It wasn’t that long ago that Paris had a reputation for, let’s say, being un petit peu mucky. Cigarette butt-covered streets, endless dog poop and piles of uncollected bins were classic Parisian stereotypes. And the murky Seine? Well, it was said to be brimming with E.coli – a quick dip could find you bound to the loo, or worse, for days.
However, the massive €1.4 billion investment into cleaning up the river has finally paid off, and over the weekend – after a 102-year ban – the Seine officially reopened to swimmers.
There are technically three different spots open for bathing – Bras Marie, Bras de Grenelle, and Bercy – and according to France 24, each is equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beachy furniture to accommodate between 150-300 people.
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‘It’s a childhood dream to have people swimming in the Seine,’ said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, ‘Look at how happy everyone is!’
So, how was this all done? Well, thanks to the massive river regeneration project, which started in 2018, the river clean-up efforts have been slowly but surely seeing results as fish start to return and the water becomes less murky.
Sewage pollution has been specifically targeted thanks to a 46,000-cubic-metre water tank under a public garden on the left bank (big enough to hold the volume of water from 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools).
The tank was designed to store excess rainfall and drastically reduce (but, notably, not completely halt) the amount of sewage overflowing into the river, which tends to overflow from the city’s nineteenth-century system into the Seine on rainy days.
Daily water pollution tests will take place, and right now, the two bacteria that are being monitored (E. coli and enterococci) are miles below the safety threshold: one is ten times lower, the other is 25.
There are obviously also still dangers to swimming in the Seine, with officials reminding swimmers of strong currents, depths of up to 3.5 metres, and boat traffic – but lifeguards will reportedly be assessing swimmers’ abilities before allowing them independent access. Oh, and swim outside one of the dedicated areas, and you could pay a hefty fine.
But overall, this is welcome news, particularly after Paris has been sweltering in extremely hot weather.
‘Heatwaves are only going to increase,’ said Hidalgo, who added that creating safe swim spaces will foster a ‘happier, and undoubtedly more peaceful life with our fellow citizens.’
All three sites will be open to the public for free until August 31. If you’re after more summery things to do in the city, check out our ultimate guide to what to do in Paris.
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