Paris opens river Seine for public swimming for first time since 1923

People swim in the River Seine at the Bras Marie site, opened to swimmers marking the first public bathing session in the capital's historic waterway, in Paris, France, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

PARIS (Reuters) -Parisians rushed for a dip in the Seine on Saturday as authorities opened the river to public swimming for the first time since 1923 after an extensive clean-up operation spurred on by it being used last year as a venue in the Paris Olympics.

Three sites along the banks of the Seine in the city will be able to welcome over 1,000 swimmers daily until August 31, local officials said, to the delight of the Parisians and visitors who were among the first to take the plunge.