Swimming in the Seine has rapidly become a cherished new pastime for Parisians and a burgeoning attraction for visitors to the French capital.
Thousands have already taken the plunge since three public bathing sites opened in July – marking the first time in over a century that the river has been officially accessible for public dips.
The newly accessible areas are anticipated to draw even larger crowds as a heatwave sweeps across the region from Tuesday.
Paris has been placed under “high vigilance” by national weather service Meteo France, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).
At the Grenelle site in western Paris, bathers enjoy unparalleled views of the Eiffel Tower, with small fish darting beneath the surface.
The return of public swimming marks a significant shift; bathing in the Seine had been prohibited since 1923, with only a few exceptions, due to severe pollution and risks from river navigation.
The historic reintroduction is the result of a monumental €1.4 billion (£1.21 billion) clean-up operation, which rendered the river suitable for Olympic competitions in 2024.
Water quality is now rigorously tested daily to ensure compliance with European regulations.
“Imagine that,” said Constanze Martens, a tourist from Mexico.
“Swimming with [a] view of the Eiffel Tower and in pure natural water, clean, safe, and with all these 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 Elisabeth Lorin, from Paris’s 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 over 40,000 people had swum at the sites since they opened on 5 July.
That is 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,” Mr Rabadan said 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, Mr 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.
“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 color 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.
In 2024, some Olympic competitions were postponed for that reason.
In the end, Ms Jeyakumar gave it a try because she lost a bet.
“For the moment, I have to say that it was much nicer and cleaner than I thought it would be,” she said.
“So the bet worked out for the better!”
