STORY: Paris opened up the River Seine for public swimming on Saturday (July 5) for the first time in over a century, with dozens of people seen eagerly wading into the long-polluted waterway at a designated site.

Bathing in the Seine has been banned since 1923, with promises to restore water quality going back to 1990, when then-Paris mayor Jacques Chirac — later French president — vowed to make the river safe for swimming again.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and France's sports minister, Marie Barsacq greeted swimmers at the site, one of three designated swimming areas along the Seine. The pair were later seen filling bottles with water from the river before holding them up for the cameras.

France has spent at least 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) turning a river frequently laden with sewage into one clean enough to swim in. Olympic events were held last year in the Seine, and Paris hopes holding outdoor swimming events in the waterway will demonstrate its transformation to a global audience.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 5, 2025) (FRENCH POOL - Access all)

1. SWIMMERS WALKING THROUGH GANTRY TO RIVER SEINE SWIMMING AREA

2. SWIMMERS CHANGING

3. FIRST SWIMMERS ENTERING RIVER SEINE

4. SWIMMERS CHANGING

5. SWIMMER ADJUSTING WRISTBAND

6. VARIOUS OF SWIMMERS

7. VARIOUS OF LIFEGUARDS WORKING

8. WATER SAFETY BUOYS IN CONTAINER

9. VARIOUS OF SWIMMERS IN RIVER, POLICE BOATS NEARBY

10. FRANCE’S SPORTS MINISTER, MARIE BARSACQ (WHITE TOP) AND PARIS MAYOR, ANNE HIDALGO (BLUE JACKET), ARRIVING

11. HIDALGO SHAKING HANDS WITH LIFEGUARD

12. HIDALGO AIR-KISSING SWIMMERS AND POSING FOR SELFIE

13. HIDALGO, BARSACQ AND ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION PREFECT, MARC GUILLAUME (RIGHT), WATCHING SWIMMERS

14. HIDALGO AND BARSACQ FILLING BOTTLES WITH WATER FROM RIVER / HOLDING UP BOTTLES TO CAMERA / CLINKING BOTTLES

15. HIDALGO AND BARSACQ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS

16. SWIMMERS IN RIVER