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Starting this weekend, the Saint-Martin canal will be open only on Sundays

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The Editor

© Jagoda Bartus / Le Bonbon

This Saturday, Paris Plage is making its grand comeback, finally opening all its swimming spots with extended hours. However, for the one that has become the favorite pool for Parisians in recent weeks, it's a tough blow, with an extremely limited opening. We'll tell you all about it.

In recent weeks, as a heatwave hit the entire country, especially the capital, the Paris city hall decided to allow swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin ahead of schedule for everyone's delight. However, just as swimming in the Seine officially returns this Saturday, July 4th, some might be disappointed by the new measures that have been put in place.


The End of an Enchanted Interlude

Since June 17th, following a statement from Emmanuel Grégoire to tackle the heat, swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin was allowed every day (except for June 21st — which wasn’t a huge success, by the way). Yet, while a news wave is expected starting this weekend, and especially by the middle of next week, this news might leave some people quite disappointed.

As we officially dive into the summer vacation period starting this weekend, the canal will now only be open for swimming on Sundays from 2 PM to 6 PM. This is a drastic change that could impact the everyday lives of many Parisians. We still need to see if these hours will be extended again during heatwaves, allowing us to go back to the delightful 3 PM - 9 PM daily hours we loved so much.


Other diving spots

Don't worry, if the Saint-Martin canal closes its doors to you, you can choose from one of the other available spots starting Saturday. Even better, the different beaches are offering extended hours compared to last year. Over at the Marie branch,Meet us every day from 8 AM to 6 PM, perfect for those who want to get in a few laps before work. The beach at Bercy is waiting for you from Monday to Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM (great for night swimmers!). And finally, over at Grenelle, join us starting at 10 AM, with sessions available until 12 PM, 2:15 PM, 4 PM, or 5:30 PM depending on the day. These times will of course be subject to weather and water quality, but that’s still pretty good, right?