1. Paris boasts 37 bridges crossing the River Seine. Some are beautiful and ornate; others are more simple and muted. But for me, this one is the most beautiful: not for the bridge itself, necessarily, but for the view, overlooking Notre Dame Cathedral from behind. Even though I’ve photographed it hundreds of times, it’s always hard to keep myself from snapping just one more shot every time I see it.
2. Pont des Arts has always been one of the most famous bridges in Paris, but its claim to fame has since disappeared: the padlocks people once affixed to the rails of this bridge have been removed, as they were causing problems with the structural integrity of the bridge.
Pont des Arts is, however, still one of the most important, in my opinion: it links the Louvre’s Cour des Arts with the Institut de France, home to the Académie Française, which is where the official dictionary of French is written.
3. The locks that once appeared on Pont des Arts have been popping up nearly everywhere in Paris since the rails of the bridge were changed, including on Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Built by Henri IV in 1578, its slightly ironic name means “new bridge.”
4. Pont Neuf isn’t just the oldest bridge in the city; it’s also the longest. It spans the distance from the Left Bank to the Ile de la Cité and over to the Right Bank, with over 300 different faces carved into its façade, most of them sporting rather grotesque expressions.
5. Paris is starting to get cooler as fall truly arrives, so scenes like this one are going to begin becoming fewer and farther between. But no matter when you stroll across a Parisian bridge, there’s always something beautiful to see.