The swimming areas set up in the Seine, the Saint-Martin canal and the Bassin de la Villette welcomed more than 180,000 visitors during the summer of 2026. This record attendance was boosted by the various heat waves that hit the capital during the summer season.
The three free swimming areas opened in the Seine, located at Bras Marie, Bercy, and Grenelle, recorded 120,000 entries in eight weeks. This result represents a 20% increase compared to 2025, the first year these areas have been in operation after nearly a century of swimming in the river being prohibited.
A new site is being considered near Bastille.
The facilities at the Bassin de la Villette welcomed 51,000 people, compared to 12,000 for those at the Canal Saint-Martin. Four temporary outdoor pools set up in sports centers also received 33,000 swimmers, bringing the total number of visitors to Parisian swimming areas to 216,000.
The municipality hopes to further develop this system in 2027. The opening of a new site in the Arsenal basin, near the Place de la Bastille, is under consideration. Water quality will nevertheless remain a crucial factor, as several facilities had to temporarily close at the end of July following fuel oil pollution.
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