This small 25x12 Pool in the basement underneath a School, is probably the furthest down into the earth I´ve ever went for a swim.
2 Stories down for the changing cabins, another one to reach the pool. And remember that after swimming, you´ll have to climb all those stairs again. There is an elevator (not sure if they let anyone actually use it), but despite this - for whatever reason - the pool is not handicapped accessible.
Being a basement pool, there is no natural light - but I can report that thanks to a lot of floodlights and bright colors - it is really not depressing in Piscine Paul Valeyre. I wasn´t much a fan of the childish wall paintings, but they are still inoffensive enough to be ignored. As for the pool itself: One rusty ladder, some clogged up pool drains at the end of the lanes, Pool Lane Dividers that are drifting around a bit because they are not fastened enough - overall the basin could be in better shape.
They should also have more than one lane for fast swimmers IMHO, that lane was very crowded.
I have never complained about shower temperatures until now and I am usually not fussy on this subject, but the showers here were too hot. The temperature difference between pool water and showers is too big. It´s not dangerously hot, but really not nice. There is one designated "cold shower" for those who prefer ice-cold water after a swim though.
The cabin-area seems to have been renovated in the last couple of years and is quite nice but there are too few individual changing-cabins. There are some cabins for groups (separated for men and women), but only 4 individual cabins.
Positives? Everything was very clean and the few changing rooms that there are, are decent in size, the Lifeguard on duty when I was there was very nice and friendly.
No real deal breakers but also nothing that would really scream "go there!". One of many mediocre pools in Paris. read more