On 23/02/2014 17:44, Richard J. wrote:
[...]
In the centre of Paris, there is a one-way road on the right bank, the
Voie Georges Pompidou. It's at towpath level, several metres below the
riverside streets that adjoin it. When the river is high, which happens
at some time in most winters, the road becomes part of the Seine (and is
closed before that happens). In fact it's only a part-time road for
vehicles anyway, as it's reserved for pedestrians and cyclists on
Sundays, and for a month in July/August it's transformed into a beach
(complete with imported sand and palm trees).

As a bypass road:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...uv re_rwk.JPG

On a Sunday:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...aris%29_01.jpg


As a beach (Paris-Plage):
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/blog/wor...1/08/plage.jpg

As a flood plain:
http://www.paris.fr/viewmultimediado...d=94791&role=2


I hadn't realised it routinely flooded.

Isn't there some thought of fully closing it to traffic, and turning it
into a pedestrian / cycle way?