The Seine : the river that made Paris / Elaine Sciolino.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

One -- THE SEINE IS FRANCE -- Poetry in Motion -- The Most Romantic River in the World -- The Main Street of France -- Two -- WESTWARD FROM BURGUNDY -- The Ancient Source -- The Legend of the River -- Paths to Paris -- Champagne on the Seine -- Three -- THE SPINE OF PARIS -- It Started with a Canoe -- The Beating Heart of Paris -- Clean Enough for a Swim? -- The Zen of Rowing and Fishing -- Paris la Nuit -- What's Sex Got to Do with It? -- The Seine Also Rises -- A Bend in the River -- Scenes on the Seine-- River of Song -- Capturing the Moment -- Selling Books, Selling Dreams -- Guardians of the Peace -- The Unknown Woman of the Seine -- Island-Hopping -- Four -- FROM CITY TO SEA -- River of Light -- The Port That Rivaled Paris -- Tsunami on the Seine -- Windmills and War -- No End to the Seine? -- Five -- RIVER OF DREAMS -- Reinventing the River -- The Joy of Life.

"In the spring of 1978, as a young journalist in Paris, Elaine Sciolino was seduced by a river. In The Seine, she tells the story of that river through its rich history and lively characters-a bargewoman, a riverbank bookseller, a houseboat- dweller, a famous cinematographer known for capturing the river's light. She patrols with river police, rows with a restorer of antique boats, discovers a champagne vineyard, and even dares to swim in the Seine. Sciolino's keen eye and vivid prose bring the river to life as she discovers its origins on a remote plateau in Burgundy, where a pagan goddess healed pilgrims at an ancient temple. She follows the Seine to Le Havre, where it meets the sea. Braiding memoir, travelogue, and history through the Seine's winding route, Sciolino offers a love letter to Paris and the river at its heart and invites readers to explore its magic."-- Provided by publisher.