Under clear skies and amid eager onlookers gathered along the Seine’s right bank in Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo fulfilled a promise that marked a significant milestone for the city’s preparations for the 2024 Olympics: she plunged into the river to demonstrate its cleanliness and readiness to host open swimming competitions.
Clad in a wetsuit and goggles, Hidalgo took the plunge near Paris’ iconic City Hall, a symbolic location that overlooks the historic Notre Dame Cathedral. Joining her were Paris 2024 Olympic President Tony Estanguet, a former canoeist, and Marc Guillaume, the top regional government official responsible for overseeing safety and traffic on the Seine—a river that will take center stage during the Games’ opening ceremony.
Accompanying them were members of the City Council and local swimming club members who eagerly participated in the long-awaited swim.
Emerging from the water, Hidalgo shared her impressions with NBC News, describing the experience as “wonderful,” emphasizing the water’s quality as “very cool and very nice.” Estanguet echoed her sentiments, highlighting the swim as a pivotal moment confirming Paris’ readiness for the upcoming Games. “The Seine quality is perfect,” he affirmed, sending a reassuring message to athletes about the conditions they can expect.
Hidalgo’s swim was not merely a ceremonial gesture but part of a broader initiative to showcase the river’s improved cleanliness ahead of the Olympics. Swimming in the Seine had been banned for over a century due to pollution concerns, but significant investments totaling $1.5 billion have been made to rehabilitate the river. This effort included constructing a large underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Despite these efforts, ongoing concerns about the Seine’s water quality persist, prompting daily tests by the monitoring group Eau de Paris. Earlier in June, elevated levels of E. coli bacteria were detected, although subsequent readings showed improvement.
Originally scheduled for June, Hidalgo’s swim was postponed due to parliamentary elections in France. The delay did not dampen the event’s significance, although social media had seen calls to protest the Olympics by threatening to pollute the river upstream, tagged with the hashtag “jechiedanslaSeine” (“I’m pooping in the Seine”).
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For spectators like Lucie Coquereau, who woke up early to secure a view from the Pont de Sully bridge, witnessing Hidalgo’s swim was an unforgettable experience. “I wouldn’t have missed that for anything in the world,” she expressed to The Associated Press.
Hidalgo’s swim follows a historical trend of Parisian leaders promising to clean up the Seine, with former French President Jacques Chirac making a similar pledge in 1988 during his tenure as mayor, albeit unrealized.
Looking ahead, the Seine is slated to host several open water events during the Olympics, including marathon swimming and legs of the Olympic and Paralympic triathlons, cementing its role as a centerpiece in the global sports spectacle set to begin on July 26.
