swimming in paris?
 

We will be staying in a small hotel in the 7th for a week after Christmas. I am wondering first if anyone has any leads on places to swim laps. I believe that my hotel can find us a place, but I wondered if anyone had any suggestions.

Secondly, any thoughts about what to do with an 8 and 13 year old on New Year's Eve? It looks like some places offer tours of les illuminations, but I'd love to hear any suggestions.

Thanks!

>...any thoughts about what to do with an 8 and 13 year old on New Year's Eve?<

Put them to bed early, and go out for the evening? :)

Sorry, can't help.

Friends stayed at the Bristol with their children, they have a pool. I belive it is near the Champs Elysses.
Also the Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel has a swimming pool.

There's an indoor pool across from the Hilton (rue Jean Rey, 7e), if I remember correctly. But don't know if it's public...

The indoor pool we went to in Paris was a community pool, acutally in Montrouge but be aware that the men must wear speedos and everyone, including the men, must wear bathing caps.

I don't think there are any public pools in the 7th, and the one near the Hilton on rue Jean Rey (which is in the 15th arr) would be the closest, probably. That is Piscine Emile Anthoine. There is also one near place Charles Michel which may be nice and the next closest. They have limited hours open to the public, however; perhaps especially non-students, but I haven't ever gone to them and they do have indoor pools. YOu could stop by and see, if you wanted. Here is one article I found in English listing the public pools with notes
http://www.parisiana.com/public_pools.html

As for kids -- what would you do with them at home on NY eve? I think most people just stay at home with children and watch TV or something. If they offer those illuminations tours on that night, I think that would be a great idea.

If you see Paris on foot the way most folks do you will not need your laps!!

This should help you. I recently found this when looking for a friend who needs a pool for therapy. Follow the directions, punch in Paris. It will give you listings.
http://www.swimmersguide.com

As Lily says, in Paris, municipal swimming pools require you to wear a swimming cap, and men must wear Speedos rather than loose shorts. They do enforce these rules.

So, an alternative would be to find a private pool, where the rules are slightly more relaxed. The one pool I know of with no Speedo/cap rule is the Piscine de Pontoise (part of a gym complex called the Club du Quartier Latin) on rue Pontoise in the 5th (just off Boulevard St Germain, metro Maubert-Mutualité). I used to be a member there. It's a lovely old-fashioned pool (33 m), with changing booths in galleries all round the main pool.