Updated January 28, 2018 15:43:44

The overflowing river Seine has engulfed riverside walkways in Paris and led the Louvre museum to close a basement display of Islamic art.

The river has risen about 6 metres above normal for this time of year.

Heavy rain caused river banks to burst in the countryside in the Seine Valley, and small towns and villages have also flooded.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said her main worries were the impact the floods were having on the French capital's economic activities linked to the river, and rainfall which could see water rise even further.

Photo: Floodwaters engulf a children's playground in Paris as they reach peak levels. (AP: Thibault Camus)

It has also resulted in the famous Bateaux Mouches tourist boats being shut down due to the high water, and swans swimming in places where there are usually pavements.

Even rats were being forced onto the streets of Paris due to the flood.

Photo: Residents on a small boat leave home in a flooded street of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, near Paris. (Reuters: Christian Hartmann)

Photo: Floodwaters in Paris are expected to reach a maximum peak of 6 metres. (Reuters: Gonzalo Fuentes)

Ms Hidalgo said waters were expected to peak in the city on Saturday (local time), adding the flood was less significant than that in 2016, which was described as some of the worst flooding in a century.

"Currently we are at 5.71 metres and we should peak between 5.8 and 6 metres maximum," she said.

"The water levels in 2016 reached 6.10 metres, so a little less considerable but nevertheless very impacting, particularly for economic activities linked to the river."

Ms Hidalgo said the situation was being monitored and would continue to worry about the situation into next week as more rainfall is expected.

Photo: The mayor worries about more rainfall expected in Paris later in the week. (AP: Michel Euler)

Reuters

Topics: weather, floods, france

First posted January 28, 2018 15:23:11