Bathing water quality in France (2025): 77% excellent, 112 rated Poor

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Excellent: 2512Good: 535Sufficient: 123Not classified: 96Poor: 112

⚠️ Rated Poor in France — think twice

A Poor classification means persistent contamination across recent seasons. Authorities must advise against bathing, or ban it, at these sites.

Acomat river Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Allier Rive Gauche Base Canoe river Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Alzu di Gallina river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Amont Du Stade river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Amont Retenue river Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Anse de Toullain sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Arene Grosse sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Arfeuille lake Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Baie de la Vierge - Pont Roux sea Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Baignade Amenagee Lac de Badech Bagneres de Luchon lake Poor 🆕 New site — not enough seasons for a track record
Baignade Lac Baron Desqueyroux lake Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Bain Des Dames river Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Bassin Balance Langevin river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Beach Club sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Bercy river Poor 🆕 New site — not enough seasons for a track record
Bois-le-roi - Base Régionale de Loisirs lake Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Bon Secours sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Borely (champ de Courses) sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Boulogne Centre Plage sea Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Bras de Grenelle river Poor 🆕 New site — not enough seasons for a track record
Bras Marie river Poor 🆕 New site — not enough seasons for a track record
Camping Municipal de Belcastel river Poor
Camping-plage Du Fleckenstein Lembach river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Crique Morpio river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Dibennou sea Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Drome Centre Die river Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
Drome de Beaumont a Luc En Diois river Poor
Eden Roc sea Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
Etang D'isle lake Poor
Etang de Berlange (woippy Plage) lake Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent

…and 82 more. Full list across Europe →

✅ The safest bets in France

Sites that have held the top rating five seasons in a row — not a one-year fluke.

La Planche Baron lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Etang de la Varenne lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Etang Intercommunal _ Zone Bain lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Lac Kir (plage Est) lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Lac de Chour lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Saint Florentin - le Trou Gallimard river Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
La Plage Des Grangettes lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Plage Du Lac de Remoray lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Baignade Du Lac - Plage lake Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Poste de Surveillance sea Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Franceville Plage sea Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
Le Home sea Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight

📈 Turned around

These were rated Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago and are Excellent today.

Etang Du Moulin Naudin lake Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Anse de la Visiere sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Horloge sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Annoville - Face Au Cd sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Le Rivage de Quettehou sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Porce sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Piscine Du Quai sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Nanthouar - Penn an Hent Nevez sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
An Aod Vraz sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
Pors Garo sea Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now

📍 Destinations in France

Common questions about swimming in France

Is it safe to swim in France?

Mostly yes. 77% of France's 3,378 officially monitored bathing sites hold the top "Excellent" class in the 2025 assessment, but 112 sites are rated Poor — bathing there is advised against or banned all season.

Which beaches in France should I avoid?

The 112 rated Poor: Acomat, Allier Rive Gauche Base Canoe, Alzu di Gallina, Amont Du Stade, Amont Retenue, Anse de Toullain and 106 more. Poor means the site failed the minimum standard across four seasons of sampling.

Where is the water cleanest in France?

2,064 sites have held the top rating five seasons running — a far better signal than a single good year. Around Nice, Cannes, Brest you will find the densest clusters.

How often is water quality tested in France?

Through the whole bathing season. National sanitary authorities sample each official site for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, report to the European Environment Agency, and the published class reflects the last four seasons combined.

Ratings are the official season-long classification, computed from the last four seasons of sampling — not a live reading. After a storm any site can be temporarily worse; local advisories win.

🇫🇷 Bathing water quality in France

⚠️ Rated Poor in France — think twice

✅ The safest bets in France

📈 Turned around

📍 Destinations in France

Common questions about swimming in France