• Kayaking and sailing on the Seine near Bas de Marie - Pont Sully - Paris Colleen's Paris
    Let's Explore,  Seeing Paris

    Paris Plages 2023 is Open with Swimming in the Seine

    On July 8, 2023 kayaks and sailboats were gliding on the Seine. About 25 Parisians, including city hall employees, were diving in and swimming between the Pont Sully and the Pont Marie bridges. Mayor Anne Hidalgo gave the signal. With this move, she is officially promoting Seine swimming for the Paris Olympics 2024. The Seine will then reopen to the public in 2025. The Seine has been closed to swimming since 1923. Mayor Jacques Chirac optimistically predicted cleaning up the Seine starting in 1988. It has taken three decades to get started. Sunday, walking along the Quai de Béthune (Bras de Marie) and below the Quai des Célestins, swimmers in bathing suits, caps…

  • Image of le Zouave statue, Pont de l'Alma and the Eiffel Tower during Paris Seine flooding
    Events and Trade Shows,  Going Out

    Paris Seine Flooding Routine and the Statue

    An image on the front page of a Spanish newspaper showed the Seine flooding. This prompted a reader planning a Paris visit to inquire about the situation. Looking back at my photos from 2016, I had some evidence of the river a couple of days after its peak. Each year the Seine's waters rise, usually as snow melts and reservoirs flood. This year, the Seine seems to be flooding a bit early from heavy rains. The last record for flooding was in June 2016. Le Zouave statue on the Pont de l'Alma is one of the gauges used. Legend says: “When the Zouave’s feet are under water, the Seine is…

  • People sitting along the Seine on the Ile-Saint Louis, Quai d'Orléans
    Children and Teens,  Life in Paris & France,  Seeing Paris

    Iconic Paris Walk Along the Seine

    Sometimes views only change with the seasons. I had to wonder how many times these same scenes have been photographed over the years. The scenes are iconic and never seem to be boring. We went for a walk along the Seine yesterday between Gare d'Austerlitz and Cathrédale Notre-Dame de Paris. We enjoyed a salad for dinner on the Ile-Saint-Louis with the sun setting. People were lined up at the Batobus* stop for Notre-Dame. Were they all in line for the sunset cruise? Not all could be accommodated, and they waited for the next one.

  • Pont Alexandre III west side
    Life in Paris & France,  Photography-Art

    Photography Tour Ideas in Paris

    A reader asked about photo tours in Paris with instructions after reading my article “Paris Photo Walk at Pont Alexandre III” Here are some of the companies in Paris. I also recommend checking TripAdvisor and MeetUp. Better Travel Photos (tours in Paris and London), 32 Avenue de Suffren, 75015 Paris, France Phone Number: +33 6 74 04 21 84 Paris Photography Tours, 25 Rue de Cotte, 75012 Paris, France Phone Number: +33 6 17 08 54 45 Photo Tours in Paris (various cities), 7 rue Valentin Hauy, 75015 Paris, France Phone Number: +33 6 40 14 84 49 Pictours, 5 Rue Joseph Granier, 75007 Paris, France Phone Number: +33 6…