Paris mayor takes a swim in Seine to prove city’s cleanliness ahead of Olympic games
Joining her were Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, top government official Marc Guillaume, and other enthusiastic swimmers from local clubs.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, made a bold statement by taking a dip in the long-polluted Seine River. Her plunge was not just a refreshing swim but a promise fulfilled: to demonstrate that the river is now clean enough to host open swimming competitions during the upcoming 2024 Olympic. With the opening ceremony just nine days away, Hidalgo’s swim was a pivotal moment for the City of Light.
Clad in a wetsuit and goggles, Hidalgo braved the waters near the imposing City Hall, her office, and the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. Joining her were Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, top government official Marc Guillaume, and other enthusiastic swimmers from local clubs. Emerging from the Seine, Hidalgo declared, “The Seine is exquisite. The water is very, very good—just a little cool.”
This swim is part of a broader effort to showcase the river’s improved cleanliness ahead of the Summer Games. Daily water quality tests in early June had revealed unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria, but recent improvements have addressed those concerns. Swimming in the Seine had been banned for over a century, but since 2015, organizers invested $1.5 billion to prepare the river for the Olympics and ensure a cleaner environment for Parisians after the Games. Their plan included constructing a massive underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Investments and Infrastructure Improvements
Originally scheduled for June, Hidalgo’s swim was postponed due to snap parliamentary elections in France. On the initial date, the hashtag “jechiedanslaSeine” (“I’m pooping in the Seine”) trended on social media as some threatened to protest the Olympics by defecating upstream. Undeterred, Hidalgo carefully entered the river using a ladder on an artificial pond specially set up for the event. Seven security boats ensured her safety during the historic swim.
Swimming about 100 meters downstream, Hidalgo switched between crawl and breaststroke. Curious spectators crowded the upper banks, eager to witness the occasion. Lucie Coquereau, who woke up early to view Hidalgo from the Pont de Sully bridge, exclaimed, “I wouldn’t have missed that for anything in the world.”
Preparations for Olympic Events
Hidalgo follows in the footsteps of French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who swam in the Seine last Saturday wearing a full-body suit. Concerns over the Seine’s flow and pollution levels persist, prompting daily water quality tests by the monitoring group Eau de Paris. While Jacques Chirac, the former French president and Paris mayor, made a similar pledge in 1988, it remained unrealized until now.
The Seine is getting ready to host open water swimming events during the Games, such as marathon swimming and the swimming legs of the Olympic and Paralympic triathlons. Hidalgo’s swim demonstrates the city’s dedication to both environmental improvement and athletic achievement.
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