“Flowing through Paris.” That’s the Seine, the heart of this city. We are standing alongside Route Annexe de la Seine in Gennevilliers. It is closely tied to the story of Paris itself. The Seine is France’s third-longest river. It stretches 483 miles from Dijon to the English Channel.
Imagine the Seine. It is the subject of famous Impressionist paintings. Monet captured its beauty in “Bathers at La Grenouillere”. Renoir painted its banks in “Seine River at Asnieres.” The river still provides about half of Paris’s water.
Each summer, Paris celebrates “Paris Plages.” Roadways along the Seine transform into beaches with sand and palm trees. Joan of Arc’s ashes were scattered in the Seine at Rouen.
The Seine begins in Source-Seine. It is about 19 miles northwest of Dijon. Paris has owned this source since 1864. An artificial grotto marks the main source. It features a nymph, a dog, and a dragon statue. The remains of a Gallo-Roman temple lie nearby. Statues of the Seine goddess are in Dijon’s archaeological museum.
The Seine has five parts. There is the Petite Seine. Then comes the Haute Seine. Next is the Traversee de Paris. The Basse Seine follows. Finally, the Seine Maritime reaches the English Channel.
Ocean-going vessels can dock at Rouen. It is about 75 miles from the sea. Commercial barges navigate the river from Marcilly-sur-Seine. That is about 321 miles to its mouth.
The Seine has 37 bridges in Paris. The river is only 79 feet above sea level. This makes it slow flowing and easily navigable. The Seine Maritime is used by ocean-going craft. Smaller locks lift vessels to Paris.
The Seine’s average depth in Paris is about 31 feet. Locks help control the river’s level. The average flow is low. But higher flows occur during heavy runoff.
Dredging in the 1960s reduced tidal bores. These were known as “le mascaret.” Four large reservoirs help maintain a constant river level. They cannot prevent extreme flooding.
Severe flooding occurred in 1910. The Seine reached threatening levels in later years too. A 2002 report estimated a major flood could cost billions. It could disrupt services for many Parisians.
The Seine flooded again in January 2018. The water reached over 19 feet. Officials issued warnings about the rising river.
The Seine’s basin covers a large area. It includes part of Belgium. The watershed has a high population density. Several cities are in the Seine watershed.
Industry, agriculture, and urban populations impact the Seine’s water quality. Low oxygen levels and high concentrations of pollutants have been issues for a long time. Measures have been taken to improve water quality. Atlantic salmon returned to the Seine. Fish species have rebounded.
Sewage overflows can still occur. This is due to Paris’s old drainage system. Heavy metal concentrations are relatively high. But water quality has improved significantly.
A cleanup program aimed to make the river safe for the Olympics. Public swimming areas are planned. E. coli levels have been a concern. The fish population has surged.
The Seine hosted Olympic events in the past. The river was the site of the marathon swimming. It also hosted the swimming portion of the triathlon in 2024.
UNESCO added the banks of the Seine to its World Heritage Sites list. The Seine has inspired many artists. Monet, Renoir, and many others captured its beauty.
The Seine’s name comes from the Celtic goddess Sequana. Vikings sailed up the Seine. They sacked Paris. Joan of Arc’s ashes were thrown into the Seine. Robert Fulton tested his steamboat on the river.
Reaching the Seine was a World War II objective. Some victims of the Paris massacre drowned in the Seine. So next time you see the Seine, remember its long history. It is a river of art, history, and life. It’s the Route Annexe de la Seine’s story too.