How to know the quality of the bathing water at your vacation spot in real time ?

What is the quality of the bathing water at my holiday destination ?

In France, the water at bathing sites is checked at least once a month by government services. You can find out the quality of the water at your holiday destination in real time using these official maps.

Baignades.sante.gouv.fr: the official site to find out everything about the water quality of your favorite swimming spot this summer, on vacation or near you & ;nbsp;zoom in, click and it’s found!

The results of the microbiological analyzes carried out during the bathing season, and the information relating to the classifications, published on the site https://baignades.sante.gouv.fr allow vacationers and people residing near bathing sites to know the instantaneous and overall quality of the water from a health point of view. They also allow health authorities to constantly monitor water quality and prevent risks to human health.

Green flag on 90% of bathing sites

A classification of bathing sites is carried out at the end of each bathing season to assess the overall quality of bathing water. This is based on the results of health analyzes of the two microbiological parameters Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci over a period of 4 years, with distinct values ​​for sea water and fresh water. Depending on the results, bathing water is classified into one of the following 4 categories: "excellent", "good", "sufficient" or "insufficient". In the event of pollution or an identified risk, a temporary swimming ban accompanied by public information may be put in place.

In 2023, among the sites surveyed (seawater and freshwater), 90.4% were classified as having excellent or good quality, including 74.9% of excellent quality and 15.5% of good quality. This represents a total of 3038 sites. In addition, 94.5% of bathing sites were classified as having at least sufficient quality.

On the other hand, 2.9% of bathing sites (99) were classified as having insufficient quality. Since 2013, the proportion of bathing sites of insufficient quality has decreased from 3.5% to 2.9%.

What are the checks on ?

In accordance with Directive 2006/7/EC, the regulated parameters are Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci indicators. Their presence in water indicates contamination of fecal origin, the intensity of which varies depending on the concentrations observed. Although these microbial germs do not present a direct danger to bathers at the levels generally observed, their presence can signal that of potential pathogenic germs. The ARS (Regional Health Agency) can complete the control of these two microbiological parameters by adding other analyzes (pH, transparency, cyanobacteria, etc.) if the monitoring is deemed relevant due to a known vulnerability of the swimming site or a suspected risk identified by the profile.

When water is sampled for analysis, a visual inspection of the swimming area is also carried out to detect the presence of hydrocarbons, tarry residues, macroalgae, etc. phytoplankton blooms, macro-waste, jellyfish, etc., which can also represent a health risk and require appropriate management measures.

Bathing water of poor quality can cause health problems such as dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorders or ear infections, which are generally mild but potentially more serious for vulnerable people.

To find out more: the report on the quality of bathing water in France (2024)