On one of the hottest days of the year so far, tourists and Parisians have been enjoying the pleasures of the beach, in the heart of Paris.

City Mayor Bertrand Delanoe has declared the beaches open and immediately sunseekers arrived to take advantage of the resort atmosphere.

The view from the loungers is not of a blue sea, but of the River Seine, complete with tourists boats and cargo ships, but visitors seemed happy with the chance to enjoy a bit of seaside atmosphere and relaxation in the heart of the city.

Visitors tried their hand at the traditional French game of petanque, children ran through mists of cooling water, adults just sat and lazed, reading books and perfecting a suntan.

'Paris Plage' has been a feature of summer in the French capital since 2002. It was an idea invented by the mayor to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of the seaside even if they did not have the time or money to get away. Now it has become a permanent feature of the Paris calendar.

Parisians woke up to find everything already in place for a holiday close to home, but the atmosphere was cosmopolitan.

The sands, palm trees, deckchairs, and petanque pitches were installed by workmen overnight. The sands are recycled and arrive by boat.