By Max Kutner, Staff Writer
As the Seine River rose in the French capital on June 2, the museum said it would close to visitors and implement its flood protection plan. French President François Hollande and Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay visited the Louvre the following night and met with teams that were transporting artwork and materials to higher ground. About 150,000 works in storage and 7,000 gallery pieces were at risk.
In a statement, the Louvre said its flood protection plan has been in place since 2002. The plan involves a team dedicated to risk management, daily observation of the level of the Seine, creation of an inventory of works at risk of flood damage, training exercises, installation of water pumps and continued development of an off-site storage facility in Liévin, two and a half hours north of Paris.