Seine sees record turnout as thousands of Parisians brave rain to swim in cleaned-up river

AI Summary

Despite frequent summer rain causing 13 days of closures, over 35,000 people enjoyed swimming in the River Seine in Paris during July. This marks the first time since 1923 the river has been open for swimming, following a major cleanup effort. A new retention basin successfully prevented sewage overflow into the Seine during rainfall. The swimming areas, including one near the Eiffel Tower, saw a record 5,700 swimmers on July 13th and remain open until August 31st, a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics.