FRANCE: Paris Plage (Paris Beach) opens with a Tahitian flair and the man-made beach is extended to both sides of the river Seine

The French capital's popular attraction "Paris Plage" (Paris Beach) opened on Thursday (July 20) with a Tahitian flair. This year's man-made beach was extended to both sides of the Seine river. City authorities have poured some 2,500 tonnes of fine sand on the banks of the Seine -- normally seen as a busy urban motorway -- to create three kilometres of beach between the Arts bridge and Sully bridge on the right bank and one kilometre of beach on the Left bank from Tolbiac bridge to Sully bridge. Tourists, children and office workers can relax under palm trees in hammocks and deck chairs, taking a break in spots to get a flavour of Tahiti. Traditional Polynesian houses in wood with a roof made of braided leaves where people can enjoy Tahitian dances and massages or take part in art and craft workshops. "It's super, I'm really pleased, it's very well done. I did not think it would be as good, it's really beautiful, it's a super design. They did not just poured sand, it's great, I love it.", said Leslie a Parisian. Conceived by Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe both for thousands of Parisians who do not get a proper summer holiday and for tourists. The biggest novelty this year, though, is a floating swimming pool moored on the Left bank near the French National Library (Francois Mitterrand's Library). The new pool is called Piscine Josephine Baker after the American dancer, singer, civil rights activist and French resistance heroine, who died in Paris in 1975. The main pool is 25 metres long and 10 wide. There is also a children's pool, a sauna, a whirlpool bath, a solarium and a bar. Parisian families and groups of tourists stripped off their beachwear to lounge on sunbeds and deck chairs facing the Seine river and play in the sand. From 08.30 (06.30GMT) to 00.00 (22.00GMT) on the Right bank and all night long on the Left bank until August 20th, visitors can take advantage of a host of free activities ranging from volley ball, badminton, beach volley or rock climbing and aquagym. The first artificial city beach was set up in Paris 2001, attracting more than two million visitors.

ITN Source | July 21, 2006

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