Striking before and after pics reveal extent of Paris flood

The Zouave statue, below, is traditionally used as a measure for floods. It stands 5.2 metres tall, with the water passing high above his knees on Friday morning. 

Photo: Ambernectar 13/Flickr and AFP

Here's another look at the Zouave on Friday, with the Pont de l'Alma behind.

Photo: AFP

Below shows the Square du Vert-Galant, at the edge of the Ile de la Cite. The lower section was completely covered on Wednesday night. 

The pictures below, the second taken on Thursday, show that the entire top section of the park has now been covered too. 

Photo: dvdbramhall/Flickr

Photo: AFP

A third picture of this park, taken by The Local on Thursday night, shows that the water has since passed above the top of the entry gates seen in the picture above. 

Photo: The Local

The barges along the Seine in Paris are usually quite easy to get to, with gangways heading to the riversides. 

Photo: akunamatata/Flickr

But access is impossible now, at least by foot. 

Photo: AFP

One striking difference has been the lack of cruise boats on the river, which have been forced to shut down as flood waters rise. 

The river Seine is normally busy with traffic but as the photos below show there is not a bâteau to be seen right now.

Below you can see how much the water has risen at the Pont Charles de Gaulle in eastern Paris.

Photo: AFP

Photo: The Local

The Pont Alexander III near the Eiffel Tower also looks different. The walking area to the bottom left of the picture below, which is where tourists queue for boats, is completely submerged. 

Photo: Pedro/Flickr

Photo: Oliver Gee

The Statue of Liberty, below, is impossible to visit now. The 22-metre tall sculpture that's a quarter-sized replica of the one in New York can be found on the Île aux Cygnes, a small artificial island in the 15th arrondissement. But you'll only be able to see it from a distance for now. 

Photos: Guilhem Vellut/Flickr and AFP.

Judging from this photo, it seems like it was a good call to close the Louvre in order to evacuate artwork stored underground.

In the summertime, some promenades along the Seine are transformed into makeshift beaches called Paris Plages...

Photo: Bénédicte/Flickr

Photo: callicles/Instagram

Photo: JPC24M/Flickr

Photo: dewet/Flickr

Photo: Oliver Gee

Photo: Wally Gobetz/Flickr

Photo: AFP

 

The rise of the Seine is especially evident when you look at the Pont des Arts, shown below, a bridge that crosses the river next to the Louvre.

 

Photo: aa440/Flickr

 

Photo: Frédéric Dardel

 

Finally, the castle of Chambord, some 170 kilometers southwest of Paris, has now got a serious moat after the river Cosson burst its banks.

Photo: Benh Lieu Song/Flickr

Photo: AFP