10 Best Places to Swim in Paris


 

Updated by Vanessa M n June 2023

The fact that Paris has no beach has never stopped the locals and tourists from finding their way to as many water solutions as possible.

Since it is not possible to swim in the actual Seine River that runs through greater Paris, the city of Paris has had to cater to the swimming community in other ways.

Swimming pool culture is huge in Paris; but in a different way to the rest of the world. While other countries boast swimming pools in most backyards of suburban areas, Paris instead has them scattered around the arrondissements for public use.

Seine swimming pool in Paris – by Chen Zhao – Wikimedia Commons

Outdoor swimming pools are frequently seen around town. There is even a public pool floating on the Seine right in front of the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand.

These are great for the warmer months in Paris, but once the cold sets in the swimmers need to retreat indoors to get their daily or weekly swimming fix. 

Come rain or shine, Parisians enjoy the ability of being able to swim no matter what is going on outside. The city is home to some of the finest indoor swimming facilities in Europe — from public pools, to spas to hotels; there’s something for the whole family.

Here are ten unmissable pools in Paris for you to enjoy!

Read also; Where to swim in and around Paris

1. Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles in Paris

5 Place Paul Verlaine

The weirdly futuristic architecture of the Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles makes it one of the better known public swimming facilities in the city.

It’s gorgeous; swimming here you feel like you’ve either been blasted back to the 70s or somewhere in the future. What’s more, the facilities are well kept and noticeably cleaner than most public pools around the city.

Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles – by Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles – Sourced from their website

Interestingly enough the Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles is one of the only public swimming pools to be officially classes as a historical monument of France as of 1990.

The Butte aux Cailles neighborhood is a beautiful little place to wander around. It exists on a hilltop in the 13th arrondissement of Paris and is endlessly charming with cobblestone roads and extensive greenery. Not a bad place to enjoy a walk before or after a relaxing swim .

Admission: €3 for adults // €1.70 for children

2. Spa 28 in Paris

28 Rue Monsieur le Prince

The swimming pool at Spa 28 in the St Germain district comes highly recommended by many around Paris. You’ll have to treat yourself to a treatment or two to gain access to the facility, but it is well worth it.

Their swimming pool is underground in a tomb like setting, lit only by candles and pool lighting. Once down in the chamber, you’ll enjoy uninterrupted indoor swimming for as long as your heart desires.

Spa 28 – by Spa 28 – Sourced from their website

This gem is hidden within St Germain and is within walking distance of the Luxembourg Palace and Cluny Museum. Both very notable attractions to visit if you are in the area for a day of relaxation.

This is not the kind of indoor pool you’d visit with kids. Take the day off to enjoy it with yourself or a partner.

3. Piscine Pointoise in Paris

19 Rue de Pontoise

This is a practical yet very appealing indoor pool in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. The Piscine Pointoise is best known for being the best place for insomniacs to head for a swim after dark.

The public pool offers nightshift sessions starting after it “technically” closes at 8pm. At 8:15pm the pool reopens to all the night owls and swimming continues right up until 11:45pm.

Piscine Pointoise – by Piscine Pointoise – Sourced from their website

This is particular great for anyone who works all day and can only find their leisure time in the evenings. The facilities are kept up to scratch during both the day and evening sessions. Take note that this pool is notoriously crowded on weekends and public holidays.

The glass roof of the pool really adds to the ambiance of the experience. Swimming under the stars without freezing to death in the Parisian cold? With pleasure.

The central location of this pool leaves it in the vicinity of many great French restaurants within walking distance. Evening swim and a dinner date could just be in order.

Read also; Where to bath in Paris

Day Admission: €4.80 for adults // €2.90 for children

Night Admission: €11.10 for all

4. Aquaboulevard in Paris

4-6 Rue Louis Armand

Aquaboulevard is the largest waterpark in Paris and also boasts a number of the most impressive pools you’ll find in the city. Between slides, wave pools and simulated greenery you’ll feel like you’ve made your way to an island retreat for the day.

Aquaboulevard – by Mariiwakura – Wikimedia Commons

The park features both indoor and outdoor swimming facilities so it is a great place to take the whole family for a day of fun.

To get to the park you’ll have to make your way to the south western outskirts of the city.

Admission: €29 for adults // €19 for children

5. Shangri-La Paris

10 Avenue d’Iéna

Situated inside the hotel, the pool of Shangri-La is one of the most aestethicgally pleasing things you’ll see inside of a building during your time here.

The 15m long pool was built into some ancient stables once belonging to Prince Roland Bonaparte. The facility makes use of entirely natural light which adds to the overall ambiance of the space.

Shangri-La Paris – by Shangri-La Paris – Sourced from their website

The 16th arrondissement is an exciting place to both swim and explore. Definitely head to a free guided walking tour of Paris while you’re in the area and learn more about the history behind some of the other facilities available.

Whether its a casual, low-key swim that you’re after; or a transportive session of relaxation — Paris can cater.

6. Piscine Josephine Baker

Quai François Mauriac

In many ways, this pool is the star of Parisian pools, flanked by the Seine, facing Bercy, and not far from the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand and Batofar. The striking glass and steel structure designed by architect Robert de Busni holds a chic aquatic center.

Dinkum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons 

Training rooms, a jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, and solarium complement the 25m pool (with sliding glass cover). It also has a 50m2 paddling pool for children and a pleasant entrance hall with Wi-Fi for parents who wish to keep an eye on their children without entering the center.

The late hours and active schedule of workout sessions are also advantages. It opened the same year as Paris Plage and is now so popular that it’s advised to avoid it there during peak hours. Fortunately, there’s a little café area where you can relax with a drink till things slow down – a place to see and be seen.

Admission: €6 for 2 hours

7. Piscine Georges Hermant

8-10 Rue David d’Angers

The Piscine Georges Hermant in Paris’s 19th arrondissement is mostly geared toward serious swimmers. It is one of the few 50-meter pools in Paris, making it perfect for accumulating lengths!

Photo by Juan Salamanca from Pexels

You can also participate in a variety of water sports. There are plenty of pool training options here, including aqua gym classes, synchronized swimming classes, diving lessons, swimming with fins, and aquatonic lessons.

You can also unwind by the pool. When summer arrives, this transforms into an open-air swimming pool.

Read also; Top Spots for Sun Tanning in Paris

Admission: €3.50

8. Piscine Molitor

Bretwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2 Av. de la Prte Molitor

Molitor opened in 1929 and was Paris’ most popular swimming bath for 60 years, noted for its two swimming pools and avant-garde ambiance. It closed in 1989 and became a designated historic building before being utilized by artists who transformed the abandoned structure into a Mecca for the Parisian subway.

Today, you can visit the pool for 180 euros per day or 4500 euros for an annual membership. A couple of days a week, the pool will be free for local schoolchildren. MOLITOR has always been a daring and ever-changing destination for individuals seeking out the unique. This is what has given MOLITOR its spirit and generated a legacy that begs to be shared with the rest of the world.

Admission: 180€ 

9. Bassin de la Villette

The Bassin de la Villette, 800 meters long and 70 meters broad, is Paris’s largest artificial stretch of water, connecting the Canal de l’Ourcq to the Canal Saint-Martin and thereby promoting fluvial navigation.

Numerous cultural events (shows, concerts, and theater performances) make this canal basin a lively destination for Parisians. The lake is most popular in the summer.

Admission: FREE

10. Piscine Keller

14 Rue de l’Ingénieur Robert Keller

This is the pool used by sports enthusiasts and skilled swimmers in Paris. The Piscine Keller is one of Paris’s few 50-meter swimming pools, designated for dedicated lane swimmers rather than splashing around!

In the summer, when the roof is opened to display the blue Parisian sky, you can swim outside. Other exercises suggested include moderate gymnastics, aquatic fitness, and swimming with your infant. After all that effort, don’t pass up the opportunity to utilize the wonderful sauna for free!

Read also; 20 Best Hotel Swimming Pools in Paris

Admission: 3.50€ for adults

These are but ten of the many impressive swimming pools that call Paris home.  If you are wanting some more ideas, find a similar article here.

Not only are  swimming pools great places for a day out, they make for great photo opportunities to show a leisurely side of your trip and make the people back home swoon.

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


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