Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Set to Fulfill Promise by Swimming in the Seine

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will swim in the Seine River, fulfilling a promise made in January before the 2024 Olympics. Joined by Paris 2024 Games head Tony Estanguet and regional prefect Marc Guillaume, the event showcases the river's improved cleanliness. Major investments have been made since 2015 to prepare the Seine for the Games.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is set to take a swim in the Seine River on Wednesday, fulfilling a promise made earlier this year. The swim, occurring near City Hall and Notre Dame Cathedral, aims to highlight efforts to improve the river's cleanliness ahead of the 2024 Olympics.

Joining Hidalgo will be Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 Games, and Marc Guillaume, the prefect of the Paris region. Organizers have invested $1.5 billion since 2015 to prepare the river for public use and ensure its cleanliness well beyond the Games.

Despite past promises, swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century. Concerns over water quality and pollution have led to daily testing, with recent results showing improvement. The river will host several Olympic events, including open water swimming and triathlons.

(With inputs from agencies.)