The River Seine reopened to swimmers in Paris on Saturday morning, marking the first time since 1923 that bathers could take a dip in the iconic waterway following a yearslong cleanup effort.
A few dozen people of all ages arrived ahead of the 8:00 a.m. opening of the Bras Marie swimming zone — one of three open in Paris this summer — donning swim caps and goggles as they prepared to dive in and celebrate the long-awaited return of bathing in the Seine.
"I thought it would be freezing cold but it's actually great," said Karine, 51, a care worker from southeast of Paris, and one of the first to jump in.
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