The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has announced that people will be able to swim in three monitored zones of the Seine river starting from 2025. There will also be changing areas where people can shower, get changed and store their belongings safely.

The hope is for swimming in the capital’s river to become a major legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Parts of the river will be used for the marathon swimming events and the swimming portion of the triathlons (at Point Alexandre III). It will also be the stage of the opening ceremony.

The five Olympic rings in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background

©

Anne Jea, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Swimming in the Seine has been prohibited since 1923 because of the dangers to swimmers from boats and poor water quality. But for the last seven years, a huge clean-up project has been undertaken in preparation for the Olympic swimming events. Authorities now say that, based on levels of waterborne bacteria, it is now safe to swim in the Seine 90% of the time.

The plan is to carry out daily tests once the river is open for swimming, to ensure acceptable water quality. Currently, this only tends to dip below acceptable levels for a short time after very heavy rainfall.

Paris Plage - a man-made beach along a stretch of the Seine river. There are people on sun loungers and blue parasols
Paris Plage
©

Peter HaasCC BY-SA 3.0

Authorities are working to improve this even further by making improvements to sewage treatment plants, building large storage basins that will stop bacteria-filled waste entering the river after rainfall and by cracking down on boats, businesses and homes that empty wastewater into the Seine.

With summer temperatures in Paris rising almost on a yearly basis (and predicted to reach up to 50°C/122°F by 2050), opening the river for swimming will mean Paris continues to remain livable during the summer months in the future.

So from 2025, three bathing areas will be open. The first is located at Bras Marie, where ‘Paris Plage’ (Paris Beach) takes place on some Sundays during the summer.

The second bathing area will be at the Bras de Grenelle, between the port of Grenelle and the banks of Île au Cygnes. The third will be in Bercy, below the Parc de Bercy.

 

If you're looking for a tour that helps you explore Paris's most popular attractions AND discover hidden gems away from the tourist crowds, we invite you to browse our Paris self-guided tour page.

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
The C. family
Emilie and Guillaume: I want to send you this special thank you for making this trip truly spectacular! Our time in France was memorable precisely because of the people we've met, and the unique experiences we've had. We owe that all to you. There's no way that we ever would have been able to find the bed and breakfasts that you booked for us. And …
Annie & Rob from Australia
We had the most amazing holiday visiting all the wine regions in France fully arranged by France Just For You. Those ladies thought of everything….from parking & fuel station options to fabulous restaurants & patisseries, scenic walks & some of the prettiest villages, chateaus & gardens you’ll ever see. They also shared such a lot of history & fun …
Deirdre
My husband and I spent one week visiting Normandy and the Loire Valley on a trip planned by France Just For You. The trip was amazing....We stayed in beautiful accomodations,had the BEST private guides,utilized many suggested itineraries---and all while keeping within our budget! For anyone who does not have the time or inclination to plan a trip …
Becky & John
Travelers wanting to experience France need look no further than France Just for You. Emilie works very hard to make sure travelers have a care-free, positive, unique experience that they could have never found on their own or with a bus tour group. If you dislike prefabricated group tours, and/or feel unconfident about traveling in a foreign …
Phil & Pat
Just a quick word of admiration and thanks for well planned and executed vacation for us. Every hotel, Chateau, B&B was clever, different and fun. Guides were outstanding and your recommendations without a flaw. I know we would enjoyed this vacation more because of your efforts Our time in France ends tomorrow and we have memories to carry us to …
Anshu & Family
One of the best planned and personalised travel experiences that my family and I have ever had. From information on how to go about navigating the toll machines on the highways; a range of brilliant restaurant recommendations in every town and village that we visited; interesting daily itineraries and extremely hospitable and generous hosts at all …