For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a refreshing dip in the River Seine. The long-polluted waterway is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year.
Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank will open on Saturday — one close to Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris.
Swimming in the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. Taking a dip outside bathing areas is still banned for safety reasons.
You won’t live near cities that clean up their waterways? You could rival Michelin publishing that list of reasons you have.
My local waterways aren’t so fucking filthy that swimming has been banned for a century. We spent the 4th happily boating (electric!), swimming, fucking around on the local river, no thoughts of foul water.