After having been banned from doing so for one hundred years, people will soon be able to once again swim in the Seine, the river which flows through Paris.
Parisians had been banned from swimming in the river in 1923 because it was so dirty. However, as part of the preparations for next year’s Olympics, which are due to be held in Paris, the river has been cleaned up, and a number of aquatic events will be held in the Seine. The clean-up operation is not only due to the Olympics. It has been part of a 20-year project to improve the water quality of the river.
In 2025 certain parts of the river will be opened to the public again.
The Olympic events which are scheduled to be held in the Seine include the aquatic legs of the triathlon and the Paralympics triathlon, and the Open Water Swimming events.
By the 1960s, the river was almost devoid of any fish, but recently more than 30 different species of fish have been identified as swimming in the river near the city centre.
[Photo: Andrew Boersma for unsplash]