The rain-swollen River Seine in Paris dropped below six metres early Sunday after reaching its highest level in three decades as attention turned to other areas of France where alert warnings have been issued, reports FRANCE 24.
After reaching 6.10 metres (20 feet) in the early hours of Saturday, the river began to subside, falling to 5.77 metres at 8am (6am GMT), the environment ministry's Vigicrues flood watch website said.
However, red alerts had been issued for the Seine-Maritime and Eure departments in the northern Normandy region but were lifted early Sunday, dropping to the orange level.
Alerts have also been issued in 15 other regions, including Lorraine in the north-east as well as parts of the country's central areas. New thunderstorms are forecast for east France on Sunday and more rain elsewhere.
At least 18 people have been killed across parts of Germany, France, Romania and Belgium in floods that trapped people in their homes, felled trees and power lines, cut off roads and rail lines and forced rescuers to navigate swamped streets in lifeboats.
Paris's Louvre Museum and Orsay Museum, which sit on opposite banks of the Seine, remained closed Sunday, after shutting their doors in a race to move art treasures out of basements to higher ground as a precautionary measure. The glass-topped Grand Palais, however, reopened Sunday after closing Friday.
Although city authorities warned people not to venture near dangerous parts of the river, crowds gathered on bridges to snap pictures of the dramatic sight.
"It's mind-boggling," said Bente Wegner, a 25-year-old German, speaking near Notre Dame cathedral. "I've never seen it this high!"
"We had to scrap plans for a boat cruise but at least we have some super photos."
Pieces of driftwood, plastic bags and other detritus swept past in the muddy waters, which engulfed the city's famous riverside walkways, a popular haunt of strolling couples.
"It is a reminder that nature is more powerful than man and we cannot do anything, only wait," said Gabriel Riboulet, a 26-year-old businessman, as he took in the scene.
Two metro stations remained closed and services on a train line that hugs the Seine was still suspended in places. Boat traffic was also suspended.
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated over the past week from the Loire Valley and the greater Paris area.
The health ministry said nearly 500 patients from a dozen hospitals and 800 care home residents had also been moved.
Nationwide losses could reach more than 600 million euros ($680 million), according to Bernard Spitz of France's association of insurers.
The head of national railways operator SNCF, Guillaume Pepy, said the rail network had suffered "catastrophic" damage which would run to tens of millions of euros.