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2mo ago

Paris Opens Three Lifeguarded Seine Swimming Sites for First Time Since 1923

Free swim zones near Paris’s landmarks feature daily EU-standard water tests under a new decree fining unauthorized bathers.

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)
People swim in the River Seine at the Bras Marie site, opened to swimmers marking the first public bathing session in the capital's historic waterway, in Paris, France, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor
PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 5: Members of the public swim at the Baignade de Grenelle bathing site on its opening day on July 5, 2025 in Paris, France. Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo is visiting three bathing sites as the city launches its inaugural season of public swimming in the River Seine for the first time in just over a hundred years. Hidalgo had made it a promise of her time in office to make the Seine swimmable again ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with the city investing 1.4 billion euros in a clean-up project. Swimming in the Seine had been banned since 1923, due to the dangers of boat traffic and poor water quality. The new bathing areas offer changing areas and will be monitored by life guards for the swimming season, from July 5 to August 31. (Photo by Tom Nicholson/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The three supervised swim sites—near Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and Bras Marie—are open daily through August 31 at no cost.
  • Lifeguards supervise bathers aged 10 or older at scheduled times and assess swimming abilities before granting access.
  • Water quality is monitored daily against EU standards, with green and red flags indicating safe conditions.
  • A June decree maintains a ban and fines for swimming outside designated areas and allows for site closures after rain or sewer overflows.
  • The opening crowns a €1.4 billion Seine cleanup for the Paris Olympics legacy, though independent tests warn bacterial levels remain variable.