Paris Plage 2020: La Villette and its free pools are back

Are you ready to swim in the Bassin de la Villette? You will be delighted to know that Paris' biggest artificial lake is said to be back for summer 2020 despite coronavirus.

If you fear about the health requirements, these details might reassure you: the quality of the swimming water is always controlled, all year around. For the return of Paris Plages 2020, the swimming area is limited to 2,300 people per day to make sure the water quality remains flawless and up to 500 people can be in the water at the same time.

Launched in 2017, this swimming area is a whole symbol: a sign of water clean-up, as well as an invitation for the Olympics 2024 (that Paris has won!)

Yes, it sounds weird to say we can swim in a canal in Paris, but thinking about it, Parisians used to spend their summery Sundays in the water back in 1920...



For safety issues, the pool will not be marked out by floating wooden boards but will be “equipped with an immersed bottom, linked to pontoons thanks to a frame on which nests will be attached, so it will prevent from immersed objects to pass”. Swimming will be secured and the water quality will be assessed daily to ensure everyone's health.

Open from July 18, the Bassin de la Villette will feature 3 pools:

• A 1.20-m deep pool for amateur swimmers
• A 2-m deep pool for experience swimmers wishing to improve their swimming style
• A 40-cm deep paddling’s pool for accompanied children

• To be read
• Explore Paris for unique tours of the Greater Paris
• Ménagerie, the zoo of the Jardin des Plantes: the oldest zoo in Paris
• Paris-Plages 2020 is back, program
• Swimming and Beach Areas in Paris and Ile-de-France this summer 2020

This pool built as part of the “Nager à Paris” (swimming in Paris) project will offer a secured swimming session for free, just like it used to be 60 years ago. The pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and 500 people can come at the same time (including persons with reduced mobility) so that everyone can make the best of it! Between timeslots, the premises are disinfected. In terms of comfort and hygiene, beach cabins, shower stalls and deckchairs will be provided.

Paris Plages is now including this bathing area. This free pool should comfort all those who couldn't enjoy the French beaches and comes to reinforce its summer sporting offering from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.: dance, tai-chi, yoga, water sports (rowing, paddle boats, coneing...) and zipline will return! Wthout forgetting somme classics: table soccer, boules, merry-go-round and many other fun activities for children, teenagers and adults that make of  the Bassin de la Villette THE temporary outdoor activity center within Paris itself!

Ready to take a dive?