French authorities have reopened three free supervised swimming sites in the Seine River in Paris, which were created for the 2024 Olympic Games, amid heavy turnout from residents and tourists as temperatures rise.

The first day saw large numbers of visitors, who enjoyed swimming or sitting on the riverbanks chatting and relaxing under the sun, while swimmers are required to wear yellow floatation devices to reduce risks from water currents.

Heatwave in France

These sites represent a historic return to swimming in the Seine after a ban lasting nearly a century, before being allowed again following Paris hosting the 2024 Olympics. The three sites attracted about 100,000 visitors last season.

The swimming sites are located in eastern, central, and western Paris, and will remain open free to the public until late August.

The river water quality is tested frequently several times a day, as it is affected by changing weather conditions, while authorities inform visitors of water status via a color-coded flag system: green indicates swimming allowed, orange indicates caution, and red indicates swimming prohibited.

It is noted that on Saturday morning, the body of a man in his thirties was found in the Saint-Martin canal, according to a police source cited by AFP. On June 26, a man drowned at the same site while swimming outside the permitted area.

Meanwhile, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari announced on Thursday that the death toll from drownings has risen to 'more than 90' since June 19, a figure she described as 'worrying'.