Paris Unveils Swimmable Seine: A Major Urban Legacy of the Olympic Games

Paris has officially opened three new natural swimming locations along the Seine, Bras Marie, Bercy, and Grenelle, on 5 July 2025.

This development occurs just over a year after the river hosted Olympic triathlon and marathon swimming competitions during the Paris 2024 Games, marking a significant milestone in a decades-long urban regeneration project.

Highlighting the impact of the Paris Games, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, expressed: “The spirit of the Games continues to thrive in the streets of Paris. And now, in the waters of the Seine.”

“This progress would not have materialised so swiftly without the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is through this collaborative, ambitious project—backed by all stakeholders within the State and the Olympic and Paralympic Movement—that we successfully navigated the environmental, health, and technical challenges to make swimming a safe and sustainable reality,” Mayor Hidalgo said.

Reinforcing the perspective, IOC head of legacy Tania Braga, added: “When a host city embraces the Games as a springboard for long-term progress, as Paris has exemplified, the impact profoundly transcends venues and competitive events.”

“It is about reconnecting people to their environment, generating enduring public value, and demonstrating how ambition and collaboration can engender meaningful change,” Braga noted.

Key Developments:

These newly accessible sites are projected to accommodate approximately 1,000 swimmers daily through August, offering clean waters and secure access.

The reopening of the Seine for public swimming is the culmination of extensive environmental and infrastructure investment. Historically, swimming in the river was prohibited in 1923 due to severe pollution.

This initiative aimed to restore the river to a swimmable state by the time of the Olympic Games, focusing on rectifying outdated sewage systems, stormwater runoff, and wastewater discharge.

A key infrastructure development in this transformation is a substantial underground storage basin near Austerlitz. This facility is designed to capture and contain overflow from the sewer network during heavy rainfall, preventing untreated water from contaminating the Seine.

With a capacity exceeding 50,000 cubic metres, equivalent to twenty Olympic-sized swimming pools, the basin holds wastewater for safe treatment before its eventual release.

Social, Environmental, and Economic Implications:

While the project was primarily an engineering undertaking, its implications extend to social, environmental, and economic domains. The initiative has provided Parisians and visitors with new access to green spaces, leisure activities, and opportunities for physical well-being in the city centre.

The newly opened sites offer free, safe, and refreshing public spaces, equipped with accessible facilities, lifeguards, showers, and sun decks. Kayaks are available for borrowing at Grenelle, with clearly marked swimming zones and temporary navigation halts during operating hours. Water quality is rigorously tested daily to ensure safety protocols are met.

The Olympic Catalyst and Enduring Legacy:

The successful restoration of the Seine exemplifies how major sporting events can serve as catalysts for significant urban and regional improvements.

While efforts to clean the river were already underway, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games provided a unique impetus and a definitive deadline to accelerate these initiatives.

This ultimately reconnected Paris with its iconic river, transforming it from a mere backdrop to a functional public amenity.

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