Latest news with #RiverSeine
France 24
7 days ago
- France 24
Parisians, tourists take the plunge as Seine reopens amid summer heat
Paris has opened three public bathing areas on the River Seine for the first time in more than a century, drawing thousands of swimmers in a push to lure tourists and give residents new leisure options, part of a wider effort to restore the waterway's quality ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The swimming areas are expected to get even more crowded as a heatwave arrives in the region on Tuesday. Paris has been placed under 'high vigilance' by national weather service Météo France, with temperatures up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) expected. At the Grenelle site in the west of Paris, visitors swim and sunbathe with a unique view of the Eiffel Tower, with small fishes darting near the surface. Water quality is tested daily to conform with European regulations. Swimming in the Seine had been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. The new bathing sites are possible following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.6 billion) cleanup that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. 'Imagine that,' said Constanze Martens, a tourist from Mexico. 'Swimming with view of the Eiffel Tower and in pure natural water, clean, safe, and with all this lovely people too, you have every age here." On Monday, the water temperature in the Seine was 22 degrees Celsius (71 Fahrenheit). 'It's quite warm, warmer than the sea, which was quite surprising, and is very pleasant,' said Élisabeth Lorin, from the Paris eastern suburb of Montreuil. Until the end of August, bathing sites are open for free at scheduled times to anyone 10 or older or 14 or older, depending on the location. Details are in the Paris city hall website, in English as well. Each swimmer must be equipped with a yellow buoy, attached to their waist, for safety reasons. There are changing rooms with lockers. The site welcomes between 800 and 1,200 visitors per day, with a limit of 200 at any one time, said the manager of the Grenelle site, Yann Forêt. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan last week said that more than 40,000 people had swum at the sites since they opened on July 5. That's despite almost two weeks of closures largely due to rainy weather, which increases water pollution upstream. 'Right now, the water quality is excellent and we have optimal conditions with warm weather,' Rabadan told The Associated Press on Monday. He said the daily decision to open the sites depends on weather conditions and factors including water flow rate and any known pollution. Several lifeguards monitor the sites, occasionally using their whistles to remind swimmers not to jump or leave the perimeter. No major incident has been reported, Rabadan said. Marina Gicquel, a 22-year-old lifeguard at Grenelle, said the main difference from a swimming pool is the river current, along with the murky water. 'You can only see people's heads sticking out. That's why buoys are useful,' Gicquel said. "And it's also quite deep. It's three to five metres (10 to 16 feet) deep, so people find no foothold.' Some visitors, like Australian Thurkka Jeyakumar, had been skeptical about swimming in the Seine, citing the river's murky colour and bacteria issues. Unsafe levels of E. coli or other bacteria appear during prolonged periods of rain that overwhelm pipes, leading untreated wastewater to flow into the river instead of a treatment plant. Last year, some Olympic competitions were postponed for that reason. In the end, Jeyakumar gave it a try because she lost a bet.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
The new swimming spot offering unparalleled Eiffel Tower views
Public swimming has returned to the River Seine in Paris for the first time in over a century, with three sites opening in July. This historic reintroduction is the result of a monumental €1.4 billion clean-up operation, which also prepared the river for Olympic competitions in 2024. Thousands of people have already taken a dip, with sites attracting between 800 and 1,200 visitors daily. They are expected to draw more crowds amid a heatwave that is gripping Europe. Water quality is rigorously tested daily to ensure compliance with European regulations, though sites have faced closures due to rain increasing pollution upstream. Swimmers must be aged 10 or 14 and over, depending on the location, and are required to wear a yellow buoy for safety, with lifeguards monitoring the sites.
Malay Mail
05-08-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Seine sees record turnout as thousands of Parisians brave rain to swim in cleaned-up river
PARIS, Aug 5 — Three River Seine swimming sites in Paris have welcomed more than 35,000 people since their opening in early July, despite persistent summer rains, city hall said today. The River Seine reopened to swimmers last month, marking the first time since 1923 that bathers could take a dip in the iconic waterway following a years-long cleanup effort. In July, wet weather forced the closure of the three swimming zones across the capital — including one just steps away from the Eiffel Tower — for 13 days. 'We knew that the weather would be a variable factor,' said city official Pierre Rabadan, adding that it 'rained quite a lot in July'. 'But we are extremely satisfied,' he said. On rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and wastewater to pour into the river. A retention basin designed to contain this excess runoff has not spilled over into the Seine during the summer months, Rabadan said. Rainfall forced the swimming sites to shut down just one day after the river's triumphant reopening in early July, which drew crowds eager to take a dip in the Seine for the first time in a century. The wet weather has not dampened that enthusiasm, with a record 5,700 people taking a dip in the waterway on July 13. 'There are regulars who are eagerly awaiting the opening, those who go running and then swim, families, but also tourists,' Rabadan said. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event. Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately 1.4 billion euros (RM6.76 billion) in improving the Seine's water quality. The swimming spots are open to the public for free until August 31. — AFP
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- 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.
