Paris floods: Art treasures evacuated from Louvre and Musée d'Orsay (video)
Paris's Louvre museum moved to evacuate artworks held in its underground reserves as the River Seine burst its banks and widespread flooding hit parts of France, Germany, Romania and Belgium. Water levels at the famous river that winds through the French capital are expected to peak Friday sometime about noon. Paris police upgraded their flood warning Thursday to "orange" — the second-highest level — for areas near the Seine, which means they believe the floods could have "a significant impact" on buildings and people. The Louvre Museum announced it will be closed Friday to remove artworks from rooms threatened by the rising waters, preventatively shifting them upstairs. Its most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," is staying put on an upper floor. The Musee d'Orsay, on the left bank of the Seine, will also be closed Friday to prepare for potential flooding. Its galleries hold the world's greatest collection of Impressionist masterpieces, including the finest paintings by Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh and Degas, as well as 24 works by Gauguin.
