Paris Plages
The beach in the heart of the capital
2026
About Paris Plages
Paris Plages — edition 2026
Paris Plages returns from Saturday, July 4th to Sunday, August 30th, 2026, across two iconic locations: the Parc des Rives de Seine, stretching from the Tuileries tunnel to the Pont de Sully, and the Bassin de la Villette. This 25th edition honors the United States for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, featuring the "Urban Beaches: USA" exhibition by National Geographic. Sun loungers, misting stations, a giant climbing wall, a nautical base, nightly dances and classes, toy libraries, a comic book library, and five free swimming spots—including the new Bras Marie at the foot of the Pont Louis-Philippe—will bring the summer to life, all free of charge and without reservation.
From July 4th to August 30th, 2026: two sites, one full summer
A staple of the Parisian summer since 2002, Paris Plages transforms two locations into refreshing havens from Saturday, July 4th to Sunday, August 30th, 2026: the Parc des Rives de Seine, from the Tuileries tunnel to the Pont de Sully, and the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement. This year, the event is part of the broader Paris en Seine 2026 program, running from June 6th to September 20th.
Rives de Seine: waterfront relaxation
The quays are decked out with sun loungers, picnic tables, misting stations, and a pétanque court, open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. For the summer, Arkose has installed a 12-meter bouldering wall for adults and teens, plus a wall for children aged 4 and up, accessible for free without reservation from 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM near the Place du Châtelet. An outdoor toy library, Bonzini foosball tables, energy arts, Swedish gymnastics, and running sessions round out the offerings.
La Villette: set sail for nautical fun
The Bassin de la Villette remains a hub for sports and family fun: a nautical base (kayaks, canoes, paddleboards), the Paris Plages port with pedal boats, inflatable spheres, and children's boats, a zip line, trampolines, a carousel, and a kids' club, all open daily from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The site is open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Every evening, the quays turn into a dance floor: popular balls on Sundays, swing and jazz roots on Mondays, rock on Tuesdays, Latin fitness on Wednesdays, oriental dance on Thursdays, Brazilian dance on Fridays, and Afro-Colombian rhythms on Saturdays.
The United States in the spotlight
To mark the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, the 2026 edition celebrates the United States. At the foot of the Rampe Lobau, the "Urban Beaches: USA" exhibition, created with National Geographic, explores the beach culture of major American cities, from Malibu lifeguards to volleyball on the shores of Lake Michigan and the excitement of Coney Island. It is accompanied by "Coney Island Queen" by photographer Ludivine Combe, and "Roma, Ville Lumière", dedicated to Rome in cinema for the 70th anniversary of the twinning between Paris and Rome.
Five free swimming spots
New this year, a swimming site in the Seine opens at the Bras Marie, at the foot of the Pont Louis-Philippe, daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It joins the swimming areas at Bercy and the Bassin de la Villette (11:00 AM–9:00 PM), Grenelle, and the Canal Saint-Martin (Quai de Jemmapes), open Sundays from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. All are supervised and free.
All Paris Plages activities are open-access and free; only the running sessions and "Bougez tout l'été" group classes require a reservation at paris.fr/parisenseine.
Highlights Paris Plages 2026
- 25th edition, from Saturday, July 4th to Sunday, August 30th, 2026, entirely free
- Two sites: Parc des Rives de Seine (10:00 AM–10:00 PM) and Bassin de la Villette (11:00 AM–9:00 PM)
- US focus for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence: "Urban Beaches: USA" exhibition with National Geographic at the Rampe Lobau
- New: swimming in the Seine at Bras Marie, at the foot of the Pont Louis-Philippe, daily 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Five free, supervised swimming spots: Bras Marie, Bercy, Grenelle, Bassin de la Villette, and Canal Saint-Martin
- 12m Arkose climbing wall on the quays, Place du Châtelet, daily 10:00 AM–8:30 PM
- Nightly dances and classes at Bassin de la Villette: popular ball, swing, rock, Latin fitness, oriental, Brazilian, and Afro-Colombian dances
- Nautical base daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM: kayak, canoe, paddleboard, pedal boats, zip line, and trampolines
- Saturday, July 4th: free flag football initiation 10:00 AM–6:00 PM, Promenade Édouard Glissant
Programme Paris Plages 2026
Saturday, July 4th, 2026 — Paris Plages opening
- 10:00 AM–6:00 PM — Free flag football initiation, a new Olympic discipline · Promenade Édouard Glissant, left bank between Pont Royal and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor (open access, no reservation, with the French American Football Federation)
Parc des Rives de Seine — daily from July 4th to August 30th, 10:00 AM–10:00 PM
From the Tuileries tunnel to the Pont de Sully: sun loungers, picnic tables, misting stations, and a pétanque court.
- Daily 10:00 AM–8:30 PM — Arkose bouldering, Seine quays near Place du Châtelet: 12m wall and over 20 boulders for adults and teens, kids' wall from age 4. Free, no reservation.
- Daily 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Energy arts
- Daily 10:00 AM–7:00 PM — Beach furniture available
- Daily — Bonzini foosball, free access
- Tuesday to Sunday, 3:00 PM–7:00 PM — Outdoor toy library for parents and children
- Mondays 6:30 PM–8:30 PM and Saturdays 10:30 AM–12:30 PM — Swedish gymnastics (ages 16+)
- Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM — Cleanliness meeting point (sorting, waste reduction)
Berges de Seine — outdoor sports
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 7th to August 27th — Running sessions with Team Orange Running (ages 18+, reservation required at paris.fr/parisenseine)
- Daily from July 6th to August 30th, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (10:00 AM–1:00 PM on Sundays) — "Bougez tout l'été" with Les Cercles de la Forme: cardio, muscle strengthening, mobility, stretching, wellness (ages 18+, reservation required)
Bassin de la Villette — daily from July 4th to August 30th, 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Paris Plages nautical base: kayak, canoe, paddleboard
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Nautical activities at the Paris Plages port: pedal boats, inflatable spheres, children's boats
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Zip line (ages 7–17, min. height 1.40m)
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Trampolines (ages 4–14, under parental supervision)
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Carousel (ages 2–12) and kids' club (ages 3–7)
- Daily 1:00 PM–7:00 PM — Bonzini foosball, free access
- Daily 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Boules court and energy arts
- July 16th to August 16th, 12:00 PM–7:00 PM — Delcourt Group comic book library: hundreds of comics and manga for free reading
- July 4th to August 22nd, Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 AM–12:30 PM — Off-site library
- Wednesday to Sunday, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM — Jeux-Zoïde, the children's café by Cafézoïde (ages 0–18): gardening, painting, mosaic, kids' radio, karaoke, theater, science workshops
- Tuesday to Sunday, 3:00 PM–7:00 PM — Outdoor toy library
- Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 2:00 PM–5:00 PM; Saturdays and Sundays 2:00 PM–6:30 PM — Paris qui sauve: learn life-saving skills (ages 6+)
- Wednesdays and Thursdays 2:00 PM–6:00 PM, Fridays 2:00 PM–7:00 PM, Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 AM–7:00 PM — Health Village: activities, workshops, screenings, and prevention stands
- 11:00 AM–7:00 PM — "Taking care of the planet" activities by Syctom, Tuesday to Saturday or Wednesday to Sunday (alternating weeks)
- First aid station — Sunday to Thursday 12:00 PM–11:00 PM, Fridays and Saturdays 12:00 PM–midnight; nautical rescue daily 1:00 PM–8:00 PM
Bassin de la Villette dance balls and classes, day by day
- Sunday, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM — Popular ball
- Monday, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM — Swing and jazz roots
- Tuesday, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM — Rock
- Wednesday, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM — Latin fitness
- Thursday, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM — Oriental dance
- Friday, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM — Brazilian dance
- Saturday, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM — Afro-Colombian rhythms
Free summer swimming
- Bras Marie — Quai de l'Hôtel-de-Ville (Paris Centre), at the foot of the Pont Louis-Philippe, facing Île Saint-Louis. Daily 8:00 AM–6:00 PM. New for 2026. Must know how to swim, min. height 1.20m, lifebuoy mandatory (provided), minors under 14 must be accompanied; 150 people max, lockers, showers, and first aid on site.
- Bassin de la Villette — 40 Quai de la Loire (19th). Daily 11:00 AM–9:00 PM, 1.5-hour slots, technical break 4:00 PM–4:45 PM. Site accessible to people with reduced mobility.
- Bercy (12th) — Daily 11:00 AM–9:00 PM.
- Grenelle (15th) — 10:00 AM–5:30 PM weekdays, 10:00 AM–4:45 PM Saturdays; Sundays 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 12:30 PM–2:15 PM, then 2:45 PM–5:30 PM.
- Canal Saint-Martin — between 116 and 126 Quai de Jemmapes (10th), Sundays 2:00 PM–6:00 PM, until September 6th.
Exhibitions all summer at the Parc des Rives de Seine
- "Urban Beaches: USA", July 4th to August 30th, at the foot of the Rampe Lobau — American urban beaches by National Geographic photographers: Malibu lifeguards, volleyball by Lake Michigan, Coney Island, New York, Miami, Atlantic City, California, and Hawaii. Free access during site hours.
- "Coney Island Queen", an exhibition by Ludivine Combe — a timeless journey to Coney Island, photographed on expired film.
- "Roma, Ville Lumière" — Rome, movie star, for the 70th anniversary of the twinning between Paris and Rome: from neorealism to La Dolce Vita. Co-produced by the City of Paris and the Association Palatine, in collaboration with the CSC - Cineteca Nazionale.
Around Paris Plages, as part of Paris en Seine
- La Villette open-air cinema, July 22nd to August 16th
- The Paris Games cauldron at the Jardin des Tuileries, until September 14th
- The Festival des Places on the capital's esplanades, program by the Théâtre de la Ville
Prices Paris Plages 2026
Site Hours
- Parc des Rives de Seine: daily 10:00 AM–10:00 PM, July 4th to August 30th, 2026.
- Bassin de la Villette: daily 11:00 AM–9:00 PM, July 4th to August 30th, 2026.
Free Supervised Swimming
- Bras Marie (Quai de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, Paris Centre): daily 8:00 AM–6:00 PM.
- Bassin de la Villette (40 Quai de la Loire, 19th): daily 11:00 AM–9:00 PM, 1.5-hour slots.
- Bercy (12th): daily 11:00 AM–9:00 PM.
- Grenelle (15th): 10:00 AM–5:30 PM weekdays, 10:00 AM–4:45 PM Saturdays, split hours on Sundays.
- Canal Saint-Martin (116-126 Quai de Jemmapes, 10th): Sundays 2:00 PM–6:00 PM, until September 6th.
Reservation required at paris.fr/parisenseine
- Team Orange Running sessions: Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 7th to August 27th, ages 18+.
- "Bougez tout l'été" group classes by Les Cercles de la Forme: daily July 6th to August 30th, ages 18+.
Practical information — Paris Plages
Practical Information
Sites
Parc Rives de Seine: Right bank, between Pont Neuf and Pont de Sully.
Villette Canal Basin: Quai de la Loire / Quai de la Seine, 75019 Paris.
Hôtel-de-Ville Square: 75004 Paris.
Access
Metro: Châtelet, Pont-Marie, Sully-Morland (right bank); Jaurès, Stalingrad (Villette); Hôtel de Ville.
Bus: Numerous lines serve the different sites.
Prices
All Paris Plages activities and events are completely free.
Opening Hours
Generally from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. on weekends), from early July to late August. Hours vary depending on the sites and activities.
Practical Tips
- Bring your towel, sunscreen, and water.
- Swimming in the Seine is supervised and free during the indicated hours.
- Free water activities are offered at the Villette canal basin.
- The site is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
- Consult the program on paris.fr for special events.
Paris Plages: When the Seine Becomes the Riviera
Launched in 2002 by the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, Paris Plages was born from a bold idea: to offer Parisians who do not go on vacation a space for leisure, relaxation, and coolness in the heart of the city, by transforming the riverside roads into a free urban beach. What could have remained an experiment has, in over twenty years, become one of the most popular summer events in the capital, imitated by dozens of cities around the world.
From the Banks of the Seine to the Villette Canal Basin
Over the editions, Paris Plages has expanded considerably. The operation now occupies several sites:
- The Parc Rives de Seine, on the right bank, with its sandy beaches, deckchairs, misting stations, and play areas.
- The Villette canal basin (19th arrondissement), with its supervised swimming, water activities (canoeing, paddleboarding, pedal boating), and sports and cultural events.
- The Hôtel-de-Ville square, transformed into a recreational and sports area.
Since 2025, a historic milestone has been reached with the opening of three supervised swimming areas in the Seine: at Bras Marie (Paris Centre), Pont de Grenelle (15th arrondissement), and Quai de Bercy (12th arrondissement), fulfilling a dream of several decades.
A Rich and Free Program
Paris Plages is not just about deckchairs and sand. Each edition offers a dense cultural and sports program: open-air concerts, cinema under the stars, DJ sets, creative workshops, fitness classes, yoga, dance, tai chi, activities for children, sports courses, tournaments, and themed events. Each year, a country or theme is highlighted: in 2025, it was Brazil as part of the France-Brazil Season; in 2026, the United States for the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
A Popular and Unifying Event
With several million visitors each summer, Paris Plages has become a symbol of the City of Paris's quality of life policy and the reconquest of public spaces. The operation is entirely free, accessible to all, and contributes to transforming Parisians' relationship with their river and their city.
Where does it take place — Paris Plages
Paris Plages in brief
History of Paris Plages
Edition 2025 Jul 2025Other festivals near Paris
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