The Seine River in Paris. Photo: Shutterstock For the first time since swimming was banned in the Seine River over a century ago, three sites for free swimming have opened this morning (July 5, 2025) in the heart of Paris - Bras Marie, Bercy, and Grenelle.
The initiative, considered one of the symbolic moves of the Paris 2024 Olympics, emerged from the cooperation between the City of Paris, the French government, and the Ile-de-France regional authorities, aiming to restore the quality of the river's water and return it to the public.
Each site offers a different swimming experience: at Bras Marie, you can swim opposite Ile Saint-Louis in the city center; in Bercy, a complex was built including two pools, showers, and a solarium facing the National Library; and in Grenelle, a family-friendly swimming site opened with access to kayaks opposite Ile aux Cygnes, near the Eiffel Tower.
The three natural swimming sites (Bras Marie, Grenelle, and Bercy) will remain open to the public from July 5 to August 31, 2025.
Swimming is allowed only at certain hours, under lifeguard supervision, and admission is free.
The water quality is tested daily, and the opening of the sites depends on the test results.
