Since the start of winter, rainfall has been frequent in the Paris region, raising the level of the Seine and its tributaries, but without becoming dangerous. On the other hand, a number of quays and riverside lanes have had to be closed for safety reasons this season, during what are considered classic winter floods . On the weekend of April 6 and 7, 2024, after a week of intense rain, the Seine could rise to 4.30 meters, necessitating a ban on navigation on the river.
Paris: the dams that prevent the Seine from flooding, and a capital under water
With the heavy rains of the last few days, the level of the Seine is close to 3m20, a high but rather normal height for the season, thanks to the dams that hold back the water upstream, to prevent Paris from being drowned. [Read more]
A far cry from the floods of 1910 or 2018, more recently, the Seine is therefore on yellow alert, and should once again see the closure of the Georges Pompidou Way between the Pont du Garigliano and the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, also impacting goods transport and river tourism. As a result, the organizers of the Paris 2024 Marathon, which takes place this Sunday 7, have decided, in conjunction with the Préfecture de Police, to modify the route from the Henri IV tunnel to the Tuileries tunnel, which is now inaccessible, with a passage on the high quays instead of the low ones.
For the same reason, the river parade test scheduled for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which was due to take place on Monday 8, has been cancelled and postponed until May 27.
Paris: the dams that prevent the Seine from flooding, and a capital under water
