Tag Archives: Paris bridges

Paris’s Most Opulent Bridge: Pont Alexandre III

29 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Paris Walks, Paris Wanderings

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Every bridge across the Seine has fascinating history and its own certain charm but the one that gets most votes from camera toting tourists has to be Pont Alexandre III. A graceful arch, loaded with art nouveau sculptures, and anchored by four pillars disguised as works of art, the bridge was built and named for a dual purpose.

pont Alexandre III Paris

The Universal Exhibition (1900’s World Fair) was being staged on either side of the Seine and a structure for transporting visitors between exhibits was part of the plan. That a bridge be constructed bearing the name of Czar Alexander III was a gesture to encourage the development of a Franco-Russian friendship, a sort of counterweight to the growing might of Germany. The first stone was laid by Czar Nicholas II in October 1896, who followed Alexander III to the throne in 1894.

pont Alex III Noworries paris

Day and night the bridge is captivating. Barge and vehicle traffic as well as commentary from the open air tourist ferries amp up the volume. Look both ways for a direct view of Invalides (Napoleon’s Tomb), Petit and Grand Palais and squint for the Champs Elysees. The engineers were instructed to build the Alexandre a certain height for this very reason. The French like to line their monuments up. Take for example, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Arch de Triumph and La Defense.

pont alexandre III Paris

pont alexandre

Tour Number One in your No Worries Paris guides you to this bridge. You might want to linger for more than a few minutes.

Paris heavy metal at Pont Des Arts

03 Friday Oct 2014

Posted by in Paris Wanderings

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Pont Des Arts Paris

The bridge railings are weighted down with love locks, some long necked ones holding 6 or seven more in a tower formation. There seems to be no more room. On this visit I notice something new, grafittied panels where hundreds of precious locks used to reside. Then upon leaving I see a sign silkscreened in blue below the steps leading to the bridge. Very worn and almost illegible it states “#lovewithoutlocks.  Our bridges can no longer withstand your gestures of love. NO MORE LOVE LOCKS! Unchain your love on lovewithoutlocks.paris.fr“. When I visited this site here’s what it said: “An end to padlocks: through this site, declare your love in pictures and bridges will be spared a heavy heart. Share your photos on social network sites with the hashtag #lovewithoutlocks and they will appear on this social wall to lovers worldwide!”

Passing under the bridge as I snap a photo there’s a doubled up barge with scrap metal going by. Heavy metal all right.

love locks Paris

On the bridge is a man conspicuously selling locks on the walkway and a young woman belting out songs accompanied by her sound system. It’s only after I examine the photo closely that I see she is blind or partially sighted. No one seems to be stopping to listen even though her delivery is soulful, above average. Her name is Sandrine Dubois and her CD’s for sale are in a yellow box.

Pont des Arts, 75006 Paris, France. There’s always something entertaining going on here.

Singer Pont des Arts