The French original of the sentence "After me, the flood" is "Après moi, le déluge", but it means "After me, the flood will be terrible", which is completely different from the well-known "After me, the flood will be terrible". Another original French version-"Aprè s Nous, le déluge" (English: After us, The flood) means "After we die, there will be a big flood". This version is also very popular and even authoritative.

This sentence was once said by the French emperor Louis XV, but it was actually said to him by his mistress Madame de Pompadour. 1997 edition of Random House Dictionary thinks that Louis XV's Après moi, le déluge is actually adapted from Madame Pembaud's Après nous, le déluge mentioned by Louis XV, and Pembaduff is the real creator.