Paris Reopens Three Supervised Seine Swimming Sites Through Summer

Paris has reopened three supervised bathing sites along the Seine for the second year in a row, with the free swimming areas near City Hall, the Eiffel Tower and in eastern Paris set to remain open through the summer depending on water quality and weather conditions.

“PARIS (AP) — Swimming in the Seine is settling into a new Paris summer ritual as the city on Saturday opened three supervised bathing sites for the second year in a row”

Chron

The Associated Press reported that the sites are under strict lifeguards' watch and that authorities conduct daily water quality testing.

Chron

The City of Paris said the three prepared and secured basins are installed from July 4 to August 30 at the Marie Arm, in Grenelle, and in Bercy.

Le Figaro said the City is reopening three designated bathing basins along the Seine from July 4 to August 30, naming Bras Marie (IVth), Bras de Grenelle (XVth) and the Quai de Bercy (XIIth).

Tourists described the experience as a cooling-off alternative in the heart of the French capital, with Stewart Talbot of Melbourne, Australia saying, "It’s amazing to be swimming in the Seine while looking at the Eiffel Tower."

Hermine Jegou, 19, said, "I love that everyone can get into the water — grandmothers, children — it’s just really nice."

CNN

Le Figaro said access is free and does not require any reservation, and it set conditions including that swimming is allowed for those at least 1.20 m tall and that children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Le Figaro also said wearing a buoy is mandatory and that exiting the water must take place 30 minutes before closing, with opening depending on safety conditions including currents, weather, and water quality analyzed daily.

The Seine’s return as a swim venue is framed as a legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which accelerated a multibillion-euro cleanup of the river through major sewer upgrades and new rainwater storage infrastructure designed to reduce pollution.

“From July 4 to August 30, 2026, Paris’s outdoor swimming sites reopen for the summer season”

jds.fr

Le Figaro said that as a legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, more than €1.4 billion have been invested to improve water quality, and it added that last summer the facilities had already attracted nearly 100,000 bathers.

At the Grenelle site near the Eiffel Tower, AP reported that "The maximum capacity here is 200 people," and that there is a waiting system at the entrance with monitoring in real time.

Le Figaro specified that the Quai de Bercy site can accommodate up to 600 people simultaneously, including 300 in the water, under the supervision of at least five lifeguards, while Bras Marie can accommodate up to 150 people under the supervision of three lifeguards.