Zouave

In Paris, be sure to take a Seine River tour. You'll see the historical sites from the river, and it's a unique experience. You can wander around for two hours, sipping a cold drink.

Located under the Pont de l’Alma, sits a stone statue of a soldier, looking a little out of place on such a modern fairly drab bridge, which over time has become the unofficial flood marker for the city.

‘The soldier who monitors the water levels of Paris’ Have you heard about the Zouave? I do love good story, and this is one of them. It is a statue, which has been placed on the Pont de l'Alma in Paris since the 1850s. It is said that when the Zouave has his feet in the water, the River Seine is rising. The footpaths along the embankments beside the Seine were usually closed when the level of the river reached the feet of The Zouave, and the river was unnavigable by the time it reached his thighs.

In place since 1850, this figure of a man has become the unofficial water level gauge, used by the locals to determine the rise and fall of the river Seine. The full story is given in the narrative of the river cruise guide. Delightful if true.

Took a stroll to see the statue Zouave on le Pont d'Alma. Zouave is the unofficial marker for the Seine when it floods within the city. He was built in 1856 by artist Georges Diebolt, and has been the gatekeeper of the Seine ever since. Finding it from top of the Eiffel Tower was an impossible task 😑 The Seine has flooded numerous times over the last century, the highest being in 1910 where the waters rose to the shoulders of the Zouave! A whopping 8 ish meters high!

Impressive statue seen from a Bateaux Mouches on a night cruise on the Seine.

You know this is a great place to check the flood stages

Best way to check the river level ....