Paris Opens Seine River for Swimming Second Year

Parisians are diving into summer with a splash that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago: swimming in the Seine River for the second year running.

The iconic waterway, which flows through the heart of Paris, reopened to swimmers last summer after being banned for a full century. City officials announced Friday that three official swimming spots will welcome visitors starting July 4, continuing a remarkable environmental comeback story.

Paris poured more than a billion euros into cleaning up the Seine ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The massive effort paid off spectacularly, with roughly 100,000 people lining up to take the plunge last summer. The number speaks volumes about how much Parisians missed their relationship with the river that defines their city.

This year, swimmers can choose from three scenic locations. The Bras de Grenelle near the Eiffel Tower offers postcard-worthy views while cooling off. The Bras Marie sits just a short walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral. And Bercy on the eastern side rounds out the options in Paris proper.

The good news extends beyond Paris city limits. About 50,000 swimmers enjoyed the Marne River in the eastern suburbs last year. This summer, four returning spots in Joinville-le-Pont, Champigny-sur-Marne, Saint-Maur-des-Fosses, and Maison-Alfort will reopen, with a brand new fifth location added at Neuilly-sur-Marne northeast of Paris.

Last summer's launch had a bumpy start when rain affected water quality early in the season. But swimmers stuck with it, and the turnout proved Parisians were eager to reclaim this piece of their heritage.

The Ripple Effect

The Seine cleanup represents more than just new swimming holes. It shows what cities can accomplish when they commit to environmental restoration at scale. The project created a blueprint that other urban centers with polluted waterways are now studying closely.

Authorities remind swimmers to stick to designated areas with lifeguards on duty. Safety matters, but so does the larger message: rivers that were written off as too polluted to save can come back to life.

The Seine's transformation from off-limits to swimmable in just a few years proves that environmental wins are possible, even in densely populated cities. This summer, as Parisians float past centuries-old architecture, they're not just cooling off. They're celebrating a river reborn.