Latest news with #RiverSeine
Daily Mail
2 hours 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.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
River Seine closed to swimmers one day after historic opening
Parts of the River Seine have been closed to swimmers one day after its historic reopening because of heavy rain. Three areas of the river that run through the capital were opened to excited Parisians on Saturday after a £1.2 billion clean-up operation. The zones, within view of the Eiffel Tower and the bras-Marie on the right bank of the île Saint-Louis, were set to be open every day from July 5 to Aug 31 2025, 'as long as safety conditions are met: moderate current, water quality'. But red flags at all three designated zones on Sunday indicated the Seine was temporarily off-limits because of water quality concerns caused by wet weather. On rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste water to pour into the river. Authorities built a vast run-off reservoir, which can hold 20 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water, in order to prevent this problem. The river is also assessed 'every 15 minutes' for the presence of faecal bacteria E. coli and enterococci. Eve Plenel, the head of public health 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.' When asked whether that would happen often, she 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.' Paris banned swimming in the Seine in 1923 due to pollution. Jacques Chirac, the then mayor and future president, promised to clean it up in 1988 within six years but it took far longer than expected.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
River Seine closed to swimmers one day after historic opening
Parts of the River Seine have been closed to swimmers one day after its historic reopening because of heavy rain. Three areas of the river that run through the capital were opened to excited Parisians on Saturday after a £1.2 billion clean-up operation. The zones, within view of the Eiffel Tower and the bras-Marie on the right bank of the île Saint-Louis, were set to be open every day from July 5 to Aug 31 2025, 'as long as safety conditions are met: moderate current, water quality'. But red flags at all three designated zones on Sunday indicated the Seine was temporarily off-limits because of water quality concerns caused by wet weather. On rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste water to pour into the river. Authorities built a vast run-off reservoir, which can hold 20 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water, in order to prevent this problem. The river is also assessed 'every 15 minutes' for the presence of faecal bacteria E. coli and enterococci. Eve Plenel, the head of public health 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.' When asked whether that would happen often, she 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.' Paris banned swimming in the Seine in 1923 due to pollution. Jacques Chirac, the then mayor and future president, promised to clean it up in 1988 within six years but it took far longer than expected.
Telegraph
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Telegraph
River Seine closed to swimmers one day after historic opening
Parts of the River Seine have been closed to swimmers less than 24 hours after its historic reopening because of heavy rain. Three areas of the river that run through the capital were opened to excited Parisians on Saturday after a £1.2 billion clean-up operation. The zones, within view of the Eiffel Tower and the bras-Marie on the right bank of the île Saint-Louis, were set to be open every day from July 5 to Aug 31 2025, 'as long as safety conditions are met: moderate current, water quality'. But red flags at all three designated zones on Sunday indicated the Seine was temporarily off-limits because of water quality concerns caused by wet weather. On rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste water to pour into the river. Authorities built a vast run-off reservoir, which can hold 20 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water, in order to prevent this problem. The river is also assessed 'every 15 minutes' for the presence of faecal bacteria E. coli and enterococci. Eve Plenel, the head of public health 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.' When asked whether that would happen often, she 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.' Paris banned swimming in the Seine in 1923 due to pollution. Jacques Chirac, the then mayor and future president, promised to clean it up in 1988 within six years but it took far longer than expected.
Times
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Times
Seine swimming spots close one day after 102-year ban is lifted
Rain has forced the closure of all three swimming sites on the River Seine in Paris. Heavy downpours overnight potentially washed sewage and other waste into the river, forcing the authorities to put up red flags at the designated zones: Bras Marie in the centre, Bras de Grenelle to the west and Bercy in the east. The ban came a day after the swimming spots were opened to the public after a 102-year ban on bathing in the river. The sites will remain closed until at least Monday, the council said. Another site along the Canal St-Martin, on the northeastern side of the city, was set to open on Sunday but remained closed. Officials said the downpour 'compromises water quality'. About 3,000 Parisians and visitors rushed for a dip on Saturday after decades of clean-up operations, which were accelerated by the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Triathlon and open-water swimming events were held in the river last summer, but heavy rain led to six of the 11 races being cancelled. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, has claimed the reopening as a key legacy of the Olympics. The council had been striving to lift the swimming ban since 1988, when Jacques Chirac, then the mayor of Paris who became president, promised to clean it, predicting that he would one day swim in it. Chirac, who served 12 years as president and died in 2019, never did. After the temporary closure on Sunday, Ariel Weil, mayor of the central Paris district, which comprises the first four arrondissements, posted on X: 'These are unfortunately the hazards of open water swimming. We'll see you on the Seine as soon as the weather is better.' Mockery of the closures also appeared on social media, mainly citing the €1.4 billion spent on improving the water quality of the river in the years before the games. Despite widespread doubts, the authorities said the water quality met European standards, and that levels of E. coli, enterococci and other bacteria were well below dangerous thresholds on most days. They had warned that sites would be closed if rain threatened sewage overflow. • Seine failed water standards eight days out of ten As well as the Paris swimming zones, 14 areas are open for bathing outside central Paris on the Seine and Marne rivers.
