Everything you need to know about swimming in the Seine in summer 2026

Last summer more than 75,000 people took the opportunity to swim in the River Seine in central Paris – the first time that the river had been open to the public in more than 100 years.

Now Paris authorities have announced that it will return for summer 2026.

If you plan on dipping a toe into the water, here’s what you need to know;

When – the exact dates have not yet been confirmed, but the swimming spots run alongside the Paris plages, which are usually open for the months of July and August. It’s possible that some sites will extend their opening hours into September, as happened last year.

Exact opening times are also still TBC, but the sites last year opened in either the morning or the afternoon/evening – the schedule is designed to avoid disruption to the boat traffic on the river.

Where – you cannot just jump into the river anywhere you fancy, the Seine is a busy river with boat taxis, pleasure boats and commercial traffic that make generalised swimming dangerous.

Instead, there are three roped-off areas within the river – forming large open-water swimming pools. Two of the sites are in the same place as last year, and one has moved slightly.

The sites are; Bercy in the 12th facing the Bibliothèque nationale, located near the Simone de Beauvoir footbridge, at the bottom of the Parc de Bercy. This is the largest swimming area and also has a sunbathing spot so it is a popular place to hang out with friends – last year it was open in the afternoons and evenings and was popular with the after-work crowd.

Grenelle on the Bras de Grenelle in the 15th arrondissement, facing the Île aux Cignes, close to the Eiffel Tower. 

Louis-Philippe – last year’s swimming spot at Bras Marie in the 4th arrondissement has moved slightly downriver – this year it will be next to the Pont Louis-Philippe, around 600m away from the Bras Marie site. 

There are also two sites to swim in Paris canals – the long-running Bassin de la Villette swim site will open as normal, as well as the new site in the nearby Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement.

Facilities – Each site has lockers (take a €1 coin or ask staff for a token), showers and toilets, while the larger sites (Bercy and Grenelle) also have changing rooms.

Rules – you must be able to swim. The river is about 9 metres deep, so you will not be able to touch the bottom. There are lifeguards on duty but you may not be allowed in if you are obviously a non-swimmer. The sites are also limited to over 14s.

You must also be wearing a swimsuit – for women, this is either a one-piece swimsuit or a bikini; topless sunbathing is not allowed.

Men may wear either Speedos or baggy swim shorts (which are not allowed in municipal swimming pools). Unlike in municipal pools, there is no requirement to wear a swimming cap.

Each site provides an inflatable that can be clipped around the waist – these are compulsory even for accomplished swimmers.

Cleanliness – the water is tested daily, and sites will only open if the water is clean enough for safe swimming.

Last year, Paris city authorities provided a regularly updated website which showed in real time which sites were open and which were closed. It is expected that there will be a similar system for the summer of 2026.

Although the treatment of Paris’s wastewater has vastly improved in recent years, it still struggles to cope after very heavy rain – therefore, sites are likely to close for a day or two after summer rainstorms.

Accessibility – the sites themselves are accessible to wheelchair users or people of reduced mobility, but getting into the water last year required either using steps or asking a lifeguard for help.

Cost – swimming and access to the sites are free. It is not possible to book in advance, each site does have a limit to the number of swimmers allowed, so on very busy days (eg public holidays) you may need to wait in line.

We will update this article once the final details are confirmed