Paris Reopens Seine for Public Swimming After 100 Years

For the first time in over a century, Paris has officially reopened the Seine River for public swimming, marking a historic milestone in the city's urban renewal and environmental efforts ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.

On Saturday morning, dozens of swimmers dove into the river at 8 a.m., under the supervision of lifeguards, inaugurating the newly designated bathing zones along the iconic waterway. This development is part of Paris’s Olympic legacy and comes during one of Europe’s hottest summers on record.

Three supervised swimming areas have been created across the capital, strategically located opposite the Eiffel Tower, near Notre-Dame Cathedral, and across from the French National Library. Each site is equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beach-style seating, accommodating between 150 and 300 visitors. Public access to these zones will remain free until 31 August.

Swimming in the Seine was banned in 1923 due to severe pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and urban runoff, which caused high levels of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. For decades, health risks and strong river currents kept the water off-limits to the public despite multiple attempts to lift the ban.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, authorities committed €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) to an ambitious river clean-up project. Investments included a vast underground stormwater basin to capture overflow and upgrades to wastewater treatment systems, aimed at dramatically improving water quality for athletes and the wider public.

During the Games, the Seine hosted triathlon and open water swimming events, reinforcing the government’s commitment to long-term waterway restoration. While a few athletes reported illness after competition, officials confirmed continuous water quality monitoring is now in place.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo called the Seine’s reopening a step toward climate adaptation and urban livability. French President Emmanuel Macron praised the achievement as a point of national pride.

As Paris confronts climate challenges, the revitalized Seine now offers a rare urban oasis, an emblem of sustainability, public health, and Olympic ambition.