The history of the Deligny pool, also known as the Deligny baths, begins at the turn of the 18ᵉ century. As early as 1785, baths on stilts were installed on the Seine, inaugurating a tradition of bathing in the heart of Paris. It wasn't until 1801 that a master swimmer named Deligny founded a royal swimming school here, and the baths took up permanent residence on the Left Bank at Quai Anatole-France, in the 7ᵉ arrondissement.
Over the decades, this floating structure evolved. In 1840, it was rebuilt from ten assembled boats, one of which is said to have carried Napoleon's ashes. The pool became a popular meeting place, featuring a restaurant, private lounges and a solarium, and became a place for socializing and summer entertainment for the Parisian elite, who came to cool off, sunbathe and be seen.
The Deligny pool enjoyed its heyday. It hosted the swimming events of the 1900 Olympic Games ; in 1919, hygiene conditions improved with the installation of a filtration system designed to eliminate the muddy deposits that had hitherto bothered bathers.
In the decades that followed, the Deligny pool continued to surprise. In the 1960s, it became legendary for its swimsuit fashion shows; in the 1970s, its upper solarium became a Mecca for topless sunbathing, provoking controversy among some elected officials.
But in 1990, an incident heralded its tragic end: a barge struck the pool, weakening its structure. And on July 8, 1993, the Deligny pool sank into the Seine in less than forty minutes, sinking to a depth of four meters. Thus ended the epic story of a place that for over two centuries embodied Parisian elegance, exoticism and conviviality - before disappearing into the waves.
Its worthy successor, the Joséphine-Baker pool, was inaugurated in 2006, perpetuating the tradition of floating pools on the Seine, but in a modern, heated... and safe version!
The oldest and most beautiful swimming pools in Paris, listed as Historic Monuments
In Paris, you can choose to take a dip in a classic municipal swimming pool, or you can opt for a magnificent pool listed as a Monument Historique. The choice is yours! [Read more]
Location
Quai Anatole France
8 Quai Anatole France
75007 Paris 7
The oldest and most beautiful swimming pools in Paris, listed as Historic Monuments
