Piscine Molitor, Paris

Monthly water temperature temperature

The surface runs about 28 °C in August. The annual low is 28 °C in January and the high is 28 °C in January. No pronounced summer thermocline is recorded here. For October, the mean surface figure is 28 °C.

Mean water temperature by month (°C)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28

Safety safety

Both pools are mains-filled and treated with chlorine and ozone, tested at least twice daily under French pool regulations. Water quality is not the issue at Molitor — it is a managed pool complex, and the relevant restrictions are behavioural (swim caps, no boardshorts) rather than environmental.

Safety notes (3)

• The outdoor pool is 2 m deep throughout with no shallow end. Non-swimmers should use the indoor pool, which has a 1.2 m beach entry.
• Swim caps are compulsory and boardshorts are not permitted in any pool in Paris. Bring a proper swimsuit and a cap or you will be turned away at the door.
• The outdoor pool stays at 28 °C in January, so the thermal contrast on exiting into 4 °C air is genuinely large. Move straight to the indoor changing area; do not stand wet on the terrace.

Where to get in

• Outdoor pool steps — Stainless steps at the shallow corners of the 46 m pool; entry is direct into 2 m.
• Indoor pool beach entry — Sloped beach entry into the 1.2 m end of the indoor pool — the family and beginner entry.

On site

• Full spa with hammam, sauna and a 28 °C outdoor pool open in winter
• Locker rooms with showers, hairdryers and secure lockers (padlock rental available)
• Rooftop restaurant and bar, open to swimmers in robes

Getting there arrival · entry · exit

Getting there

Molitor is in the 16th arrondissement on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, six minutes' walk from Michel-Ange–Molitor metro (line 9) or Porte d'Auteuil (line 10).

Entry is time-slotted and the outdoor pool has a capacity cap. Book online several days ahead for weekend slots; weekday mornings are usually available on the day.

Getting in

The outdoor pool is 46 m by 20 m with lanes along the length. Because it is a uniform 2 m and heated to 28 °C, it is the closest thing on this list to swimming outdoors in a heated competition pool — 20 lengths is 920 m.

The indoor pool is the one to use for anything technical: 33 m, gradual depth, and far fewer people doing fast laps.

Getting out

Exit at the shallow-corner steps. Towels are provided with the spa package but not with a standard swim entry; bring your own robe if you plan to use the roof terrace.

The indoor changing rooms are warm and directly connected to both pools, which is what makes winter swimming here comfortable rather than bracing.

Depth profile

Two pools: the outdoor winter pool is 46 m by 20 m with a uniform 2 m depth and marked lanes; the indoor pool is 33 m by 15 m, sloped 1.2–3.5 m, and used for teaching and family swimming. The outdoor pool carries the 1929 listed Art Deco facade and a wall of south-facing glass.

Season window

Year round; the outdoor pool is heated to 28 °C in all seasons

Cold-water questions

Is Molitor's outdoor pool heated in winter?

Yes — the 46 m outdoor pool is held at 28 °C all year, which makes it one of the few places in Europe where you can swim outdoors in a swimsuit in January.

What do you need to bring to Piscine Molitor?

A proper swimsuit (no boardshorts), a swim cap (compulsory in all Paris pools), and a towel if you have not booked a spa package. Lockers need a padlock or a €2 rental.