You are hot, very hot. Water holds your arms to you. But before diving into the canal downstairs, know that you risk a fine … or even worse.
The old office of the office only brews hot air, you have not yet taken the step of air conditioning at home and suffocating heat is really starting to weigh you? We understand you! While scorching episodes should only increase in the coming years, transforming France into a giant oven, hard to find effective solutions when you are not lucky enough to live near the sea. Thus, every summer, we see hundreds of French people taking some liberties in cities …
Do you live in a town perhaps crossed by a river, a river or a river and the desire takes you very strongly to go there to cool down? Unfortunately, this is not always possible or legal … If, in Paris, the capital provides for example this summer of swimming areas in the Seine, diving in unauthorized places it is the risk of a sanction. However, there are many who play the burned heads and ignore the prohibitions and throw themselves into the water despite everything by jumping for example from the bridges of the Saint-Martin canal, especially from the customs bridge.
And if swimming in the Marne were once allowed, they have been prohibited since 1970, except in bathing places fitted out and accessible only at certain periods of the year. However, many revelers come to prick a head at any season. And this kind of behavior sometimes leads to tragedies …
But this is also the case elsewhere, as in Lille, where some do not hesitate to dive into the Deûle canal where swimming is not allowed, as the North Prefecture recalls: “Any batoner arrested is punishable by a report“. Apart from the risks of drowning because of the lack of surveillance (1,244 drowning last year and 350 deaths), bathers can face contamination concerns, be swept away by currents or be hit by a boat. If you still decide to throw yourself in the water, know that you are liable to a fine of a dozen euros to 135 euros.
But how do you know when swimming is allowed or not? According to the Organism Voies Navigables de France (VNF), most rivers open to river traffic are not allowed for swimming. To be able to throw yourself into the water, you must see one or more panels indicating that this activity is allowed. If you do not see any indications on this subject, it is that swimming is prohibited.
Regarding the routes not managed by VNF, such as small natural rivers or water bodies where navigation is not (or rarely) authorized, swimming is more often allowed, but it remains necessary to inquire. Last summer has clearly illustrated that the heat wave very significantly increases the number of aquatic accidents, especially in adults in a natural environment. It is therefore advisable to opt for other methods against heat.
