#59-Piscine Pontoise, Latin Quartier 5th Arrondissement, Paris

Today I christened a new country for the now ongoing pool project-France! Piscine Pointoise is in the Latin Quartier a very short walk from where we are staying at the Hotel Jeu de Paume on the Ile St. Louis. 

The pool opened up at 4:30pm and I showed up 10 minutes before and there was already a line. That should have been a signal for what was about to take place. The complex is three stories with changing stalls all round the balconies overlooking the pool. When the pool opened people scampered up to the stalls and began clamoring for the pool and their lanes. Taking note of this activity I changed quickly, rinsed off got in a lane and swam about four laps in the 33 1/3 yard pool before the pool was packed. In my lane there were nearly 25 swimmers of all shapes, sizes, speeds and choice of stroke battling to make it down the lane. Total chaos! At first I tried to be polite by staying behind people and  then got the hang of it and just started passing people in the middle of the pool and cutting back in line. Kinda weird but that's what the crazy French were doing.  

Good experience and I am forwarned for future Parisian swims~Vive la France!

(View of pool in the changing stall)