Paris – “The star today is the Seine” – L’Express

Just before the museum closed, the frail bridge Sedar Senghor, clusters of tourists and passers-by, as in a state of bewilderment, dart phones and cameras to the roaring river and marronnâtre, which rose above 6 m.

“ It’s very impressive to feel this wave so strong move .” For once “ the ” nature “ property has the right to be ” prima donna “ ” even in such a civilized city that paris, “says Palomares.

But everyone does not agree. Susan and Alison Mc Scheaffrey, two sisters came from Edinburgh, will say” very disappointed “not be able to admire the Impressionists in the former Orsay railway station. They had organized their trip to Paris for the 70th anniversary of their father.

only the rainy weather, which swell and overflow the rivers throughout the Ile-de-France, do not disappoint too. “ this rain is a Scottish time ” smiled one of the sisters.

Paul and Laura Levrault Proust students in Poitiers, will console themselves with the Musée de l’Orangerie, remained open because located a little higher from the Seine, on the Place de la Concorde.

in front of the Louvre, also closed, a graffiti “ denial of democracy ” painted on the floor recalls the protests against the current labor law.

But while a huge convoy of riot police vehicles along the Seine and the museum buildings, sirens wailing, it’s a big puddle that attracts attention. It grows visibly: sewers began to discharge water into the street.

The tourists do not show too much disappointment at not being able to return to the museum, which attracts nearly 9 million visitors, making it the most visited in the world.

They console themselves by photographing the pyramid, disguised by the artist JR has affixed a giant photo of the Louvre building on one of its facades, making it virtually disappear.

– The Zouave takes his revenge –

At the entrance, a security officer explains to those who reserved their seats in advance that they must go on museum site in space “ support ” to request a refund.

A Japanese has booked his tickets to Saturday. Does the museum will open “ all depends on the Seine, if it starts to fall, perhaps ,” replied the agent. “ But in all cases, all the rooms will not be opened because a number of works were displaced ,” he adds.

The Grand Palace also closed in the afternoon, as a precaution. And two sites in the National Library of France. Eva Palomares has even heard that Our Lady of Paris, on the Ile de la Cité, the extreme tip –the Square du Vert Galant– is submerged for two days, was close too.

The peak of the flood should ultimately be higher announced, according to the Ministry of Environment, which set to 6.30 or 6.50 meters tray waiting in Friday evening .

At the Alma Bridge, the famous Zouave, used gauge floods for over two centuries, takes his revenge: Forgot crowds who prefer the “ monument to Diana “installed since the fatal accident of the princess, 30 August 1997, attracted Friday TV channels from around the world came scan the water level on his thigh.

By photographing the stone statue, Coco Wu, a Chinese 40 years, plays down. It shows on her phone a short film shot early in the week with his parents in Wuhan, China. Car rows are carried by waves of madness: “ We, too, was flooding now .”