In a historic moment for the French capital, Parisians took to the Seine River on Saturday for the first time in over a century, celebrating the opening of three official public swimming sites after a sweeping clean-up operation.
The move marks the first legal public swim in the Seine since 1923, made possible by years of infrastructure investment and motivated in part by the river’s role as a venue during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In addition to the three Paris locations, 14 other public swimming areas are being rolled out along the Seine and Marne rivers outside the capital. Two of those, located on the Marne, have already opened.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo sits by the River Seine at the Bercy site, which opened to swimmers, marking the first public bathing session in the capital’s historic waterway, in Paris, France, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor
A Milestone for Parisian Life
Until August 31, three swimming spots along the Seine will welcome over 1,000 swimmers per day, allowing locals and tourists alike to cool off in the iconic river — with Eiffel Tower views included.
“Really nice, I’m impressed, surprised,” said Victoria Cnop, 24, a Brazilian living in Paris. “I never imagined being in the water close to the Eiffel Tower.”
“The water is clean, it’s warm, it’s clear. There is a bit of algae, but that’s normal,” added Karine, 51. “Come here everybody, it’s great!”
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
Restoring the Seine: A Legacy of the Olympics
The successful transformation of the Seine’s water quality stems from a multi-year environmental project launched in anticipation of the 2024 Olympics. Improvements included:
- Connecting tens of thousands of homes to the main sewer system
- Upgrading water treatment plants
- Building large rainwater storage reservoirs to limit runoff pollution during storms
Olympics – Paris 2024 holds triathlon test event for the Olympics – Paris, France – August 18, 2023 General view as athletes compete in the elite men triathlon test event in the river seine REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Despite challenges — including delays to some Olympic events due to stormwater contamination — the eventual safe use of the river for Olympic competitions built public confidence in reopening the river to everyday swimmers.
Safety First: Water Testing and Flag System
To ensure swimmer safety, daily water quality tests will be conducted throughout the season. A flag system, similar to beach safety standards, will indicate swimming conditions:
- Green flag: Swimming permitted
- Red flag: Swimming prohibited due to water quality concerns
A person swims 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
“It’s wonderful,” said John Drummond, a 54-year-old Canadian visitor. “It’s great for the environment, it’s great for the city, it’s great for the people that live here. So very good initiative.”
