The Flood of Paris
1910

The Paris Flood of 1910 was one of the most dramatic natural disasters in the city’s modern history. After weeks of heavy winter rain, the Seine and its tributaries rose steadily until, in late January, floodwater spread through Paris. The river did not simply overflow in the usual way; water also pushed up through sewers, drains, and basements, turning streets, courtyards, and neighborhoods into canals.

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At its height, the flood disrupted daily life across the city. Métro lines, railways, roads, and utilities were affected, while residents moved through flooded streets by boat or crossed temporary wooden walkways built above the water. Famous areas near the Seine, including the quays, bridges, stations, and grand public buildings, became scenes of both emergency and spectacle. Soldiers, police, firefighters, and ordinary Parisians helped evacuate residents, deliver supplies, and keep the city functioning as best they could.

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What made the flood especially memorable was the way it transformed familiar Paris landmarks into strange, almost dreamlike views. Streets became reflective waterways, doorways opened onto floodwater, and boats appeared where carriages and pedestrians normally passed. Although the disaster caused enormous damage, it also produced some of the most striking photographic images of early twentieth-century Paris. Today, the 1910 flood is remembered as a warning of the Seine’s power and as one of the defining urban crises of Belle Époque Paris.

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The postcards in this collection capture the flood as both disaster and spectacle. They show Parisians navigating submerged streets, temporary bridges crossing the water, and well-known corners of the city altered by the rising Seine. These cards offer a vivid glimpse of Paris under water and preserve the way residents, visitors, and photographers witnessed an extraordinary moment in the city’s history.

POSTCARD GALLERY