-
18 French departments launch service to help elderly with administrative procedures
‘Help desks’ will be set up in public establishments such as town halls and post offices
-
Graphic: One in five French workers employed in state sector
There are nearly six million workers in the ‘fonction publique’ in France, covering several areas
-
‘Black day for travel’: French strikes on September 18 set to bring widespread disruption
Unions and parties on left are calling for massive turnout from workers across multiple sectors
Paris lake open to swimmers from this weekend
In the midst of a heat wave, the prospect of taking a dip can be very tempting

From July 15, Parisians will be able to swim in the bassin de la Villette, an artificial lake attached to a canal in northern Paris. Entry to the three swimming spaces, one of them reserved for children, will be free and monitored at all times.
Officials expect around 1000 bathers per day during high season, with a maximum capacity of 300 at any one time.
It is the first natural water swimming space to be opened as part of the mayor’s ‘Nager à Paris’ initiative, and will cover a space of 1500 square metres.
The mayor’s office noted that there was a need to open more public swimming spaces to adapt to climatic adjustments. “We have reached one of our goals by opening the bassin de la Villette to swimmers”, the office said, adding that “while the quality of the Seine has improved recently, it has not yet reached the sufficient level for swimming”.
Every summer Paris-Plages turns the Seine embankment into a beach themed space, complete with sand and deck chairs. But one thing is missing – swimming is not allowed, and has been banned since 1923.
The opening of the bassin de la Villette space may be a stepping-stone to swimming once again in the Seine, something mayor Anne Hidalgo hinted at in the context of Paris’ bid to host the Olympics. “Parisians will be able to swim in the Seine after 2024, thanks to the Olympic games”, she said.
For more information about the bassin de la Villette, click here.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France