“It’s hot!” On Saturday morning, he came out of the scene as the Parisians took a dip in the river for the first time in more than 100 years.
The prestigious waterways of the French capital have been closed for swimmers since 1923, with some exceptions, the risk generated by river navigation due to pollution and risks.
$ 1.5 billion after cleanup project Last year’s Olympics tiedOfficials say the scene meets European water quality standards in most days.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who had already taken a dip last yearIt was Saturday morning, holding a transparent bottle filled with river water as a display of confidence. Environmental officials confirmed Bacterial level The official threshold was below.
According to AFP, “It is a childhood dream that people are floating in the scene,” he said, according to AFP.
Magli Cohen/Hans Lucas/AFP through Getty Image
Public swimming is allowed in the nominated areas of the scene, including two newly constructed wooden decks near the Eiffel Tower and OFLE Saint-Lui in Central Paris. Before sunrise, a municipal officer removed the last few patch of algae with a fishnet. Soon after, a line of curious Parisis was formed, towels in hand, waiting for their jumping opportunity.
The first swimmers echoed Joy’s echo across the riverbank along with entering emerald-green water.
Each swimmer wore a bright yellow lifeboy around his waist, which was part of strict security measures applied by a dozen lifeguards in high-viewing places. The current was weak, just enough to gently tag on their organs – a reminder that it is still a living, urban river.
Amin Hosini, a 25 -year -old Paris -based construction worker, said, “The city’s heart is very good, especially with high temperatures that we are recently.” “I wonder because I thought it was going to be a cooler and in fact, it’s much more hot than what I thought.”
Taking a dip outside the specified areas is still banned for security reasons.
Magli Cohen/Hans Lucas/AFP through Getty Image
From the deck, tourists and morning joggers stopped watching. Some were appreciated because the swimmers climbed, smiling and dripping on the steel ladder. Others, such as François Forenier, remained suspicious.
“I’ll not put it at risk quite clearly,” said the Forenier, who lives above the riverbank and saw the scene from a bridge above. “I have seen things that you cannot imagine swimming in the scene, so I will wait for it to be really clean.”
Floating debris still moved around-a stray leaf, a plastic cover-but the smell was barely noticeable: no strong sewage smell, just a soil, a river-like fragrance.
“It’s very chic, to swim in the scene, next to St. Louis,” said 43-year-old Lucil Woodward. “There are some apprehensions, of course, at any time you go to swim somewhere, but I think it is now one of the most tested areas in the whole world. I don’t think the Town Hall may allow itself to have any problem.”
He added with a laugh: “My skin is fine.”
Bustian Ohier/Hans Lucas/AFP Getty Image
The promise to lift the swimming ban is before 1988, when the then Paris Mayor and the future President, Jacques Chirk, first advocated the opposite.
President Emmanuel Macron wrote, “One of my predecessors, the mayor of Paris, dreamed of a scene, where everyone could swim.” XDescribing this step as a result of “collective effort” and a moment of “pride” for France.
with Record-breaking temperature Since the record started in 1900, killing Europe, including France’s second hottest June, said that they hope that the Parisians would get relief from fresh swims. Swimming spots will be open till 31 August.
Contributed to this report.