Paris Under Water: how the City of Light survived the great flood of 1910

by Jeffrey H. Jackson

In the winter of 1910, the river that brought life to Paris—the Seine—became a force of destruction in just a matter of hours. Torrential rainfall saturated the soil, and faulty engineering created conditions that soon drowned Parisian streets, homes, businesses, and museums, thrusting the City of Light into a battle with the elements. Given the Parisians' history of deep-seated social, religious, and political strife, many worried that they wouldn't be able to collaborate to confront the crisis. Yet while the sewers, Métro, and electricity failed around them, Parisians of all backgrounds rallied to save the city and one another. Improvising techniques to keep Paris functioning and braving the dangers of collapsing infrastructure and looters, leaders and residents alike answered the call to action.

In breathtaking detail, Jeffrey Jackson captures here for the first time the epic story of the great flood. As the waters rise, so does the tension, but ultimately, the Parisians' love of their city leads them to triumph over nature against all odds.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, 20th Century, Cities, European History, Historical

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2010

Reviews

[Karen! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the idea of reading about history. Typically, I hate reading historically accurate books. They are just so. Dry. It is painful, really. And, if they are not painfully dry, I start to question their accuracy...and the author's intellect. This is not one of those books. I loved it. I feel so informed now!

I had no idea that Paris flooded regularly. It makes perfect sense, considering the water level and elevation in question, I just never thought about it. Imagine my intrigue, then, when I found this book about a great flood in 1910. A flood so great that Parisians were refugees in their own city—and yet this book is the definitive history, as per the introduction, because no one else has written extensively about it. This is marvelously researched and very readable, linking politics, social climate, and personal accounts in such a way that I could hardly put it down. And they even have photographs illustrating the depth and scope of the natural disaster.

A brief timeline reduced from the appendix:

Massive amounts of rain in northern France fall in the summer of 1909, making the normal swells of the Seine in the winter of 1909-1910 even more intense. Then the weather begins to warm a bit too quickly after the Christmas snow—even the mountain snow—melts in early January 1910.

January 21—The Seine begins to overflow and overextend its banks, but this is average-level flooding for the Seine.

January 22—The Seine extends into people’s basements—much to their chagrin. Metro lines come to a halt late at night because the air compression system is flooding, so the clocks stop. The sewers and underground channels are also pushing up water.

January 23—Now it’s just ridiculous. The power plants are flooding so the metro lines begin to halt. The lights start going out.

January 25—The vinegar factory explodes after water and sensitive chemicals mix. Thousands of displaced Parisians invade the Red Cross shelters.

January 27—Soldiers arrive in boats from port cities to give aid. The city is almost devoid of light.

January 28—The Seine reaches its flooding peak: 20 feet above normal.

January 29—The Seine begins to recede.

March—The Seine finally returns to its normal level.

You guys! It flooded almost overnight. And then it stayed flooded for a week...and then it went didn't go back to normal for over a month! That's just...insane.

The water rose so quickly that reporters were dumbfounded. Imagine if you were on vacation that week and then came back to your house all ruined! “The water on the Champs-Elysees was already so deep in a few places that, according to press reports, at least one horse had drowned.” And that was in the first few days of flooding!

The Gare D’Orsay, then a train station that is now the Musee D’Orsay, was a favorite for photographers of the flood damage. “Although the water was stagnant and foul, the reflection made the Orsay look like a beautiful ancient temple in ruins.” The book includes one such photo, and let me tell you--awesome. The flooding had other surprises in store for man's modern city: “In the nearby Place de l’Opera, the unfinished Metro station filled with so much water that the sidewalks aboveground began to wobble and then cave in and collapse, leaving ornate lampposts tilted at wild angles.” How intriguing.

I am so very glad that I read this lovely little snippet of often overlooked history.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea this event had happened—and apparently, it was news to the author, too, until 2005 while he was on a tour of the Paris sewers and saw photographs depicting the flood of 1910. Clearly-written and well-detailed account of how Parisians responded to the rising of the Seine that, from Jan. 21–28 of 1910, was higher than it had been in over 250 years. It's almost eerie to see the familiar landmarks surrounded by water, and you feel the frantic desperation of the people as you realize that very little can stop the river once it starts rising.

Something interesting about this account is the feeling of unity the flood created among the citizens—including law enforcement, military, and government officials—as they worked tirelessly together to rescue each other and their city. Jackson illustrates how this unity was a big change from the divisive sentiments felt a few years earlier during the Franco-Prussian war—feelings that were still felt by some at the time—and how it influenced the people's sense of solidarity which could be seen during WWI.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure why I keep reading books about other horrific historical events during our current pandemic, but I suppose learning about how humans have survived disaster after disaster over centuries is, in a way, comforting. I was especially surprised by how much of the suffering, solidarity, and selfishness described in this book are reflected in our current crisis.

It’s weird to say I enjoyed a book about such a horrific event, but I at least appreciated learning about this flood, about which I knew nothing prior to reading this book. It’s well written and provides enough detail while not harping on any one point. It also really made me want to visit Paris again. :)

After this one, though, I may try to avoid any more books about disasters for a while....

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

And interest book from three perspectives. Firstly, a description of Paris in a decade when Paris was the most advanced city in the world. For instance, did you know that many factories, offices and even homes had compressed air piped in as a utility, like gas, water and electricity? Secondly, a description of the disaster itself. As the water rose, it not only displaced people but also crippled the advanced infrastructure (electricity, gas, telegraph lines, railways) that would be needed to coordinate and implement the relief work. But thirdly, a subtext of the flood as a cleansing moment in French history. Did it wash away the anger and humiliation of the Franco-Prussian war, the self-slaughter of 1871, and the shameful Dreyfus affair? Did it in some sense prepare France for the horrors and challenges of WWI?

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-researched and very readable account of the catastrophic flood in Paris in 1910. It takes the reader through the day-by-day escalation of the waters of the Seine and the resulting destruction throughout Paris and surrounding towns. It explains how the sewers and underground train tunnels brought the flood further inland than it could have gone on its own. The main story, though, is how the Parisians, overall, pulled together to get through the disaster. Photos of the flooding are included, which are interesting to compare to current day photos from other sources to further appreciate the extent of the inundation. Fascinating.

[John Weibull · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down. Mr. Jackson gives us a thoroughly researched book filled with fascinating anecdotes and tales of bravery under extreme circumstances. During the 1910 flooding the government of Paris responded quickly and efficiently to the crisis, managing to keep a horrific disaster from getting out of control, all without resorting to a declaration of martial law.

[Kathleen McRae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some interesting sections but was a bit of a heavy read.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had already been a wet fall and winter when northern France was to endure a series of storms that dropped massive amounts of rainfall and snow on already saturated ground. The Seine along with its tributaries of the Marne, the Yonne and others flowed to the north to empty into the English Channel. In the past December, the people noticed that the waters rose and fell at the Zouave (soldier) statue which was attached to the Pont de l'Alma bridge and served as an unofficial flood marker. It would not be unusual for the waters of the Seine to swirl about the boots of this 17 foot (5.2 meter) statue. But in January of 1910, the populace thought that the rising waters were simply another variant of the Seine. Only this time, it would be a week before the waters started to retreat.

So much water that the sewers were backing up, flooding basements, rail tunnels were disappearing under the water, debris was floating and speeding with the currents, smashing into the pylons and supports of the numerous bridges which crossed from the Left Bank to the Right Bank. In places along those banks, the quays stonework would crumble, giving way from the strong currents. The cobblestones of the streets would be tumbled from their spaces like pebbles from the water's force.

By the time the Seine crested, the Zouave was in water swirling about its neck. Literally, 28 feet above flood stage.

Jackson went into how the people of Paris and the surrounding areas managed to survive as the large rail tunnels directed massive amounts of water into the suburban areas, flooding them as well. People would get around by boat, or wooden scaffolding which substituted for the walkways under the muddy water. Electricity generation was quickly lost as was the gas lit streetlights which plunged the city into darkness at night. Many did not leave their homes for fear of looting what property they may have managed to save from the water but eventually, lack of food and potable water sent them to shelters run by a variety of charitable organizations.

Jackson keeps the focus on not only how the Seine is devastating the city while free of its banks, but also government officials - like the prefect of police, Louis Lepine - who worked tirelessly dealing with problems and providing solutions. Teams of his police, make rescue missions, worked with the military (who were still viewed with suspicion after the Dreyfus Affair), organized food and shelter and being a man that the people could count on 'to keep them safe'.

It took until March for the waters to finally recede but the government had already started to rebuild and repair. Encouraged the people to clean as best they could, air out what they could and be prepared to discard the tons of trash and debris destroyed by the muddy and sewage-laden waters. Somehow, the people of Paris managed - for the most part - to set aside ideological differences and worked to bring the City of Light back to life.

An interesting addition at the end in what could be considered a possible agenda and thoughtful proposal into victims and how much non-victims provide assistance. The victims - of course - are the ones that have had a disaster impact them be it flood, fire, earthquake while the non-victims are the ones that provide assistance who usually have not been impacted - or not significantly impacted by the disaster. They have additional resources available which they are willing to share, to work at helping the community recover. But, if the victims outweigh the non-victims, there are only a minor amount of non-victims or ideological differences keep them from connecting, the community may never recover even with outside assistance. So perhaps, one must consider connections with our neighbors might be vital if nature presents an unexpected challenge in the future.

2021-062

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book describes the 1910 flood in Paris, France. Rather than simply a dry, historical retelling, the book presents the events in a way that holds the reader’s attention. The presentation is very positive describing people of all segments of society rolling up their sleeves and coming together to respond to the emergency. It is not until the end of the book that some acknowledgment is made of those few who took advantage of the situation for personal gain via criminality or other means. An interesting read.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been fortunate to visit Paris, I was struck by what a prominent role the river Seine plays in all aspects of the old city. I really liked this book about the struggle to save property and treasures from an overwhelming flood. Highly recommend, especially if you know the city. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Mesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very rarely say this, but I wish that this event/book were turned into a movie. I think it would make a really powerful film.. a lesson on screen. "Unfortunately, when past memories fade, future dangers grow."

[Hypatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. I remember seeing the mark in the Conciergerie denoting the limit of the 1910 flood. That's in a basement though, and I didn't realize how far above normal water level it actually is.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling easy to read account of only a month or so of horrific flooding and the slow recovery afterward. Already in 1910, Paris was counting on all its modern infrastructure to prevent flooding, when, in fact, the state of its infrastructure contributed to the severity of the flooding.

[Diana Kullman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was listed as a reference for Tatiana De Rosnay's book, The Rain Watchers. I found it very educational!

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting narration of an historical event of which I was previously unaware. I learned a great deal more about the Seine and its environs.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great detail on a turning point in Paris history, but almost too much. Can be slow reading at times.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent account of the flood of Paris in 1900. Jackson's gives enough background to describe the why but does not clog the book with too many unnecessary details.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It’s hard to imagine a more thoroughly researched history of the Paris, France, flood of 1910 than PARIS UNDER WATER by Jeffrey H. Jackson. With the national debate roaring on whether post-Katrina New Orleans should be rebuilt, PARIS UNDER WATER offers the definitive answer of yes. A truly first-rate book." --Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge:Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast

"PARIS UNDER WATER is a riveting account of a natural catastrophe that struck Paris in 1910. Going far beyond the boundaries of environmental or urban history, it draws on an exceptionally wide array of sources to offer the reader a meticulous, yet rich and personal, reconstruction of what the great flood felt like to contemporaries, what it revealed about social tensions and solidarities, and what it signified on a broader historical scale. Jackson has succeeded masterfully in telling a fascinating story in a way that any reader will find utterly irresistible, while applying insightful and erudite scholarly analysis in a way that sheds light on a great city’s social, economic, and cultural life. A tour de force of scholarship and brilliantly creative craftsmanship." --Michael D. Bess, author of Choices Under Fire:Moral Dimensions of World War II

"Before New Orleans, there was Paris. The Great Paris Flood of 1910, which paralyzed the world’s most modern city and caused over a billion euros (by today’s standards) worth of damage, provides a fascinating study of physical and social devastation and human survival. Jackson blends the vivid details of the flood--exploding sewer covers, disintegrating streets--with the wider historical context, from the Commune of 1871 to World War I, and the psychology of disaster. Modernization itself contributed to Paris’s destruction. But, as Jackson concludes, in the end Paris survived the flood because it was a functioning human community, not because it was a modern metropolis. Any student of history or lover of Paris will want to read this book." --Sarah Smith, The Knowledge of Water, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year

"Fascinating work, important story, beautifully told. Jackson tells us about a little-known flood of a well-known city, Paris. He weaves seamlessly together the political and cultural significance of the flood, all while engaging the reader with stories about what the flood meant for everyday life. A fine achievement." --Lee Clarke, author of Worst Cases: Terror and Catastrophe in the Popular Imagination
"Narratives of natural disasters often show swift and all-consuming devastation, but PARIS UNDER WATER is a story of waters rising. Set against the backdrop of the world’s most beautiful city, the Seine itself is at the center of the story ­ from its role in making Paris a modern city to the day in 1910 when Parisians stood on its banks and watched it climb several feet a day, carrying debris from flooded towns in the countryside. Through Jackson’s deft storytelling and first-hand accounts, we see the terror of watching a disaster slowly, methodically drown a city and a community’s fight to survive it." --Molly Caldwell Crosby, An American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, The Epidemic That Shaped Our History

"Stories about Paris have left us with a rich profile of a city at the vanguard of political action and cultural life. Yet Jeffrey H. Jackson’s new book muddies these familiar waters. His gripping account of the 1910 flood recounts the highs and the lows of what happened when water “shorted out” the city of light. With a knack for the diversity of human response to disaster and the historian’s eye for the telling detail, Jackson draws our attention to how nature interacts with our greatest of human-wrought environments: the metropolis. This book not only is an important tale, worthy of being told but it also will open the door to reconsiderations of the interaction of technology and the environment in ways that are vitally relevant today." --Vanessa R. Schwartz, It’s So French: Hollywood, Paris, and the Making of Cosmopolitan Film Culture

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but pretty boring overall.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know what possessed me to borrow this book from the library! If I wanted to read about natural disasters all I had to do was read the news: this is a week when Super Typhoon Hagupit displaced thousands of people in a mass evacuation and Brisbane is cleaning up after a super cell storm caused a damage bill of over $800 million, reviving memories of the 2011 floods when the Brisbane River burst its banks. Given that there are dozens of major cities around the world that are built on rivers, there have been countless major flood events for one reason or another, and historians could no doubt flood the market with stories about them all.

But tourists love Paris, and so a book about their flood in 1910 was bound to be of interest. And so Paris Under Water appears to be, if you check the uncritical GoodReads ratings. But truth be told this is a rather dull book. It’s well-researched (lots of footnotes &c) but badly written, with repetitive assertions and inadequate analysis. Once the initial fascination with the idea of Paris under water lapses, the book becomes a bit of a slog.

To read the rest of my review please visit

http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/12/13/pa...

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floods are scary. I am lucky to never have experienced one first hand and don't live in an area that is prone to such things. This flood occurred in the heart of a major European city and despite the lack of warning it is remarkable more people were not swept away. When the flood did come, the residents who survived used some good old ingenuity and resourcefulness to hold it together. The political backstory is insightful but not terribly dramatic. At the heart of it, a flood is my vision of the worst kind of massive sewage backup imaginable. The French love their bakeries and I give them a lot of credit for their clean up to get the city back up and running. And aren't we all glad! I sleep a little easier knowing they disinfected the place before turning the ovens back on. Overall this book was okay, but did not find it the riveting and inspiring survival story that one might expect (or that I expected) from a book about an unforeseen natural disaster. Well written, but reads more like a long newspaper article and a bit short on character narrative.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book. Also really well-paced throughly researched affair. The whole thing starts out with factors leading to the flood, and it reads just like a disaster movie where they establish exactly where everyone is and what they are doing as you know full well that disaster is going to strike. I only wish I had actually been to Paris before reading this, because I think it would make some of the geography he talks about more effective. But I had the general idea from pictures placed throughout. Anyway, it's not very long. On the whole I recommend it.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read like a PhD thesis. Some parts were very interesting, but overall too "tight" a telling - a lot of repetition of activities through out the few days it covered. There's only so many ways you can say 'clean up continued' and keep it interesting. I would have enjoyed it with more specific-yet-varied stories and covering more days to to increase my enjoyment, but his afterword says not a lot of historical documents survived so I suppose he just didn't have the material to draw from. An interesting historical event overall, but sometimes tedious to slog* through.

*ha! I crack myself up.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Paris Under Water" is an excellently researched, beautifully informative read about a subject that has been lost in history and is clouded in myth and fables. As one of the few books written on the topic, the book speaks of the time leading up to the January 21-29, 1910 flood, including the importance of wars and disputes dating back forty or more years prior and ends it by brilliantly and smoothly connecting the devastating events to the outbreak and events of the German invasion of France in World War I (1914-1918).

Needless to say, I give this book a five-star rating.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book hard on the heels of the destruction wrought by Hurrican Sandy was very illuminating. The "great flood" of Paris (shortly before the outbreak of WWI) had many reprecussions for that city and the nation. Even that long ago there was talk about how the destruction of the environment could have led to the disaster of 1910. A well researched, well written study of an important event in Paris' history.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well-written and extremely informative, but also extremely dry. The author went for a tone more academic than personal, and while I appreciate his dedication to facts (and also understand that there were not many existing accounts from ordinary Parisians of this time) I could have used a little more narrative flow. However, this is still an excellent piece of work, and a great addition to my disaster shelf!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've studied Paris history for a while and until I heard about this book I never knew that Paris was inundated in January 1910. I enjoy books of this type because they bring together the social, cultural and political aspects of the time and weave them into a narrative that makes you feel you're right in Paris at the time of the flood.

[Rosie Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book on the flood in Paris in the winter of 1910. Days of rain and supersaturated soil caused the Seine to overflow by miles in each direction. The city leaders and the disparate-class, religion, wealth-Parisians rise to confront this assault on their beloved city. Wonderful.

[Andrea Montan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This history book reads more like a novel because the author infuses personal stories with actual events. It is not just about the flood of 1910, but has commentary about other facets of French history and culture.