The water level of the Seine river in Paris is starting to decrease after reaching its peak overnight, the highest in nearly 35 years, French authorities say.

But they warned it could take up to ten days for the river to return to its normal levels after the flooding that swelled the river to about 4.5 metres above average in Paris.

Floods due to heavy rains have inundated parts of France, Germany and Belgium this week.

More than 17,000 homes were still without electricity on Saturday in the Paris region and centre of France.

Authorities have also shut the Louvre museum, the national library, the Orsay museum and the Grand Palais, Paris' striking glass-and-steel topped exhibition centre.