At 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Olympic champions Alain Bernard and Ugo Didier conducted swim initiation sessions for local children in a temporary pool outside the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis. The sessions were part of the Savoir Nager learn to swim program organized by the French Swimming Federation and supported by energy company EDF. Outside the temporary facility, the 2026 European Swimming Championships were taking place inside the main aquatic center.
The two champions led several 45-minute lessons designed to help young participants become comfortable in the water. Alain Bernard, the French record holder in the 100-meter freestyle, said the goal was to show the children that they are not in danger in the water and can find their own balance. By the end of the week, the initiative will have allowed 580 children to discover or practice swimming.
Organizers acknowledged that reaching 580 children is only a small drop in the ocean compared to overall drowning figures in France. According to public health agency Sante publique France, 274 people drowned across the country between May 1 and July 15. The agency reported that 37 of those victims were children and adolescents, matching the figure recorded during the same period in 2025.
Swimming Shortage and Olympic Infrastructure
The Savoir Nager program targets priority populations in underserved areas, with Seine-Saint-Denis remaining the most deficient department in France for swimming skills. Seven out of ten children in the department cannot swim when they enter middle school. This deficit persists despite pool plans 1 and 2 implemented by the departmental council and the arrival of major Olympic legacy facilities.
New infrastructure includes the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, facilities in Bagnolet and Montreuil, and a pool moved from La Defense Arena to Sevran. In 2026, Seine-Saint-Denis has 167 square meters of pool water line per 10,000 residents, representing a 107-square-meter increase since 2022. However, the department still lags behind the national average of 236 square meters per 10,000 residents.
Thanks to the Olympic Games, Seine-Saint-Denis has paradoxically become the leading department in France for the total number of 50-meter pools. Local observers noted, however, that having top facilities alone is not enough to solve the widespread lack of swimming skills.
University Research on Social and Structural Barriers
A 472-page study evaluating the Paris 2024 Heritage and Sustainability Plan showed that swimming education challenges extend beyond physical facilities. The study was conducted by the Multidisciplinary Research Unit in Sport, Health and Society at the University of Lille and the Sport and Social Sciences Research Unit at the University of Strasbourg. The evaluation was overseen by the Interministerial Delegation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Researchers concluded that structural, demographic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors explain the limited progress in swimming skills despite new infrastructure. Data from sports research institute Injep shows that swimming ability reflects deep social divisions. Nationally, 86 percent of children from executive and business-owner families are good swimmers, compared to 61 percent of children of unskilled workers and 54 percent of children of inactive parents.
Demographics in Seine-Saint-Denis highlight this social divide, as executives make up only 8 percent of the population, while workers account for 14 percent and inactive residents represent 21 percent. The study noted that achieving real progress requires more than building new pools or large FINA-standard competition pools, which are often poorly suited for school instruction and beginner lessons.
Pool Relocations and Pricing Recommendations
To address local needs, the temporary pool used by Bernard and Didier will be dismantled and reinstalled in a municipality within Seine-Saint-Denis. Additionally, the warmup pool used for the European Swimming Championships will be relocated to Clichy-sous-Bois. The French Swimming Federation stated that it uses its own funds to pay for pool slots at the Olympic Aquatics Centre so local children can attend for free.
Federation officials noted that while Thursday's event was a joint operation with corporate partners, the Ministry of Sports had previously established the free I Learn to Swim plan. They emphasized that public investment in swimming instruction must continue. The university study included 32 recommendations, notably advocating free catch-up programs and reduced rates during specific time slots for youth under 16.
Researchers observed that infrastructure modernization in the department has been accompanied by higher entry fees, despite discounted rates for local residents. The aqualudic center in Aulnay-sous-Bois was cited as an example, having replaced a historic city pool that left residents without a swimming facility for seven years before reopening with higher prices.
Athlete Role Models and Youth Engagement
The study described the involvement of elite athletes as helpful, noting the positive impact of Olympic prestige and top swimmers like Bernard and Didier. Bernard smiled and said he recognized that when he won his Olympic titles, the children he was teaching were not yet born. He added that he remains deeply aware of the responsibility to promote swim education.
Didier said that if he and Bernard could pass on their passion and the pleasure of being in the water to the children, their effort would be a success. Their young students remained focused on their own swimming rather than elite competition. After leaving the pool, a participant named Ilan confessed that he had fallen asleep while watching the European Championship events, adding that he preferred swimming in the pool himself.
