Do you fancy a swim in the Seine? No ? The truth is, very few people would like to try it, given the pollution of the river that flows through the capital. And anyway, it's been forbidden since 1923, almost a century ago, on pain of a fine! Yet Anne Hidalgo had announced that she wanted to make swimming possible in a clean Seine by the 2024 Olympic Games.
The mayor of Paris wants to organize the 10km freestyle and triathlon events in the Seine during Paris 2024. That's why a process of cleaning up and sanitizing the river has begun, which will eventually enable Parisians to enjoy a new, free activity! But first, the athletes have to get into the water. Future swimmers, meanwhile, will only be able to consider taking a dip by summer 2025, the City of Paris has finally announced. A slightly later date, for greater safety!
According to the City Council, the quality of the Seine is already much better than it was 20 years ago, and 35 species of fish thrive there, compared with just 2 50 years ago. The clean-up of the river, which is expected to cost several hundred million euros, is a major undertaking, involving several stages, not least thecessation of wastewater discharges into the Seine! Until now, housing estates and barges have been discharging their dirty water into the river, with disastrous consequences for water quality and the environment.
However, it won't be possible to take a dip everywhere! Swimming areas will be set aside from the Trocadéro to the Pont-Neuf, in the Bois de Boulogne, near the Gare d'Austerlitz and at Bercy, which would already be a significant improvement. Today, you can only swim in the Seine at the Bassin de La Villette, during Paris Plages.
We recommend that you wait a few more years before swimming there, as the health risks are considerable. It's possible to contract a skin or urinary tract infection, to develop gastroenteritis if you ingest the water, but above all to catch leptospirosis. This bacterial disease is known as rat disease, because it is transmitted via rat corpses or urine, and is known to be present in the capital. Take this seriously, as the disease is fatal. In the meantime, you'd be better off in a Parisian swimming pool!
