Footage filmed in Paris on Sunday 12 July 2026 captures hundreds of swimmers diving into the Seine near the Eiffel Tower before navigating past some of the French capital’s most iconic landmarks.
As competitors made their way downstream, crowds gathered along the riverbanks to cheer them on. At the finish line, many crossed with arms raised before collecting their medals after completing the open-water 8.5-kilometre race in the heart of the city.
The Open Swim Harmonie Mutuelle marked the first organized swimming competition in the Seine in nearly 80 years. Its flagship course stretched from the Bibliothèque nationale de France to Quai de Grenelle, alongside shorter one and two-kilometre events. Co-organizer and Olympic medallist Stéphane Caron confirmed the river’s water quality now meets exceptionally high standards.
Founded in 2012 by former French swimmers, including Caron, the event has been supported by insurer Harmonie Mutuelle for over a decade. Earlier editions occurred on the nearby Canal de l’Ourcq, featuring 500-metre and five-kilometre races on Saturday as part of the same weekend program.
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