More than 50,000 people have been swimming in the Seine since the opening of three pools in Paris on 5 July, French sports minister Marie Barsacq said on Saturday.
The three Parisian bathing sites at Bras Marie, Grenelle and Bercy have seen more than 50,000 visitors, despite closing due to bad weather the day after their inauguration, Barsacq told Franceinfo on Saturday.
More than 12,000 swimmers used the sites during the long weekend of 14 July alone.
Barsacq added that swimming in the Seine has been "a great success", while local authorities called the project "a major step forward for the wellbeing of residents".
Seine swimming to return to heart of Paris after century of bans
After just 10 days of the swimming sites being open, Paris local authorities had counted nearly 20,000 bathers in the Seine – despite closures on 6 and 7 July. The red flag was raised after heavy rain, which raised fears of bacterial pollution of the water.
To improve water quality upstream of the river, more than €1.4 billion has been invested in sewage treatment works to prevent this from being discharged into the river.
The three Paris pools will remain open until 31 August. Swimming sites have also been set up in the Marne, at Joinville-le-Pont and Maisons-Alfort.
