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Paris Requires Swimming Test for Seine Bathers This Summer

Officials say the measure ensures safety by tying access to daily pollution indicators at three monitored Seine bathing sites.

Overview

  • The city will open three Seine swimming areas—Île Saint-Louis, Grenelle and Bercy—from July 5 to August 31, 2025.
  • All participants must pass a water competency test before swimming and will receive a wristband to eliminate re-testing.
  • Twenty-seven lifeguards will oversee the zones and rescue posts accommodating 150 to 300 people will be installed at each site.
  • Daily color-coded pollution and current indicators will determine whether bathing is permitted at each location.
  • Swimming outside the marked areas will remain prohibited under Paris regulations dating back to 1923.