Session 7: The Seine 1910 Flood, what could happen today?

Analysis of the 1910 Paris flood reclassifies it as a ~1,000-year event, with the La Défense district highly exposed. Modern defenses could cut flooded areas by ~45%, and planned projects may offset climate-driven loss increases. Key lessons: small flood depth changes drive large losses, basements matter for business interruption, and extreme events often need “storyline” rather than purely probabilistic modelling. Urban development and infrastructure changes are as important as climate in shaping risk.