Parisians and tourists swam in the Seine River this weekend for the first time in over a century after the city officially opened three free bathing sites following a major €1.4 billion cleanup.

The project, accelerated for last year’s Olympics, improved sewage connections, water treatment, and stormwater storage.

About 1,000 swimmers daily can access sites near the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the National Library until late August.

Lifeguards, facilities, and daily water quality checks are in place, The Guardian has reported.

The effort is part of a broader push to reclaim urban waterways for swimming amid rising summer temperatures.

Written by B.C. Begley