Paris has prohibited swimming in the Seine since 1923, although the ban is enforced only haphazardly. Today, the river is heavily polluted and swimmers face health hazards from chemical waste and bacterial infections. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised the Seine will be clean enough to host open-water swimming events in the 2024 Olympics. Will the city of Paris be able to achieve this lofty goal?
This video is part of a series that accompanies Ms. Sciolino’s new book:
The Seine: River That Made Paris
October 29, 2019
