Parisians Dive Back into the Seine After 100 Years!

Quick Smiles:

• Parisians are diving back into the Seine after a century-long hiatus.
• A $2.3 billion cleanup project has restored the river’s health.
• Swimming spots in the Seine are now a major attraction, with more to come.

After more than a hundred years, Parisians are joyfully returning to swim in the Seine River, thanks to a monumental cleanup effort exceeding $2.3 billion.

The river is now open to 1,000 swimmers daily, offering three designated swimming areas free of charge.

This initiative has rekindled a tradition enjoyed by their ancestors, with many eagerly embracing the opportunity.

The anticipation for a cleaner Seine coincided with the excitement surrounding the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The river was set to host the triathlon event, prompting hopes that pollution levels would be sufficiently reduced for safe swimming.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and French President Emmanuel Macron had both pledged to take a dip in July before the Games, although Macron had to bow out due to campaign obligations.

Critics, however, speculated that he might have been concerned about lingering pollution.

In 2023, significant strides were reported in the ambitious project that began soon after Paris was awarded the Olympic Games.

A 2018 law required houseboats on the Seine to connect to sewage systems, eliminating direct waste dumping into the river.

Over half-a-billion euros were dedicated to constructing massive storage basins and other public infrastructure to prevent rain-induced bacterial overflows into the Seine.

Additional funding was allocated to enhance sewage treatment facilities along the riverbanks and at the Marne tributary.

One notable storage facility near Paris’ Austerlitz train station can contain the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools of untreated water.

Despite the successful Games, some athletes who swam in the Seine experienced illness, leading to criticism directed at both the river and the government.

In February, promising signs of ecological recovery in the Seine were highlighted.

Water samples revealed the presence of rare mussel DNA, indicating a positive impact from the cleanup efforts.

These mussels, once thought near extinction in France, were not the primary focus of the study, which also discovered fish populations at ten times the density and diversity compared to a 1960 study.

In early July, amid a sweltering heatwave, the Seine was officially reopened for swimming.

This eco-friendly way to cool off is expected to become a key attraction, with plans for an additional 10 swimming areas to be established, ensuring safety from boat traffic.

These swimming spots are well-equipped with lifeguards, changing rooms, and showers, leaving no reason for Macron to postpone his promised swim.

As Parisians embrace their newly accessible river, the Seine’s revitalization symbolizes the return of a cherished friend.

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