Paris Opens River Seine For Public Swimming

Parisians rushed for a dip in the Seine on July 5, as the authorities opened the river to public swimming for the first time since 1923, after an extensive clean-up operation spurred by it being used as a venue for the 2024 Olympic Games.

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PARIS -

A 95-year-old Parisian was among the first to take the plunge at a newly opened swim zone in the city's east.

"I'm so happy! I've dreamed of swimming in the Seine for years," said Ingrid, who declined to give her last name, as she stepped carefully into the warm water wearing a turquoise blue swimsuit.

Three sites along the banks of the Seine in the city will be able to welcome over 1,000 swimmers daily until Aug 31, local officials said, to the delight of Parisians and visitors who were among the first to take the plunge.

"Really nice, I'm impressed, surprised," said 24-year-old Victoria Cnop, a Brazilian who lives in Paris. "I never imagined being in the water close to the Eiffel Tower."