Paris is not immune to natural disasters, particularly flooding of the Seine, the river that runs through the capital, with water levels already rising to over 8m in 1910. Following on from the extreme heatwaveexercise carried out two years ago, a new test is about to be put in place in the capital to prepare for the possibility of flooding and another major flood, which would affect a large number of Parisians.
Nearly 100,000 Parisians would have to evacuate their homes for several days! This Monday, October 13, 2025, a full-scale exercise will be organized in the center of the capital, during the national resilience day, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Paris Centre (4th arrondissement), on the scale of a micro-neighborhood located in a flood zone, near the Quai de l'Hôtel de Ville. Shopkeepers, residents and institutional players will be invited to take part, in order to test the measures in the field and adjust future measures and coordination.
A real scenario has been set up, in which residents will become the players, in order to observe spontaneous reactions. According to the City of Paris, several thematic courses will be offered, depending on the age of the participants and their fictitious situation, during which they will be able to discuss the risk of food shortages, the restoration of networks and the stakes of such a flood, accompanied by fictitious television news broadcasts.
These residents have already been warned: you won't be chosen at random if you're wandering around, rest assured! On the other hand, certain areas within the perimeter may be more difficult to access for a few hours. And don't panic if your phone rings in your ears that day: the FR-Alert tool should be activated in the area in question.
