8 of the best places to swim in Paris right now

As a Canadian transplant who has lived in Paris for more than 15 years, I'm often asked for advice on what to pack for a trip to Paris. But I would never have imagined including swimming attire in my list of things to pack...until now.

My core checklist has been the same for years: a pair of comfortable walking shoes, an umbrella at any time of year, and, in summer, a foldable fan and reusable water bottle (public drinking fountains are everywhere and dehydration can sneak up on you quickly). 

But outdoor swimming – be it splashing in the Seine or swimming laps in an open-air, Olympic-sized pool – has become the best way to cool off and beat the punishing heatwaves that have increased in frequency and intensity in Paris over recent years.

Summer heat in Paris is no joke; it’s like walking in an outdoor furnace. The heat, thick and heavy, hits you like a wall, exacerbated by air pollution and a general lack of air conditioning. Remember that Paris has historically enjoyed a pleasantly temperate climate and has never needed air conditioning in the past.

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When the city opened the River Seine to public swimming in 2025, it came just in time, reinventing the French capital as an urban beach holiday destination. Indeed, taking a dip in the Seine has become one of Paris' favorite things to do.

During the city's annual Paris Plages (Paris Beaches) festival, the banks of the Seine are lined with beach chairs, air-misters and potted palm trees, and the river becomes an urban beach. You can jump in for a refreshing, cooling soak and enjoy unique, water-level views of the city, from the Eiffel Tower to the city's historic stone-arch bridges.

If the river isn't really calling your name, there are also open-air public pools where you can swim laps like an Olympian or soak in the Parisian sunshine on the sundeck. So, somewhere between visiting the Louvre and admiring the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris, consider squeezing an outdoor swim into your Paris itinerary.

To get you in the summer mood, here are some of the best outdoor swimming sites in Paris.

1. The River Seine

Best swimming spot for atmosphere

After Paris hosted the 2024 Olympics, the city brought back public swimming on the Seine. Today, there are three swimming sites that turn one of the world’s most mythologized waterways into an urban beach every summer.

From July through the end of August, these swimming zones are open every day and are free to use. Lifeguards monitor swimmers at all three locations and the water quality is tested every day. There are, however, occasional closures due to poor water quality or bad weather conditions; check Paris.fr for updates.

The most central of the three swimming areas is Bras Marie, with views toward Île Saint-Louis. The riverside wooden deck can accommodate 150 swimmers and there are lockers and showers. The river current is strong here, so swimmers must be at least 14 years old and at least 1.4m tall. Bras Marie is open every day from 8am to 6pm.  

At the east end of the city, Bercy is the largest of the three sites. It has two swimming zones and can accommodate up to 600 people, including 300 swimmers at the same time. Swimmers must be at least 10 years old and 1.2m tall. No more than three children under the age of 14 can be supervised by one adult. The site has changing rooms, showers, toilets and a solarium, open from 11am to 9pm daily. 

Finally, Grenelle, to the west of the city, offers views of  Île aux Cygnes and the Eiffel Tower. The site can accommodate 200 people, including 150 people in the swimming area. This is the most family-friendly site with a dedicated children’s pool for kids aged three and up, who must be accompanied by an adult. To use the bottomless swimming area, however, you must be 14 years of age and at least 1.4m tall. Amenities include changing rooms, showers and toilets, and you can also go kayaking here.

Grenelle has more complicated opening hours. You can swim here from 10am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 4:45pm on Saturday. Sunday has three sessions, from 10am to noon, from 12:30pm to 2:15pm, and from 2:45pm to 5:30pm.

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Getting there: Reach Bras Marie on foot from the Pointe Marie metro station. The Bercy metro station serves the Bercy swimming area, while Grenelle is a 5-minute walk from the Bir-Hakeim metro station.
Planning tip: Access to swimming areas is subject to passing swim tests and the mandatory use of a swimming buoy. Lifeguards will test swimmers’ skills in a specific area of the pool. Once approved, you'll be allowed to swim independently. All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Bras Marie and Grenelle are both accessible for swimmers with reduced mobility.

2. Butte-aux-Cailles

Best public swimming pool

One of the most beautiful and oldest public pools in Paris, constructed in 1924, Butte-aux-Cailles is classified as a historic monument thanks to its superb art nouveau architecture. The robust, red-brick exterior belies its airy, light-filled interior and cathedral-like ambiance. Inside, swimmers perform laps under a vaulted ceiling and elegant, soaring arches.

Along with two indoor pools (one for adults, the other for kids), Butte-aux-Cailles was the first swimming complex in Paris to open an outdoor Nordic pool. To keep outdoor swimmers comfortable, the water is heated to 28ºC (82ºF) by reusing the heat produced by computer servers in the basement, and it's open year-round.

Getting there: Butte-aux-Cailles is 5 minutes' walk from the Corvisart metro station.
Planning tip: Make a day of your visit and explore the pool’s namesake neighborhood, a village-like spot in the outlying 13th arrondissement that’s home to artisans, sloping cobblestone alleyways, interesting street art, quaint bars and lively cafes.

3. Piscine Roger Le Gall

Best swimming spot for the uninhibited

Named after a WWII-era hero of the French Resistance, the Piscine Roger Le Gall is located in the 12th arrondissement in the east of the city. The complex features two swimming areas: an Olympic-sized pool that’s open to the public for serious swimmers keen to get in a few laps, and a smaller second pool reserved for sports clubs.

In summer, the canopy above the bigger pool is removed, letting you swim in the open air. Prudish swimmers take note: in partnership with the Paris Naturist Association, the pool opens every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening to those who prefer to swim in their birthday suits rather than a swimsuit.

Getting there: The pool is a 10-minute walk from the Porte de Vincennes metro station.
Planning tip: Before or after a swim, consider a shady walk in the nearby Bois de Vincennes, Paris' largest green space.

4. Piscine Joséphine Baker

Best for a swim and sunbathe

Come summer, the 13th arrondissement’s Piscine Joséphine Baker – set on a moored barge and named after the American-born dancer-singer – removes its glass canopy and becomes a floating, open-air pool on the Seine, offering sweeping views of Paris' famous river.

Want to squeeze in a workout? The pool features four 25m lanes ranging from 0.9m to 2.1m in depth. If you’re less about the swimming and more about the relaxing, the pool also has a 500-sq-meter sundeck, where you can unwind on one of the chaises and get your daily dose of vitamin D.

Getting there: It's a 3-minute walk from the Quai de la Gare metro station to the Piscine Joséphine Baker.
Planning tip: The evening swimming session from 6pm to 9:30pm is great for catching the sunset.

5. Bassin de la Villette

Best swimming spot for a local vibe

Since 2017, as part of the annual Paris Plages festival, a free outdoor swimming area has been set up every summer in the Bassin de la Villette, the city’s largest artificial lake. Located in the northeastern part of Paris, the 800m-long lake was created in 1808.

The swimming area is divided into three zones: a paddling pool for children; a small pool with a maximum depth of 1.2m; and a large pool reserved for experienced swimmers, with a depth of 2.1m. Water quality is monitored every day, the pool is wheelchair-accessible, and access is limited to just 500 bathers per day.

While Paris Plages at the Seine is the main event for tourists, swimming at Bassin de la Villette draws more locals as it’s farther out from the city center. Other water activities on offer here include kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding.

Another popular way to enjoy the Bassin de la Villette area is to rent an electric boat from Akwa for a leisurely ride up and down the Canal de l'Ourcq. You don’t need a license, and you can bring a picnic lunch or dinner to enjoy on board.

Getting there: The Stalingrad and Jaurès metro stations sit at the south end of Bassin de la Villette.
Planning tip: Further south, the Canal St-Martin has also opened an outdoor summer swimming site in the 10th arrondissement. Get here by metro, disembarking at République or Jacques Bonsergent.

6. Molitor Hotel & Spa Paris

Best swimming pool at a hotel

Admittedly a step up from outdoor swimming pools geared toward the public, the sensational pool at the luxurious Molitor Hotel & Spa Paris is normally reserved for hotel guests, or members of a private club who pay eye-watering annual membership fees. But this open-air pool in the city’s swanky 16th arrondissement deserves a mention for an especially revealing reason.

It was here, at a swimsuit competition in 1946, that a former automotive-engineer–turned-fashion-designer named Louis Réard chose to debut a revolutionary, teeny-weeny, two-piece bathing costume described as “smaller than the smallest swimsuit in the world.” You might know it today as the bikini.

To access the outdoor pool, you'll need to book a room, with prices starting at around 350 euros (€). Non-guests can enjoy the hotel’s second indoor pool by booking an Evasion Molitor treatment at the Spa by Clarins that includes a full-body massage or facial (though this won't cost much less than a room). 

Getting there: The hotel is a short walk from the Michel-Ange–Molitor and Exelmans metro stations.
Planning tip: Casual visitors can peek at the pool from the lobby, which is decorated with photos of bikini-clad guests from the 1940s and a graffiti-covered Rolls-Royce. The hotel also offers art tours that visit the vintage pool cabins, decorated by international artists in 2024.