Swimming in his: Paris' river baths open again after 100 years!

Swimming in his: Paris' river baths open again after 100 years!

From July 4, 2025, swimming in the river is allowed to be public again after a hundred years. This groundbreaking decision is followed by comprehensive renovation measures, which were brought into the spotlight by the Olympic Games last year. The city of Paris invested around 1.4 billion euros to significantly improve water quality after the river had to deal with faeces problems for many years. Around 20,000 households were connected to the sewage system to prevent wastewater from being managed directly to the SEIN, reports OE24.

The Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo demonstrated bathing in the river in a video that went viral. Despite the considerable investments, however, several training and competitions had to be canceled or postponed during the Olympic Games, since the water quality did not meet the requirements.

opening of the river baths

In addition to the permission to swim in the Seine, Paris opened three river baths on the same day. This innovative idea consists of sun decks, changing rooms and showers that swim on air cushions over the water. The location of these baths extends over the areas of Bercy, Bras Marie and Grenelle. The opening takes place one year after the Olympic Games and is celebrated with this year's summer topic "Brazil", in the framework of which musicians from Rio de Janeiro will also perform. This measure represents a response to the criticism that was expressed in the previous leisure attraction "Paris-Plage" that did not offer bathing opportunities. The water quality in the new bathrooms is classified as good, and the presence of faecal bacteria is harmless, according to the information from [Stuttgarter News] (https://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/inhalt.wasserqualitaet-ist-gut-eroeffnet-drei-flussbaeder-der-Seine 01fce019-6de4-4bb8-a1e68f49c.html).

To ensure a safe bathing company, a total of 27 lifeguards will check the swimming suitability of the guests. The opening of the river baths is partly from 7:30 a.m., which offers the Paris citizens and tourists the opportunity to enjoy the summer directly in the heart of the city.

background and water quality

Developments around the Seine are in the context of the general water quality worldwide. In Germany, for example, a total of 2,291 bathing water was examined in 2024. 98 percent of these waters met the quality requirements of the EU bathing water guideline, and almost 91 percent received the grade "excellent". This data, published by the Federal Environment Agency, illustrate the importance of monitoring and improving water quality in bath water.

The comprehensive measures for the renovation of the Seine are therefore not only a local, but also a globally relevant example of the efforts to protect and revitalize water resources. With the reopening of the Seine, Paris shows that sustainable development and the protection of water can go hand in hand.