For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists are legally diving into the Seine. Saturday marked the official debut of three new public swimming areas along the iconic river — part of a long-anticipated effort by the French government to make the Seine swimmable again.
“It’s a symbolic moment when we get our river back,” sports coach and influencer Lucile Woodward told CNN.
Woodward competed in the first amateur open water race held in the river on Sunday. She had also swum in the Seine alongside outgoing Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the Olympic Games—a symbolic gesture highlighting the river’s transformation.
The French government accelerated a $1.5 billion cleanup project ahead of last summer’s Olympics, where portions of the Seine hosted marathon swimming and triathlon events. The large-scale effort involved rerouting sewage, upgrading wastewater treatment facilities, and reducing agricultural runoff, according to The Guardian.
Swimming in the Seine had long been banned due to high levels of bacteria and industrial pollution. But environmental advocates and local residents who campaigned for a cleaner river are now seeing progress. Reuters reports that water quality tests currently meet European Union standards.
“We’re in a natural environment… so weather condition variations necessarily have an impact,” said Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan, who noted that water quality is tested daily. “I can’t make a bet on the number of days when we’ll have to close this summer, but water quality seems better than last year,” he added.
A flag system will indicate swimming conditions each day: green for safe, red for unsafe. Up to 1,000 people per day can access the designated swimming zones free of charge, with the program running through the end of August.
The reopening of the Seine marks more than just a novelty—it’s a milestone in the city’s broader campaign for sustainability and livable public space. From pedestrianized streets to rewilded parks, Paris continues to reimagine its relationship with nature, climate, and community.
