A century after ban, how Paris cleaned Seine river for swimming and how Olympics helped

Swimming has been allowed again in the River Seine in Paris from Saturday for the first time since 1923. This happened after many years of cleanup work.

The reopening is seen as one of the results of the Paris 2024 Olympics , during which open water swimmers and triathletes used the river after special cleaning.

People can now swim in marked areas of the river, including two wooden platforms built near the Eiffel Tower and the Ile Saint-Louis in central Paris.

As the first swimmers got into the water, people on the riverbanks could be heard cheering and shouting with excitement.

Each swimmer had to wear a bright yellow lifebuoy tied to their waist. A group of lifeguards in visible vests watched over the activity. The water current was not strong but could still be felt.

These swimming spots have changing rooms, showers, and seating areas. Between 150 and 300 people can use each location to rest and enjoy the space.

Swimming had been banned in the Seine since 1923 because of pollution and boat traffic. The ban still applies outside the official swimming areas to keep people safe.

The river had high pollution levels for many years, which made swimming risky.

Massive cleanup effort

In 1988, then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac said the ban should be removed. That was about 65 years after swimming was first banned.

In the last 20 years, there has been a big drop in the amount of faecal bacteria entering the water.

The reopening follows a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup plan linked to the Olympics. Authorities now say that on most days, the river meets European water quality rules.

But, in the lead up to the games there were doubts as to whether the River Seine would be ready for the Olympics after it was revealed it failed water quality tests.

Organisers blamed rainfall for the increased pollution which limited athletes' abilities to train for the triathlon, marathon swimming and paratriathlon, as per a report by the BBC.

Last July, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and other members of the Olympic committee went into the Seine to prove that it was safe to swim in.

Despite health concerns that affected some Olympic training sessions last summer, as well as the men’s triathlon event, races went ahead as planned, helping to increase confidence in the public swimming plans.

Some things like leaves and plastic wrappers were still floating in the water. However, there was no strong smell of sewage, only a natural river smell.

Paris city official Pierre Rabadan said, as quoted by the news agency AFP, "Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after."

Seine: A witness to wars, art, and love

The Seine has played a central role in French history for centuries. In the 9th century, Viking longboats sailed up the river, burning Rouen in 841 and later laying siege to Paris. During World War II, Allied forces bombed bridges downstream from Nazi-occupied Paris to prepare for the D-Day landings, which led to the liberation of western Europe.

The river has also been a source of inspiration in the world of art and music. Claude Monet painted it from various viewpoints throughout his life. Artists and celebrities such as Doris Day, Marianne Faithfull, Dean Martin, and Jane Birkin have either sung about or had dramatic moments by the Seine. The river has long attracted couples, many of whom attached personalised padlocks to Paris bridges as a symbol of their love.

Apart from being a tourist attraction, the Seine is an important working waterway. Around 20 million tonnes of goods are transported on it every year, making it France’s second-busiest river and reducing road traffic by an estimated 800,000 truck journeys.