On January 21 st 1910 the Seine started to rise dramatically. A week later the water level had reached a catastrophic eight and a half meters on the Pont de la Tournelle. It did not drop until March. Almost half of the city had been flooded.

« …One can see for oneself that such a steet – dry and quite ordinary the day before – is now worth being called a canal and proudly sports boats. As I write, I tell myself that before I finish this sentence the water over Paris will perhaps have risen another half an inch … »

Jules Romains