(5 Jul 2025)
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Paris – 5 July 2025
1. Various of early swimmers taking first dip in Seine at one of three sites along the banks
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Lefrançois, Actor:
"Ecstatic, that’s the first word in my mind. I feel like I’m 12 years old, you know, I was with my bike this morning like, yeah, OK, OK. I just slept two hours because I had a good night yesterday and I have so much energy after that, that ‘baignade’ (swim). No, very, very cool. Very, very cool like the French can say."
3. Various of swimmers
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lucile Woodward, Sports coach and influencer:
"This is so chic, you know, to swim in the Paris Seine, next to the Ile Saint Louis. I am so moved. I am so proud of Paris because it’s really fighting hard to give a little bit more space, area, a little bit more nature to the citizens who live here and we are leading the way. We are showing the world that it’s doable, it’s possible. It had a really bad reputation and now we’ve done it in, you know, maybe a decade."
5. Various of lifeguards on pontoon
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Lucile Woodward, Sports coach and influencer:
"There are some apprehensions of course any time you go to swim somewhere, but I think this is one of the most tested areas in the whole world now because I don’t think the town hall can authorise itself to have any problems, so I’m actually very confident of the people who are doing all these tests, and there were not many problems after the big swims during the Olympics last year. And also, you know, you have to lead the way. You have to show the people that it’s possible, it’s doable, we’re fine and other people will follow."
7. Various of river police boats
8. SOUNDBITE (French) Amine Hocini, Construction site manager:
"It’s much warmer than the outside. And so, I arrived a bit hesitant, I put one foot in and thought to myself, actually, I’m going straight in. It’s better inside than outside, and it’s pure enjoyment, really."
9. Various of swimmers on deck
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Amine Hocini, Construction site manager:
"There’s been talk about how it’s not very clean. But it’s a river that runs through a city, right? I’ve already swum in the Seine a bit further upstream, and it’s still pleasant. I didn’t have any problems; when it’s hot, it always feels good. So, honestly, I think I’ll do it again, especially since with the current temperatures, it can be refreshing. And well, I came, I dove into the Seine, and I think it’s the first time in a hundred years that anyone has swum there, so it’s a bit random but historic. It’s not bad."
11. Various of swimming area by Eiffel Tower
STORYLINE:
For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a refreshing dip in the River Seine.
The long-polluted waterway is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) clean-up project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year.
Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank will open on Saturday — one close to Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris.
Swimming in the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. Taking a dip outside bathing areas is still banned for safety reasons.
This city’s authorities have given the green light for the public opening, with water quality results consistently in line with European regulations.
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