Seine in Paris is open for swimming again after a century-long ban

The River Seine in the French capital Paris has reopened for swimming for the first time since 1923 after a century-long ban, UNN reports with reference to the BBC.

Details

The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, where open water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event.

On Saturday morning at 08:00 local time, several dozen swimmers arrived for the opening and dived into the water when they were able to.

The Seine has three specially designated public swimming areas - one near the Eiffel Tower, another near Notre Dame Cathedral, and a third in eastern Paris.

The zones are equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beach furniture, allowing up to 300 people to lay out towels.

Until the end of August, the three bathing spots will be open free of charge at set times for everyone aged 10 or 14 and over, depending on the location.

Lifeguards will also monitor those in the river.

Addition

The promise to lift the swimming ban was made back in 1988, when then-Mayor of Paris and future President Jacques Chirac first advocated for its repeal.

For 100 years, swimming in the river was prohibited due to water pollution, which could cause illness in people. Improvements over the past 20 years have already led to a sharp reduction in the amount of fecal bacteria entering the river.

More than 1.4 billion euros were invested in cleaning the Seine ahead of the Summer Olympics.

However, ahead of the games, doubts arose about the readiness of the River Seine for the Olympics after it was revealed that it had failed a water quality test.

Organizers blamed rainfall for increased pollution, which limited athletes' ability to train for triathlon, marathon swimming, and paratriathlon.

Last July, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and other members of the Olympic Committee went to the Seine to prove that it was safe to swim in.

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