### Parisians
Return to the Seine : A Century-Old Ban Ends as
River Opens for Public Swimming
**PARIS**
– For the first time in over a century, the waters of the River Seine in
central Paris echoed with the splashes and cheers of public swimmers on
Saturday, marking a historic moment in the city's long and complex relationship
with its iconic waterway. After a ban on public swimming enacted in 1923 due to
pollution, the city has officially reopened designated sections of the river, a
culmination of a multi-decade, €1.4 billion effort to restore its ecological
health.
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| ### Parisians Return to the Seine: A Century-Old Ban Ends as River Opens for Public Swimming |
### Parisians Return to the Seine: A Century-Old Ban Ends as River Opens for Public Swimming
The event represents
a powerful symbol of urban renewal and environmental progress.
The first swimmers, a few dozen in number, plunged into the 25°C (77°F) water
at 8:00 AM from a newly installed pontoon opposite the Île Saint-Louis. Watched
over by lifeguards in vibrant uniforms and police on zodiac boats, each swimmer
was equipped with a mandatory yellow safety buoy tethered to their waist, a
clear sign of the stringent protocols in place.
- This reopening fulfills a promise that has spanned generations of Parisian
- leadership. The dream was famously articulated over 30 years ago by then-
- mayor
Jacques Chirac, who vowed he would one day swim in a clean
- On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated the achievement
- on the social media platform X, calling it the fulfillment of Chirac's promise
- and a moment of "national pride."
The current Mayor of Paris
Anne Hidalgo, who herself took a ceremonial dip last
year ahead of the Olympic Games, was present to witness the public opening.
"This is my childhood dream, to see people swimming in the Seine," she
told Agence
- The initiative is more than just a nostalgic revival; it is a forward-looking
- strategy for climate adaptation. As
- heatwaves, the river offers a natural cooling corridor for its citizens. Three
- supervised swimming zones have been established for the summer: Bras
- Marie near Île Saint-Louis, a site near the
and another in the eastern Bercy district. Access is free and will remain open until August 31, contingent on favorable weather and water quality.
The journey
to this point was monumental. The €1.4 billion investment funded massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a giant underground basin to capture storm-water runoff.
- This was critical, as
- with sewage, which would overflow directly into the
- downpours. While the new infrastructure significantly mitigates this, the
- problem is not entirely solved.
Record rainfall during the recent
Olympic Games frequently rendered the water unsafe even for elite athletes, highlighting
the ongoing challenge.
To ensure public safety
a rigorous monitoring system has been implemented. A
color-coded flag system—green, yellow, or red—will signal the daily water
quality and flow rate, based on data from real-time sensors and laboratory
analysis of water samples. A red flag will mean swimming is prohibited.
- Despite the celebratory atmosphere, officials are keen to emphasize that the
- entering, swimmers are advised to be assessed by a lifeguard. Élise Lavielle,
- a deputy prefect, underscored the risks: "The danger of drowning is real due
- to silt, clinging plants
strong currents, the
risk of thermal shock, and river traffic." Authorities noted three
fatalities in the river so far this year, a stark reminder that swimming must
be confined to the secured zones. To enforce this, a local decree issued in
late June imposes penalties on anyone caught swimming in unauthorized areas.
As
Parisians rediscover the simple joy of a swim in their river, the city
celebrates a hard-won victory—one that blends historical ambition with a modern
commitment to sustainability, offering a refreshing new chapter for the heart
of the French capital.
