Paris: Swimming in Seine gets popular as heat rises

People swim in the Seine river in Paris, on Monday. PIC/AFP

Thousands of people have enjoyed a dip in the river since three public bathing sites opened last month, the first in over a century. The swimming areas are expected to get even more crowded as a heatwave arrives in the region on Tuesday. Paris has been placed under "high vigilance" by the national weather service, Meteo France, with temperatures up to 38°C expected.

Water quality is tested daily to conform to European regulations. Swimming in the Seine had been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. The new bathing sites are possible following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.6 billion) cleanup that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year.

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