Day 2952 (Tuesday) 8th July 2025

This is Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat

and this is the Old Town of Nice.

Seine reopens to first Paris swimmers after century-long ban

People swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river on its opening day, in Paris on July 5, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

The River Seine reopened to Parisian swimmers on Saturday morning for the first time since 1923, offering locals and tourists a welcome respite after a scorching temperatures.

The River Seine reopened to Parisian swimmers on Saturday morning for the first time since 1923, offering locals and tourists a welcome respite after a scorching temperatures.

A few dozen swimmers arrived ahead of the opening at 8am for the long awaited moment, diving into the water under the watchful eye of lifeguards, an AFP journalist said.

People swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river on its opening day, in Paris on July 5, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the event.

People swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river on its opening day, in Paris on July 5, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

A lifeguard stands on duty as people swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river on its opening day, in Paris on July 5, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

The swimming zones are equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beach-style furniture, offering space for 150 to 300 people to relax, lay out their towels, and unwind from the city's hustle and bustle.

The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal.

People swim at the Bercy safe bathing site on the Seine river on its opening day, in Paris on July 5, 2025. Olympics, when open water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the event. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

Paris officials say they have taken several measures to ensure swimmers can safely enjoy the long-anticipated reopening, including daily water pollution testing and implementing a swim test for bathers.

But they reminded swimmers of potential dangers, including strong currents, boat traffic, and an average depth of 3.5 metres (11 feet).

"The Seine remains a dangerous environment," said local official Elise Lavielle earlier this week.

To mitigate that risk, lifeguards will assess visitors' swimming abilities before allowing independent access, while a decree issued in late June introduced fines for anyone swimming outside designated areas.

The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the event.

"It's a childhood dream to have people swimming in the Seine," said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who visited the site in the city's historic centre near the Ile Saint-Louis.

"Look at how happy everyone is," she said with a smile.

Here are the last of the French idioms explained.

passer du coq à l’âne – to jump from pillar to post
Literal Translation: to switch from the rooster to the donkey

passer l'arme à gauche – to kick the bucket
Literal Translation: to pass your weapon on the left side

péter un câble – to blow a fuse
Literal Translation: to break a wire

petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid – little strokes fell great oaks
Literal Translation: little by little, the bird builds his nest

pipi de chat – not important
Literal Translation: cat pee
You could use this French idiom to console a friend. Spilled some wine on your favourite shirt? C'est du pipi de chat.

plumer quelqu'un – to take somebody to the cleaner's
Literal Translation: to pluck somebody

poser un lapin – to stand someone up
Literal Translation: to put a rabbit down

prendre ses jambes à son cou – to take your heels
Literal Translation: to take your legs up to your neck

presser quelqu'un comme un citron – to squeeze somebody dry
Literal Translation: to sueeze somebody like a lemon

quand les poules auront des dents – when pigs fly
Literal Translation: when chickens have teeth

Quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent. – When the cat's away, the mice will play.
Literal Translation: When the cat isn't there, the mice dance.

à quelque chose malheur est bon – every cloud has a silver lining
Literal Translation: misfortune has to be good for something

qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf – give somebody an inch and he/she will take a mile
Literal Translation: someone who steals an egg steals an ox

raconter des salades – to spin a yarn
Literal Translation: to tell salads

ramener sa fraise – to stick your oar in
Literal Translation: to bring your strawberry back

rendre l'âme – to give up the ghost
Literal Translation: to give the soul back

revenir à ses moutons – to get back on topic
Literal Translation: to go back to one’s sheep

rouler quelqu’un dans la farine – to cook somebody's goose
Literal Translation: to make somebody roll up into flour

se jeter dans la gueule du loup – to throw oneself in the lion's den
Literal Translation: to throw oneself in the wolf's mouth

se mettre sur son 31 – to be dressed up to the nines
Literal Translation: to put yourself on your 31

se noyer dans un verre d'eau – to be as helpless as a babe
Literal Translation: to drown in a glass of water

s’envoyer en l’air – make love, have sex
Literal Translation: to throw oneself in the air
Love and relationships are a popular source of French idioms. S’envoyer en l’air is a light-hearted way to refer to making love, a favourite French hobby.

se serrer la ceinture – to tighten one’s belt
Literal Translation: to tighten one’s belt

s’occuper de ses oignons – to mind your own business
Literal Translation: to look after your onions

un tien vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras – a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Literal Translation: one which is yours is better than two that will be yours

tomber dans le panneau – to fall into the trap
Literal Translation: to fall into the sign

tomber dans les pommes – to faint
Literal Translation: to fall in the apples

tourner au vinaigre – to turn sour
Literal Translation: to turn into vinegar

traîner quelqu’un dans la boue – to drag somebody’s name in the mud
Literal Translation: to drag somebody in the mud

vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué – to count your chickens before they hatch
Literal Translation: to sell the bear's skin before it’s been killed

This was Badger last night helping Huw do his homework again.