Canal Saint Martin Council Opens Supervised Swimming Zone During Heatwave

The Canal Saint Martin council authorized a supervised swimming section this summer to cope with heavy use of the waterway during the heatwave. Officials set aside a 100-meter stretch with lifeguards on duty after residents reported repeated problems with overcrowding and unsafe behavior along the 4.5-kilometer canal.

The decision matters now because temperatures climbed again in mid-July, drawing fresh crowds to the same stretch that saw daily surges earlier in the season. Without new controls, the same pattern of people jumping from bridges and exceeding safe limits could repeat, raising the risk of further accidents in an area already tested by extreme conditions.

The canal runs through the northeast section of the city and serves as a daily gathering point for residents seeking relief from the heat. On June 16 the mayor visited the site to confirm the supervised zone, responding to earlier warnings from people living along the waterway about groups of teenagers gathering there since the first heat spike at the end of May.

Overcrowding and Safety Data

A report published on July 6 documented the scale of the challenge. The supervised area was designed for a maximum of 300 people, yet on peak days more than a thousand arrived. One drowning occurred on June 26 when a 21-year-old construction worker entered the water outside the marked zone at 9:30 pm. Across France that week, 90 drownings were recorded in rivers and unsupervised spots, while the public health agency recorded 2,025 additional deaths during the hottest period from June 22 to 28, when readings reached 43 degrees.

Lifeguards stationed at the canal described feeling overwhelmed by the volume and the mix of unsafe actions, including people ignoring barriers and entering at night. The same report noted that water quality tests conducted weekly by Eau de Paris continued to show the canal remained suitable for bathing when properly supervised.

Plans for Additional Sites

City staff are now watching how the opening of three new bathing areas on the Seine and the Villette basin affects numbers at the canal. The hope is that spreading visitors across more locations will prevent a repeat of the earlier closures forced by unsafe crowds. Residents along the canal have been advised to check daily updates from the city before heading to the water and to use only the marked, staffed sections.

Further adjustments will be announced as temperatures rise again this weekend, with the focus remaining on keeping the canal accessible yet controlled.