The Paris bridge of locks: past and present

Paris is undoubtedly the city of romance. With its majestic landmarks and picturesque views, you can almost feel the love in the air as you step foot into this city. Perhaps one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about grand gestures of undying love in this city is the Paris bridge of locks—the Pont des Arts.

Also commonly known as the Love Lock Bridge, the Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge that connects the Louvre Museum to the Institut de France over the Seine.

Constructed in 1804 during the Napoleon era, the Pont des Arts was the first cast-iron bridge in Paris. Originally intended to be a paid attraction, visitors would have to pay to view the flora and fauna displayed on the bridge. However, the toll would not last as Parisians would visit another bridge—the Pont Neuf—instead to avoid the fee.

The Paris bridge of locks that we are familiar with today is made out of steel and was designed by town planner Louis Arretche. Inaugurated by President Jacques Chirac in 1984, the modern Pont des Arts runs 155 meters long and 11 meters wide with a wooden platform furnished with benches and lined with lampposts.

What you may not know is that the act of hanging locks on this bridge only became popular in 2007 due to the Italian film, Ho voglia di te, which translates to ‘I want you’ in English. In the film, we see the main protagonist solidifying their love by attaching a padlock to a lamppost on the Ponte Milvio in Rome, and throwing the key into the Tiber River. Naturally, young Europeans soon picked up on the trend of using locks on bridges as a symbol of eternal love.

Perched across the Seine River, and surrounded by a breathtaking view, it was no wonder that the Pont des Arts was adopted as the Love Lock Bridge of Paris.

For about six years (2008–2014), Parisians and travelers alike flocked to the Paris bridge of locks to honor their love by attaching padlocks—proudly branded with their names—onto the grilles of the bridge, before throwing the keys into the Seine. However, in 2014, the bridge gave in to the love it received, and unfortunately collapsed as it was not structurally sound enough to bear the weight of over 700,000 locks.

In June 2015, the padlocks were removed and glass panels replaced the grilles on the Pont des Arts. Similar renovations were also applied to other bridges such as the Pont de l’Archevêché and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor. The removed locks were mostly recycled, but some parts of the collection were auctioned off by the City of Paris to raise donations for charities that support refugees.

The famous Love Lock Bridge still bears some locks on lampposts and on the bolts that hold the glass panels together, but while the locks did bring more attention to the Pont de Arts, it is the breathtaking views that continue to attract travelers from all over the world.

Officially, travelers are no longer allowed to attach locks onto bridges. However, this Paris tradition lives on, with more locks appearing at the balustrades in front of the Roman Catholic Church, Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre—we have Netflix’s Emily in Paris to thank for that.

Despite not being able to attach locks onto bridges in Paris anymore, it doesn’t take away from the inherent romance that the city represents. Other than the Pont des Arts, there are many other bridges that are worth your time as you roam around Paris. Prepare to be wowed by their history and architecture.

Inaugurated in 1900, the Pont Alexandre III was constructed in the name of Tsar Alexander III, the Russian ruler during the period of the Franco-Russia Alliance. This bridge was designed in the Beaux-Arts style, lined with Art Nouveau lamps and huge gilded statues. This architectural marvel links the Eiffel Tower with the Champs-Élysées.

Providing one of the best viewpoints of the Eiffel Tower, the Pont de Bir-Hakeim is a dual-level bridge that hosts both pedestrians and motor vehicles. Appearing as a location in the film Inception, Pont De Bir-Hakeim is one of the two viaduct bridges in Paris and connects the 15th and 16th arrondissements.

Have a romantic walk, or take Instagram-worthy photos on the pedestrian level of the bridge as it is a very popular photo spot.

Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris and was inaugurated by Henry IV in 1607. There are many eye-catching features that decorate this bridge, such as the stone masks that adorn the sides, the many sculptures, and the famous bronze statue of Henry IV on horseback.

Pont Neuf is surrounded by many Parisian attractions. You can go for a walking tour at the Île de la Cité, where Paris was founded 2,100 years ago, visit the Sainte-Chapelle to marvel at their exceptional display of stained-glass windows, or perhaps, end your day with a relaxing cruise on the Seine.

Spanning the Seine river east to Notre Dame Cathedral, the Pont de la Tournelle was originally constructed with wood in 1637, then again in stone in 1918. The final iteration of the bridge that we see today was completed in 1928.

Pont de la Tournelle provides a view of the Notre Dame and houses a statue of the patron saint of Paris, Sainte Geneviève. What’s interesting about this bridge is that it was intentionally built asymmetrically. This was done to emphasize the shapeless landscape of the Seine that flows below the bridge.

Whilst this could be considered just another stone bridge in Paris, it is definitely worth a visit for the historical majestic statue of Sainte Geneviève overlooking the Seine.

More like this: