When Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900, multiple swimming events took place in the river. Since 1923, however, swimming in Paris’ Seine river has been banned to protect swimmers from currents, river traffic and water pollution. Now, the city is hoping to return the river to its former state as an Olympic venue and public swimming hole.

One year out from the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games, Paris has announced it will reopen the River Seine for swimming competition and then allow public swimming, ending a century-long ban. This ban was in place to stop people immersing themselves in river waters polluted by stormwater, sewage and chemicals.

Not only are three Olympic and Paralympic events - triathlon, marathon swimming and Para-triathlon - scheduled to take place in the Seine in central Paris, but by 2025 three open-air swimming areas will be accessible from the quayside.