Paris floods: 'There's something terrifying about it'

As roads and walkways are submerged by floods, life goes on in Paris and beyond

"Incredible, that's all I can say," muttered Catherine, a publishing editor, as she stared dumbfounded at the river water that had swallowed up the busy road running along the banks of the Seine near her Paris apartment.

Roads and picturesque cobbled walkways in the French capital have disappeared, submerged by a vast expanse of brown river water carrying an unusual assortment of debris including logs, big wooden planks and a metal sign from a boat-club in its angry, swirling current.