled the city last summer during the Olympics, many locals hoped it would quieten down after the games were over. But TikTok tourists and programmes like Netflix's Emily in Paris have only made the capital more popular with foreign tourists, which has increased prices in cafés and restaurants and resulted in ridiculously long lines for popular museums and cathedrals. You can avoid being a clichéd tourist, and the queues, by going to these ten hidden gems scouted by MailOnline and recommended by real Parisians.
LeMonde
05-07-2025
- Sport
- LeMonde
Seine reopens to Paris swimmers after century-long ban
The River Seine reopened to swimmers in Paris on Saturday, July 5, marking the first time since 1923 that bathers could take a dip in the iconic waterway following a years-long cleanup effort. A few dozen people of all ages arrived ahead of the 8 am opening of the Bras Marie swimming zone – one of three open in Paris this summer – donning swim caps and goggles as they prepared to dive in and celebrate the long-awaited return of bathing in the Seine. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the event. Parisians and visitors looking to cool off this summer can take the plunge – weather permitting – under the watchful eye of lifeguards in fluorescent yellow T-shirts at the three bathing sites, including one a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower. The swimming zones are equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beach-style furniture, offering space for 150 to 300 people to relax, lay out their towels, and unwind from the city's hustle and bustle. Paris officials say they have taken several measures to ensure swimmers can safely enjoy the long-anticipated reopening, including daily water pollution testing and implementing a swim test for bathers. The water quality is "exceptional", said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. "We are monitoring two bacteria, E. coli and enterococci, and for one we are ten times below the thresholds and for the other more than 25 times below," he said. But officials reminded swimmers of potential dangers, including strong currents, boat traffic, and an average depth of 3.5 metres (11 feet). "The Seine remains a dangerous environment," said local official Elise Lavielle earlier this week. To mitigate that risk, lifeguards will assess visitors' swimming abilities before allowing independent access, while a decree issued in late June introduced fines for anyone swimming outside designated areas. The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal, around 65 years after the practice was banned in 1923. 'More peaceful life' "One of my predecessors (Chirac), then mayor of Paris, dreamed of a Seine where everyone could swim," President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, describing the move as the result of a "collective effort" and a moment of "pride" for France. Help us improve Le Monde in English Dear reader, We'd love to hear your thoughts on Le Monde in English! Take this quick survey to help us improve it for you. Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) to improve the Seine's water quality. Since then, work carried out upstream promises even better water quality – with one catch. On rainy days, the mid-19 th -century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. Swimmers may be in luck this year, though, with weather predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. The opening comes after the French capital during the week endured a major heatwave that saw Paris put on the weather agency's highest alert level during a Europe-wide heatwave. Hidalgo, who took the inaugural swim last year, said that cleaning up the Seine for the Olympics was not the final goal but part of a broader effort to adapt the city to climate change and enhance quality of life. "Heatwaves are only going to increase," the Paris mayor said, adding creating safe swim spaces will foster a "happier, and undoubtedly more peaceful life with our fellow citizens." One of the swimmers on Saturday expressed gratitude for the Seine's re-opening. "Thank you, Ms. Hidalgo. This is so cool," the bather shouted from the water. The swimming spots are open to the public for free until August 31.
Local France
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Local France
Paris makes clean water bet for River Seine bathers
Weather permitting, Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into dedicated sections of the river from July 5th, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. 'For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days,' said Marc Guillaume, prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. 'It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself,' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters in May. 'Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life,' she added. Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than €9billion from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Advertisement Following initial efforts, the 'bathing plan' leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another €1.4 billion. The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste water to pour into the river. Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. 'We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data,' he said, adding that – contrary to some reports at the time – no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, however, the planned tests are 'insufficient'. There are 'many viruses which cannot be tested for' in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Advertisement Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. 'If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures,' Rabadan insisted. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February – a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature.
Malay Mail
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Paris to open Seine for public swimming from July 5 despite pollution fears, year after Olympic debut
PARIS, June 20 — A year on from athletes competing in the River Seine during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, French authorities guarantee the water will be safe for the public to swim in this summer. Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into the river from July 5, weather permitting, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. 'For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days,' said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the eleven competitions held the river. 'It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself,' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had told reporters in May. 'Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life,' she added. 'Bathing plan' Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than nine billion euros (10.4 billion dollars) from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Following initial efforts, the 'bathing plan' leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another 1.4 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars). The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. 'Insufficient' testing Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. 'We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data,' he said, adding that no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, the planned tests are 'insufficient'. There are 'many viruses which cannot be tested for' in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. 'If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures,' said Rabadan. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February—a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature. — AFP
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paris makes clean water bet for River Seine bathers
A year on from athletes competing in the River Seine during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, French authorities guarantee the water will be safe for the public to swim in this summer. Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into the river from July 5, weather permitting, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. "For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days," said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the eleven competitions held the river. "It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself," Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had told reporters in May. "Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life," she added. - "Bathing plan" - Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than nine billion euros (10.4 billion dollars) from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Following initial efforts, the "bathing plan" leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another 1.4 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars). The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. - "Insufficient" testing - Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. "We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data," he said, adding that no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, the planned tests are "insufficient". There are "many viruses which cannot be tested for" in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. "If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures," said Rabadan. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February -- a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature. juc/mat-mct/sjw/pi
