Latest news with #ParisPlages'
See - Sada Elbalad
06-07-2025
- Sport
- See - Sada Elbalad
Parisians Enjoy Summer Breeze with Swimmable Seine for 1st Time in 100 years
Rana Atef In a historic move that marks a new era for the French capital, Parisians and tourists are once again able to swim in the River Seine — legally — for the first time since 1923. Following a €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) environmental overhaul, the once-polluted waterway has officially reopened to the public with the launch of three designated swimming sites along the city's iconic riverbanks. The sites, unveiled on Saturday as part of the annual 'Paris Plages' summer event, are located near the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and in the eastern Paris neighborhood of Bercy. Access is free and regulated by age limits and lifeguard supervision. This major development comes after decades of pollution rendered the Seine unfit for bathing. Swimming was banned in 1923 due to dangerous bacteria levels and navigational risks, with only rare exceptions. Now, thanks to a sweeping cleanup initiative launched in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the river has been transformed into a safe and scenic spot for open-water enjoyment. 'It's a symbolic moment — we're taking back our river,' said Lucile Woodward, a sports coach and wellness influencer who swam in the Seine alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo before last year's Olympic Games. Woodward is among the participants in the first amateur open-water competition in the Seine, set for Sunday. 'Once people see hundreds of others swimming and enjoying themselves, they'll want to join in too.' The cleanup included a vast infrastructure investment: new disinfection units, a giant stormwater storage basin to prevent untreated waste from spilling into the river during rain, and mandatory sewer hookups for houseboats and riverside homes. The payoff? Olympic athletes were able to compete in triathlon and marathon swimming events in the Seine last summer — a powerful symbol of environmental recovery. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan assured the public that water quality is monitored daily and flags posted at each site will indicate conditions — green for good, red for unsafe due to bacteria or strong currents. 'We're in a natural environment, so weather variations do affect the quality,' he noted, adding that results have generally met European standards since June, with only minor interruptions caused by rainfall or boat traffic. Still, not everyone is convinced. Dan Angelescu, CEO of Fluidion, a company that independently tests water quality, remains skeptical. He argues that current testing methods may underreport harmful bacteria and that only a few days each summer truly meet high swimming standards. 'The science today does not fully support the optimistic assessments being used,' Angelescu warned. Public sentiment is mixed. While many are excited about the novelty of swimming in the Seine, some locals remain wary. 'I wouldn't say I'm scared,' said real estate agent Enys Mahdjoub. 'Just a little disgusted — it's the thought of the water being dirty.' Nonetheless, the return of swimming to the Seine has sparked joy among many Parisians. 'It's a dream come true,' said Clea Montanari, a local project manager. 'Maybe one day we'll even be able to drink from the river. For now, just being able to swim in it is incredible.' Swimming in the Seine may still come with caveats — limited hours, age restrictions, and potential closures after heavy rain — but after more than a century, Paris has reopened one of its greatest natural assets. And in doing so, the city is making waves not just in recreation, but in sustainable urban renewal. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Japan Today
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
River Seine reopens to public swimming for first time in a century
A view of one of the three Seine swimming pools, Thursday, July 3, 2025 which will open during the 'Paris Plages' event from July 5 to Aug. 31 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) By SYLVIE CORBET and JEFFREY SCHAEFFER For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a refreshing dip in the River Seine. The long-polluted waterway is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank will open on Saturday — one close to Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. Taking a dip outside bathing areas is still banned for safety reasons. The Seine was one of the stars of the Paris Olympics in 2024, whether as the scene of the ambitious opening ceremony or the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions. That didn't go without challenging hurdles such as rainfall increasing levels of bacteria, which postponed some competitions. This city's authorities have given the green light for the public opening, with water quality results consistently in line with European regulations. 'It's a symbolic moment when we get our river back,' said sports coach and influencer Lucile Woodward, who will participate in the first amateur open water competition in the Seine on Sunday. Woodward, who enjoyed a dip alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the start of the Olympic Games, is confident things will go well. 'We're going to enjoy swimming in it, being there and setting an example," she said. "Once people will see that in the end there are hundreds of people who have fun and enjoy it, everyone will want to go!' 'For families, going to take a dip with the kids, making little splashes in Paris, it's extraordinary,' Woodward added. Olympic athletes competing in the river was a spectacular reward for the cost of the cleanup effort. In the run-up to the Games, authorities opened new disinfection units and created a huge storage basin meant to prevent as much bacteria-laden wastewater as possible from spilling directly into the Seine when it rains. Houseboats that previously emptied their sewage directly into the river were required to hook up to municipal sewer systems. Some homes upstream from Paris also saw their wastewater connected to treatment plants instead of the rainwater system flowing directly into the river. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan said water is tested daily to confirm it's safe to swim. As on French beaches, different colored flags will inform visitors whether or not they can go in. 'Green means the water quality is good. Red means that it's not good or that there's too much current,' he said. Tests have been in line with European regulations since the beginning of June, with only two exceptions due to rain and boat-related pollution, Rabadan said. 'I can't make a bet on the numbers of days when we'll have to close this summer, but water quality seems better than last year,' he added. 'We're in a natural environment … so weather condition variations necessarily have an impact." Last year, several athletes became ill after competing in the triathlon and open water races during the Olympics, though in most cases it was not clear if the river was to blame for their sickness. World Aquatics stressed the conditions met the sport's accepted thresholds. 'The legacy of these efforts is already evident, with the Seine now open for public swimming — a positive example of how sports can drive long-term community benefits,' the organization said in a statement to The Associated Press. Dan Angelescu, founder and CEO of Fluidion, a Paris and Los Angeles-based water monitoring tech company, has routinely and independently tested bacterial levels in the Seine for several years. Despite being in line with current regulations, the official water testing methodology has limitations and undercounts the bacteria, he said. 'What we see is that the water quality in the Seine is highly variable,' Angelescu said. 'There are only a few days in a swimming season where I would say water quality is acceptable for swimming.' 'All we can say is that we can raise a hand and say look: the science today does not support the current assessment of water safety used in the rivers around Paris, and we think that there is major risk that is not being captured at all,' he said. Some Parisians also have shown skepticism toward the idea of swimming in the Seine. The feeling is often reinforced by the water's murky color, floating litter and multiple tourist boats in some places. Enys Mahdjoub, a real estate agent, said he would not be afraid of swimming, but rather "a bit disgusted. It's more the worry of getting dirty than anything else at the moment.' Until the end of August, swimming sites will be open for free at scheduled times to anyone with a minimum age of 10 or 14 years, depending on the location. Lifeguards will keep a watchful eye on those first dips. 'It's an opportunity, a dream come true," said Clea Montanari, a project manager in Paris. "It'd be a dream if the Seine becomes drinkable, that would be the ultimate goal, right? But already swimming in it is really good.' Oleg Cetinic and Alexander Turnbull contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
