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Paris plages: Urban beaches open – with pop-up Covid-19 testing centres

Paris' popular urban beaches have opened for the summer, with extra health precautions in place and pop-up coronavirus testing centres.

Published: 12 June 2020 15:42 CEST
Updated: 20 July 2020 09:10 CEST
Paris plages: Urban beaches open - with pop-up Covid-19 testing centres
The urban beaches are back, with extra health measures. Photo: AFP

Due to health fears over Covid-19 and social distancing rules there had been some doubt whether the beaches on the banks of the Seine and beside the Bassin de la Villette would go ahead this year.

But Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo decided to go ahead, saying: “Many Parisians will not got on holiday this year.

The swimming pools at the Bassin de la Villette are back. Photo: AFP

“Many visitors might come to Paris, especially visitors from other French regions rather than abroad, and we really want to welcome them, and keep this festive spirit up in Paris.”

 

The beaches are now open and will stay open until August 30th.

However, there are some differences and plenty of health precautions in place.

The beaches – which transform riverside and canal bank areas into mini seasides complete with sand, deck chairs, ice cream stands, pétanque and swimming areas – open later than usual on July 18th.

The canal basin of the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement once again sees the addition of three swimming pools, while the canalside area has beach areas with deck chairs, changing facilities and food and drink stalls.

New this year is a 'float-in' cinema – an open-air cinema screen that people can view from the electric or paddle boats that are available on the canal basin (or watch the movie from the canal banks).

It will be open every day from 1pm to 8pm.

Open air movies at the Bassin de la Villette. Photo: AFP

Hidalgo said: “On the Bassin de la Villette, I wanted to give a positive answer to all restaurateurs who asked us to return.”

On the Seine riverbanks the beaches are returning, but the usual schedule of entertainments has been scaled back. The beach opened at the weekend with a concern performed from boats on the river.

Both sites will be used for the pop-up Covid-19 testing centres that are gradually being expanded around the capital over the summer.

The testing centres are situated at the villages santés (health villages) at the Bassin de la Villette and between the Pont de Sully and the Pont Neuf. They are open from 2pm to 6pm and the tests are free.

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HEALTH

How serious is the threat from dengue fever in France?

As tiger mosquitoes are now present in over 80 percent of mainland France, health authorities are worried that local transmission of tropical diseases, like dengue fever, will increase.

Published: 14 June 2024 15:15 CEST
How serious is the threat from dengue fever in France?

As of January 2024, tiger mosquitoes – known for their ability to carry diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus – had been detected in 78 of France’s 96 mainland départements, including the Paris region.

This has left public health authorities concerned about the spread of dengue fever in France, particularly this summer as large crowds are expected amid the Olympic Games.

READ MORE: MAP: Tiger mosquitoes reach northern France

How common is dengue fever in France?

In the first four months of 2024, 1,679 cases of dengue fever were identified in mainland France, a number that is 13 times higher than the same period last year, Le Parisien reported.

Crucially, however, none of these are believed to have been contracted in mainland France – they were all reported among patients who had recently travelled from the tropical regions where dengue fever is common.

The majority of cases were from people who had visited the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe – where the disease is endemic.

These islands are for administrative purposes part of France – so often show up in French health data – but they are roughly 7,000km away from Paris.

So far, there have not been any indigenous cases (autochtone – or people infected on mainland French soil) yet this year.

Local transmission of the disease remains relatively rare. In 2023, nine separate outbreaks of indigenous dengue transmission were identified, one of which occurred in the Paris region. These led to 45 cases of local transmission (in mainland France).

Most were in southern France – in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions – though one outbreak occurred in the Paris region, according to French public health authorities.

This is less than 2022, which was a notable year with 66 total cases of indigenous dengue fever were recorded. In comparison, between 2010 and 2021, only 48 cases (total) were recorded.

What to expect for 2024

Experts believe that the number of cases in France, including indigenous ones, will grow this year, as tiger mosquitoes now occupy more territory in mainland France.

On top of that, the number of cases has increased significantly in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“What we see in France is a mirror image of what is happening in the French Caribbean, and more widely in Latin America and the rest of the Caribbean, where dengue fever has been circulating since the start of the year at unprecedented levels”, the head of Santé Publique France, Dr Caroline Semaille, said during a press conference.

The Olympic Games will also bring an influx of tourists from all over the world, and weather conditions are expected to be conducive to mosquitoes – a year with a lot of rainfall, and potentially high temperatures. 

What is dengue fever?

The disease is spread to people from bites by infected mosquitoes.

The most common symptoms are high fever, chills, abdominal, joint and muscle pains, and vomiting. It can also cause a skin rash that resembles measles, according to France’s Institut Pasteur.

Symptoms usually begin three to 14 days (with an average of four to seven) after being bitten.

However people are asymptomatic in 50 to 90 percent of cases (depending on the epidemic), which can make monitoring difficult.

At-risk groups include the immunocompromised, children and the elderly, who are more likely to suffer from severe forms of the disease.

Deaths from the disease are very rare, occurring in around 0.01 percent of all cases, almost all in countries that have poor healthcare systems.

How can I avoid tiger mosquitoes?

Female tiger mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, and they can lay several hundred eggs at once. Therefore try to avoid having any standing water outside your home and be aware of the items that might collect rainwater.

This includes regularly emptying vases, flower pots, as well as watering cans and pots. If you want to collect rainwater, you could cover water butts with mosquito nets or fabric to keep the mosquitoes from getting inside.

READ ALSO 5 plants that (allegedly) repel mosquitoes

You can also keep your gutters clean – this helps to keep the water flowing when it rains, and it avoids any stagnant pools from building up.

To protect yourself, try to wear long, loose and light-coloured clothing, in addition to insect repellent. You might also consider wearing a mosquito net head gear.

The main difference between tiger mosquitoes and other species would be getting a bite during the day, and the fact that tiger mosquitoes are likely to bite several times. You can tell for sure if it was a tiger mosquito by seeing the insect itself. They are also silent.

There is no immediate cause for alarm if you are bitten, in almost all cases the bites are just itchy and annoying. In very rare cases, tropical diseases can be spread by the mosquitoes – seek medical help if you develop a high fever and rash.

READ MORE: How to prevent the spread of tiger mosquitoes in France

What do tiger mosquitoes look like?

They are very small, about 5 mm, and they have a highly contrasting colour, with black and white stripes on their body and legs.

If you believe you have spotted a tiger mosquito, you can report it to public health authorities online.

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