Historical Paris - The Great Paris flood of 1910
20 Amazing Historical Photos of Paris
In these 20 historical photos of Paris, we get a glimpse into how devastating the Great Paris flood of 1910 was, how some of the Metro was built, old forms of transport around the city and the stunning array of pavilions and structures built for the World Fair in 1889, including of course, the Eiffel Tower. To finish off our gallery of amazing historical photos of Paris, there is a photo of a young child getting water during a hot spell from an iconic Wallace fountain.
The Great Paris Flood of 1910
It was in late January 1910, following months of high rainfall, that the Seine River flooded Paris for over a week. The Seine River banks did not actually overflow causing the flood, it was rather the water that pushed upwards from overflowing sewers and subway tunnels, and that seeped into basements through fully saturated soil, that caused the city’s flooding.
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In the towns to the east and west of the capital, they were flooded by the rising river overflowing its banks and flooding the areas directly.
Over the week, thousands of Parisians evacuated their homes as water entered buildings and streets throughout the city, shutting down a lot of the city’s basic infrastructure.
Paris 1910 Flood Avenue Ledru-Rollin
The Great Paris Flood of 1910
This photo captures Parisian residents carefully navigating the flooded street of Avenue Ledru-Rollin on a makeshift plank path during the great Paris flood of 1910.
The entire boulevard is bordered by trees on both sides, and it passes through the three main east-west arteries of the 12th arrondissement: Avenue Daumesnil, the rue de Charenton and the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, the last of which marks the border between the 12th and the 11th arrondissements.
Flooded Avenue Montaigne in the great Paris flood of 1910.
Flooded Quai de Passy in the great Paris flood in 1910.
Crowds waiting for transport across the flood waters by cart.
Place de l'Opéra, 1920s
Traffic in front of the Palais Garnier or Opéra Garnier, in the 1920s in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.
The Palais Garnier was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the request of Emperor Napoleon III. It was the home of the Paris Opera and Paris Ballet until 1989 when the Opéra Bastille opened. If you get the chance to visit this stunning building, I totally recommend it. Seating 1,979 persons in sumptuous luxury, with a grand staircase, chandelier light ballroom and associated salons, it is an amazing example of Baroque Revival architecture, Beaux-Arts architecture and Second Empire architecture in Europe.
Opera de Paris Official Website for more information on opening hours, events and tours.
Rue Lepic, Montmartre with Moulin la Galette, 1965
Looking up Rue Lepic Montmartre with Moulin la Galette in the background in 1965.
Rue Lepic is one of the most famous (and one of the liveliest) streets in Montmartre. The itinerary starts in Place Blanche, near to the mythical Moulin Rouge cabaret, and finishes in Place du Tertre, the heart of Montmartre. In the course of the walk, there is lots to discover: numerous shops, cafes to have a drink at, and the famous Moulin de la Galette, the only windmill still working in the district. Day and night-time the area is always full of life. - Paris Official Visitors Information Centre
Arc de Triomphe, Paris
Photo taken from a postcard.
Construction of the Paris Metro line
Fulgence Bienvenüe, Chief Engineer for bridges and roadways, accepted the network project in July 1897, and work began on 4th October 1898.
The first line (Porte de Vincennes - Porte Maillot) was opened to the public on 19 July 1900 in order to serve the events of the 1900 summer Olympic Games at the Bois de Vincennes.
Construction of the Paris Metro under rue de Rivoli, Paris, 1899
Construction of the Paris subway underneath the rue de Rivoli in May of 1899.
Men with Cart of Rags in Paris, 1920
This photo of an older man pulling and younger man pushing a cart of rags over the cobbled street in Paris is circa 1920. The photo is from an original postcard.
Lapin Agile Cabaret, Montmartre
Located in the Montmartre area of Paris the Lapin Agile cabaret has been in existence for almost 150 years and has rather an infamous history. Located at the corner of Rue Saint Vincent and Rue des Saules it is a small pastel building, now covered by an ancient vine.
It was on the northern slope of the Butte Montmartre on a cobbled street, just near Clos de Montmartre (one of Paris' last remaining vineyards) that this enchanted house became a place for sing-alongs and folk songs in around the year 1850. In 1875 a painter and caricaturist called Andre Gill painted a sign that had a rabbit jumping out of a saucepan. In French this painting was called Le Lapin a Gill and so the name soon became changed slightly to the Lapin Agile.
Many famous artists used to frequent this cabaret and Pablo Picasso's painting Au Lapin Agile 1905, oil on canvas, depicts the interior of Lapin Agile.
Horse drawn Omnibus in Paris, 1890
On 28 April 1828, the first Paris omnibus began service, running every fifteen minutes between la Madeleine and la Bastille. Before long, there were one hundred omnibuses in service, with eighteen different itineraries. A journey cost twenty-five centimes
The Eiffel Tower , Exposition Universelle Paris, 1889
Built on the Champs-de-Mars for the Exposition Universelle World's Fair in 1889 that celebrated the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution, the tower was supposed to stay for twenty years.
Luckily, its creator, the engineer Gustave Eiffel, undertook research to prove its usefulness: experiments on aerodynamics and air resistance, meteorological observations, radio transmissions, and later telecommunications.
10 Amazing Eiffel Tower Facts - check if you know these amazing Eiffel Tower facts.
Pavilion of Great Britain at the World Exhibition 1889, Paris
As well as the Eiffel Tower being built for the Exposition Universelle of 1889, which was a world fair held in Paris, France, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next, there were many international pavilions showcasing different cultures.
The Entrance to the Furniture Exhibition at the Paris World Fair, 1889
This photo shows the entrance to the large pavilion exhibiting furniture design at the World Fair in Paris, 1889.
La Grande Galerie des Industries at the Paris World Exhibition, 1889
The grand hall of Industry showcased the latest inventions and ideas at the Paris World Exhibition of 1889.
Pavillon des Pastellistes Francaise Paris World Exhibition 1889
This pavilion at the World Fair held in Paris in 1889 was created to show the work of candy makers and the latest in French sweet making to the public.
It was built near the newly completed Eiffel Tower, which was also built for the World Fair in 1889.
Jewellery exhibition at the Paris World Fair, 1889
What an impressive pavilion this looks. How about the suits of armour?
Exterior of the Egyptian pavilion at the Paris World Fair, 1889
Public Water Fountain in Paris, 1921
Due to the heat in Paris, this little girl is taking water from a public fountain, 1921.
Public water fountains where installed across Paris by the British philanthropist Richard Wallace to provide free fresh water to the inhabitants of Paris including the homeless and are still in use today.
Read our article The Wallace Fountains of Paris - Water for All Parisians to find out more about these green iconic fountains.
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