Seine River Reopens for Swimming After 100 Years, Is It Safe?

Light House Denver – After a century of closure, the historic Seine River in Paris has finally reopened as a popular public swimming area. The Paris City Government is inviting residents to enjoy swimming in this iconic river following a massive cleanup effort. For the past 100 years, swimming in the Seine had been banned due to poor water quality.

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Billion-Dollar Cleanup Project

According to Euro News, the Paris government has invested approximately US$1.5 billion (around Rp24 trillion) to clean the Seine River. This effort aims to make the river sufficiently clean and safe to be used as a natural swimming pool for the public.

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Starting July 5, 2025, three designated swimming areas will open to the public. These locations are:

Near Notre Dame Cathedral
Near the Eiffel Tower
In the eastern part of Paris

All swimming zones are free to access, supervised by professional lifeguards, and will operate daily throughout the summer season.

Swimming Safety System

To ensure safety, authorities have implemented a color-coded flag system:

Green: Safe to swim
Red: Unsafe, recommended only for sunbathing

This system helps visitors determine the best times to enjoy swimming in the Seine safely.

Residents Remain Hesitant

Despite government assurances of cleanliness, many Parisians remain hesitant to enter the water. The Seine’s surface still appears murky, with visible trash, and bacteria levels are known to fluctuate depending on weather conditions.

Dan Angelescu, a scientist and founder of Fluidion, has independently tested the Seine’s water quality for years. He warns that current official testing methods might not fully reflect the true risks.

“The water quality in the Seine varies greatly. In my opinion, there are only a few days during the swimming season when the water can be considered safe for swimming according to current regulations,” Dan told Euro News on Sunday, July 6, 2025. He emphasized that his independent tests show there are still significant risks that may go undetected by current testing methods.

Evidence of Cleanup Success

Nevertheless, the extensive cleanup has shown positive results. Today, more than 35 species of fish inhabit the Seine, a stark increase compared to the 1970s when only a handful of species were present.

But whether Parisians will follow the fish and return to swim in the Seine remains to be seen.