I am about to head to Paris for two months. (I know, I know, rough duty.) Staying in the Marais district, 4th Arrondissement. Have never been. Has anyone ever swum in Paris? I don't really need Masters' workouts, as I swim alone mostly. Just need access to pool for workout purposes. Eager for insights if you got 'em. Thanks!
Just got back from 12 days in France. I swam a 10k race (actually 6.6 miles) in beautiful Lake Annecy on eastern border. It was fun but I got DQed (so sad because I was fastest master swimmer by 31 minutes). It was the longest finish chute I've ever seen (?300 yards). I swam past it on close side, swam back to get inside it and somehow ended up going around on the chute on the far side. When I finally neared the finish, I did not swim back but under the far part of the finishing chute (no-no I guess).
My wife did the Paris-Brest-Paris bike race so I toured the local pools in France. They were all pretty decent but usually only 2 lap lanes and as has been noted, many amateurs. It is like at a Masters meet where you are approaching the wall, about ready to flip, and some hugely slow person pushes off right in front of you and starts doing breastroke.
Some protocol for anybody wanting to go. They usually post prices (tariffe) outside (usually 4-8 euros). Some also have a non-resident rate (not sure how to say that--one front lady was so hostile before and after my swim because I couldn't speak French--I just wanted to hand her the money of which I had exact change and be pointed to the locker room). They then give you a card to plug into a turn-style or a receipt to scan that opens the turn-style. Sometimes you take your shoes off outside of locker room other times not (they have a strange foot thing there). There are generally changing stalls in middle (boys and girls in same general room). Locker takes one or two euros which is given back when you are done. Always a foot bath as you walk out (I can't tell but it didn't appear to force you to shower). On way out, push button on turn-style which allows you to go out the same way.
I went all the way to western France and was able to swim in the Atlantic. My wife finished her race (1218k or 758 miles) with a total of about 6 hours sleep in 4 days with time of 81 hours 45 minutes...seems painful. Only one day for tourism. Palace at Versailles and Eiffel tower (rats EVERYWHERE and some of the worse smells I have ever experienced--took about 2 hours of lines from bottom to top).
