This Paris Gym Boat Will Give You A Tour And A Workout At The Same Time

Locals and visitors alike could soon be cruising along the Seine and taking in the riverside sights in a boat powered by their own workouts. The Paris Navigating Gym – a project led by international design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati in conjunction with leading fitness equipment manufacturer Technogym, the non-profit architecture group Terreform ONE, and the urban regeneration institute URBEM – reinforces the French capital’s commitment to sustainability and well-being.
The workout area on the 20-meter-long fitness vessel, which can accommodate up to 45 people, boasts a selection of Technogym’s ARTIS machines, a combination of sophisticated bikes and cross-trainers. When a user starts to turn or push down on the pedals, an inverter converts this exertion into utility-grade electricity, which is then used to power the user’s device. The exercise-generated energy is also sent to the gym boat’s electric propellers in order to move it through the water and across the city, picking up and dropping off people as it goes. Any additional energy requirements would be met with renewables, most likely photovoltaic cells on the roof, and excess energy would be fed into the city’s grid.

The science behind the Paris Navigating Gym │© Carlo Ratti Associati

For Carlo Ratti, director of the MIT Senseable City Lab and a founding partner of Carlo Ratti Associati, the Paris Navigating Gym ‘provides one with a tangible experience of what lies behind the often abstract notion of “electric power”.’ Indeed, augmented-reality screens on the boat’s windows display to users information about both the energy their workouts are producing and, with the help of real-time tracking devices installed on the vessel, environmental data about the Seine’s water quality.

The Paris Navigating Gym at the Eiffel Tower │

Terreform ONE first advanced the idea of a River Gym for New York in 2008, and the Parisian project is a natural evolution of that. Analysis by URBEM and UR Lab have ensured its feasibility.

Initial studies suggest that the Paris Navigating Gym could be operational in as little as 18 months. Its arrival, coupled with that of the recently proposed flying water taxis, could change the way Parisians interact with their river forever.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.