Swimming in the Marne at Maisons-Alfort, in Val-de-Marne, is set to reopen.

Swimming in the Marne is making a comeback in Maisons-Alfort, in Val-de-Marne: the site set at the foot of the Charentonneau footbridge will reopen its pools from June 20 to the end of August 2026, featuring a festive and free inauguration day.

The baignade dans la Marne in Maisons-Alfort, in the Val-de-Marne (94), is set to resume for the summer of 2026. Following a first season that delighted many in 2025, the swimming site installed on the former municipal beach, near the Charentonneau footbridge and the Square des Petits Pirates, officially reopens on Saturday, June 20, 2026. A welcome news for Île-de-France residents who dream of a dip in river waters without leaving the inner suburbs, just a stone’s throw from the Bois de Vincennes.

When will swimming in the Marne at Maisons-Alfort reopen?

The district Paris Est Marne & Bois, which runs the site in partnership with the City of Maisons-Alfort, kicks off the season on June 20, 2026 with an open house starting at 11 a.m. The free inauguration lineup includes live music, a makeup workshop, a photo booth, and a wheels-of-fortune game—an upbeat start to a summer by the water. The beach will remain open through the end of August 2026, Monday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., weather and water quality permitting.

Where to swim in the Marne this summer 2026

Situated at 76 Avenue Foch, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, in the Charentonneau district, the site is easily reached from the banks of the Marne. It offers all the comforts that have made the place popular: two separate pools for adults and children, lifeguards on duty, a pebble beach, expansive wooden decking, showers, picnic tables, and sun loungers available free of charge depending on availability. Reservations are made online on the Marne Bois Plages platform (À la Plage by Paris Est Marne & Bois) up to four days before the desired slot, with online card payment.

It remains possible to book on site the same day, subject to availability, and to pay by card or cash. On pricing, expect 3 euros for residents of the Paris Est Marne & Bois territory (with proof of address), 8 euros for outside visitors, and 10 euros for large families (2 adults and 3 children, upon presentation of the card). Access is free for children under 4 as well as for people with disabilities and their accompanying person, with proof. Note: those under 16 must be accompanied, and exclusive use of the spaces is now offered on request by email.

Is the Marne River water clean enough for swimming?

This is the big 2026 season novelty: the Maisons-Alfort and Joinville-le-Pont sites become France’s first river-water filtered swimming basins. In practice, water from the Marne is drawn locally and treated with a sand filter to remove suspended particles, a activated-carbon filter to trap organic residues, and UV treatment to kill bacteria, before being sent back to the basins. The region is also rolling out its “Marne & Bois Water Secure” program, a predictive digital tool that can forecast, up to half a day ahead, potential pollution spreads in the river. Continuous sensors monitor the water’s bacterial quality, and the Regional Health Agency conducts three on-site samples per week, ensuring swimmers can dive in with confidence.

Why is it now possible to swim in the Marne again?

Forbidden since 1970 because of pollution, swimming in the Marne has been given a new lease on life thanks to major sanitation work carried out as part of the Paris 2024 Games and the Swimming Plan. The Department of Val-de-Marne tallies nearly 50,000 bathers at Maisons-Alfort and Joinville-le-Pont during the 2025 season. Beyond the pleasure of swimming, the project revives the guinguette atmosphere along the Marne banks—the places where Parisians once sprang straight into the river. Plan ahead and book early for hot weekends: last year the beachwas often fully booked.

Want to extend your experience? Check out our article on the 8 swimming spots along the Seine and Marne and all the places to swim or cool off this summer in Ile-de-France.