The cleaning and greening of the Seine

Two years ago, the government here announced a goal of making the Seine in Paris swimmable again.  Urban runoff is the main culprit in the pollution of the Seine's romantic waters.  Agricultural runoff from areas upstream is also partly responsible, but this is a big, sprawling city, and the runoff quantities are mind-boggling.

Here's the scene as we descended the cobblestoned ramp to the Seine, by the
Pont de Grenelle.

On my Saturday morning walk along the Allée des Cygnes, I looked down the at the water on the south side of that mid-river island, in the area where we've seen real swans in the past.  The swans are drawn to that particular area because the slope of the island's retaining wall, as it dips below the water surface, allows for a number of aquatic plants to thrive -- namely, water lilies and aquatic grasses that move in a wavy, flowing, never-ending dance.  The plants attract the fish, and the fish and plants attract the swans.

Aquatic plants growing by the Île aux Cygnes.   I could clearly see fish swimming here.

Wildflowers and other plants are allowed to grow freely along the walkways
of the banks of the Seine.

I believe this one is Acanthus Mollis (thanks, Cynthia!)

Tiny plants grow wildly in the chinks of the Seine's floodwall.

The water does look clearer than it has in the past.  As I gazed down into it, I could see fish swimming.

As warm as the weather has been, this was a welcome sight.  Harmful algae blooms are more likely in warmer weather.

Yesterday, the weather was merely very warm (high temp of 84 F), not hot like the day before (high temp of 95).  So Tom and I went for a long walk together, in the middle of the day.

After visiting a fun rummage sale in the Dupleix neighborhood (between our neighborhood and the Eiffel Tower), we followed the Boulevard de Grenelle to its end at the Seine.  We walked down the cobblestone ramp and past the many sightseeing boats.  When we reached the place where the riverbank passes beneath the Pont D'Iéna, I paused to check out the frayère that has been created there to give the fish a place to meet, spawn, and deposit their eggs.  (What is the noun for this place in English?  I don't know.  I cannot translate frayère.)

I was horrified to see that the mass of healthy aquatic plants there was littered on top with lots of plastic garbage.  Single use plastics just have to go!

Plastic garbage atop aquatic plants by the frayère beneath the Pont D'Iéna, very close to the Eiffel Tower.

The unintended frayère by the Île aux Cygnes is more successful, apparently, than this intentionally created frayère beneath the Pont d'Iéna, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hildago, has a wonderful plan for turning the Pont d'Iéna into a pedestrian-only, garden-laden connection of two more extensive, re-designed pedestrian only parks on either side of the river.  The re-design of the Champ de Mars would make it more of a park for real people, instead of the former military marching ground that it still vaguely resembles.  All put together, this "biodiverse corridor" will be the largest park in the city.

We're excited, partly because the Champ de Mars is our nearest big park, and partly because we love the pedestrianization of Paris.

A few of the Polynesian dancers and drummers gave a spontaneous performance
in the museum garden.

The Guardian published an article about the plans in June.  It contains an interesting discussion of the rationale behind the ever-ongoing de-emphasizing of automobiles in Paris.

The early afternoon warmed up, and soon Tom and I had to take a break from walking.  So we went to the café at the Quai Branly museum, which is now called the Café Jacques, in honor of Jacques Chirac, the former French president who really wanted to see this museum happen.

The food we've had at this café has always been very good.  But the space and the service is impersonal.

"My name is Olivier," says the knarly old olive tree by the Seine.

Tom had a very pretty brioche roll stuffed with expertly scrambled eggs.  I had a small Caesar salad with some chicken in it, and a bowl of refreshing, cold tomato soup with a few diced veggies and a bit of prosciutto, which I shared with Tom.  It was all delicious.

Finally, we were fed and rested enough to walk the rest of the way home.  We paused first to watch a band of Polynesian dancers and drummers in the museum's garden.  They were good!