They did it! After a 1.4 billion euro investment, Paris authorities have declared that the Seine is officially clean and swimmable. And just in time for the Olympic Games.
In living memory, the river has always been deemed too polluted and unsafe for swimming. But not anymore.
Last week, to prove a point, a group of Parisian mayors took to the Seine for a swim. No sharks. No crocodiles. No pollution. Just a big group of swimming Parisians.
And one of them was Ariel Weil, the mayor of ‘Paris Centre’ (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements), who joined us this week on The Earful Tower podcast to explain more. That’s him above, on the left.
He tells us what it was like to take a dip in the iconic river, how the plan has always been to give the river back to Parisians, and what the Olympics will mean for Paris in the future. Listen below and scroll down for more pics.
What Olympic events will be in the Seine river?
The Seine river is a UNESCO world heritage site, which only adds to the prestige of the opening ceremony. But that won’t be the only opportunity the athletes have to make their mark on this world-famous landmark.
The Triathlon and open-water swimming events will take place on the Seine, which is a miracle considering swimming in the river has been banned since 1923. Mayor Ariel Weil affirms that this river clean up wasn’t only for the Olympics, it was for all Parisians to swim in three natural pools they’ll build, starting in 2025.
The challenges of these Olympics
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Paris 2024. Coming hot off the heels of surprise national legislative elections, the city has had to navigate some security hassles. A barrier almost four miles long was put in place around the river, which has caused headaches for residents and tourists alike.
Ariel likened the centre of Paris to a war zone, but said that these logistical difficulties will be forgotten once people see the ‘amazing opening ceremony…which will blow off all the bad vibes.’
This week’s Earful Tower podcast episode
Below, again, is the podcast episode with Ariel. Enjoy! And if you like what you hear, please consider becoming a Patreon member on the link below.
Interested in finding out more about the Paris Olympic Games? Here are eight of the awe-inspiring event sites. And below is the episode again, via Spotify.