Discovering the bridges of Paris
Published on 5 September 2019, dans Visit Paris
Paris has many bridges spanning the Seine. While enjoying a weekend at the Grand Hotel Saint Michel, why not go for a walk that will take you across the capital’s most beautiful bridges? It’s a great way to see the city’s beauty and history.
A walk along the Seine
Evoked in verse by Apollinaire, the Pont Mirabeau, a triple-arched metal bridge built at the end of the 19th century, offers a remarkable view of the Eiffel Tower that’s ideal for a selfie!
After admiring the Mirabeau’s four statues representing Trade, Abundance, Navigation and the City of Paris, you can move on to the famous Pont de l’Alma and its zouave statue. When the water reaches his feet, it’s a sign that the Seine is in spate.
The Pont Alexandre III is the most majestic of the Parisian bridges. This deck arch bridge, the next upstream from the Pont des Invalides, was built for the 1900 World’s Fair to celebrate the Franco-Russian agreement. The splendid counterweight pylons are surmounted by statues of symbolic fames restraining Pegasus, all resplendent in gold leaf.
Each bridge is a page of history
After these imperial splendours we come to a bridge built during the turmoil of the French Revolution; the Pont de la Concorde. Building materials taken from the demolished Bastille were used for its construction and Napoleon Bonaparte later had military statues added. It was called the Pont de la Révolution between 1792 and 1795. The ornamental statues were added to or removed as regimes changed before being finally disseminated throughout France.
You have almost reached the end of your journey when you get to the Pont Neuf. The oldest bridge in the capital, built in 1607, it offers a superb view of the river and Paris.
A little further and you’ll find the Pont de la Tournelle, completed in 1928 and connecting the Ile Saint Louis to the Left Bank.
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Grand Hotel Saint Michel, a refined hotel at the heart of Quartier Latin