The River Seine was to reopen to swimmers on Saturday in Paris after a century-long ban on taking a dip in the waterway, offering locals in the French capital and tourists a welcome respite after a week of scorching temperatures.

Parisians have begun bathing in the Seine for the first time in over 100 years after a ban was lifted. The French capital has created three swimming zones along the river as part of its Olympic legacy.

The River Seine reopened to swimmers on Saturday morning in Paris, allowing people to take a dip in the French capital's iconic waterway for the first time since 1923.