Love locks
Pont des Arts
I have photographed the "love locks" for years on the Pont des Arts and always said that if my sweetheart came with me to Paris that we would put one here on the Pont des Arts.
He did come with me last March and after attaching our lock threw away a red key (which was superfluous for a combination lock). It was at the moment of sunset, and we were in good company with others on that March evening. In October I went back to check on our lock and it was most assuredly missing. The fact is that all of these lovers' locks weigh down the bridge and it appears that the locks are periodically "pruned." In May of 2010, they all disappeared overnight but the city of Paris claimed innocence.
We will return and affix another lock, a tiny discrete one, which should not cause any attention (or pruning).
(Happy Valentine's Day, D)
Pont des Arts
75001, Paris
A perfect image and narrative for Valentine Day Genie. The benefit of having your lock removed is that you have an excuse to do it all again one day.
ReplyDeleteHello Genie:
ReplyDeleteHow really sad that your lock [how romantic] should have disappeared. Such a disappointment.
There is, as you may well know, something very similar in Cologne. Perhaps they are safer there?!!
Never tried to put a locker there, but we always walk on this bridge, it's a romantic place!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day!
Léia
I've seen this "tradition" growing everywhere in Europe. I've left locks here and there, but never returned to see if they were still there. I don't want to know!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's day!
Malays, you are right about the trading increasing throughout Europe but alas, the keepers of the bridges keep breaking and removing the locks. In one place in Italy where my husband and I spotted what seemed to be hundreds of locks, we were told that even when the locks are all removed, it's a matter of days before the fence is covered again.
ReplyDeleteJe te souhaite une très joyeuse Saint-Valentin...
ReplyDeleteLa prochaine fois que je passerai sur le Pont des Arts, je chercherai ton petit cadenas !...
Gros bisous
A perfect post for Valentine's Day. I love to see these love locks around the world and photographed some last year in Munich.
ReplyDeletehttp://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/
Happy Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day to you and your entire family!! May your day be filled with love, laughter, flowers and chocolates...a little jewelry would't hurt, either!....and may you find love eternal in both familiar and unexpected places!
ReplyDeletehappy valentines 💗 day
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful and Happy Valentine's Day filled with love and laughter and lots of hugs, Genie!
ReplyDeleteAnd a hug from me,
Sylvia
What a perfect Valentine's Day post! Sorry to hear your post was missing. Can you believe it but I've made two trips to Paris and somehow still not walked across Pont des Arts? To be remedied soon.
ReplyDeletePerfect post for Valentine's Day, but I am horrified to see that my lock may be gone!!! Oh!
ReplyDeleteOh this is perfect for Valentine's Day! Hearts locked together in wonderful love. :) Beautiful photo, Genie!
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ReplyDeleteI always wonder what the city does with the ones they snip off. Maybe they save them and one day we'll see them turned into a huge art installation at the Hotel de Ville!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting...and kind of odd tradition!!! I wonder what started this???
ReplyDeleteWhile the locks are a cute idea, people don't realize the damage they are doing to the bridges. If you've ever held a single lock, you know they are heavy. Now, imagine the weight of several hundred locks.
ReplyDeleteJe vous souhaite une très joyeuse Saint-Valentin. Bisous
ReplyDeleteSo glad you and your other half had the nice experience of 'locking your love'. The bridge was fairly full of locks when I was there in 2011. I was excited to see them -- and even more excited to tell my travel companions what they meant.
ReplyDeleteThis tradition of leaving your lock on a bridge seems to be spreading. I saw some here somewhere but cannot recall exactly where.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day, Genie! How sweet to place a lock on the bridge with your sweetie with you! I hate to hear they removed it...I bet there were a ton of them on there!
ReplyDeleteLast month on the Pont des Arts ,there wasn't a spare inch to affix another lock. I"m fairly sure the city of Paris will be pruning again soon. I"m sorry your lock was gone!
ReplyDeleteV
Yes, it is romantic, but . . . I think it is time to start another craze, maybe with washable chalk.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a lovely tradition. I love your attitude about putting a new one on next time...
ReplyDeleteIl n'y a pas que le Pont des Arts pour déposer son petit cadenas d'amour. Sur le pont de l'Archevêché, je crois qu'il y aussi un grillage qui les reçoit. Certains ponts sur le canal Saint-Martin pourraient également convenir.
ReplyDeleteMais le Pont des Arts est mon préféré.
Thank you all for your Valentine comments. I was a bit surprised that no one noticed the large red lock in the photo which was ours, the photo of which was taken that evening. I counted the steps from the third pole on the right from the right bank. It was certainly a large (American) lock, and worthy of pruning. I am on the hunt for a very small heart-shaped lock for the next time.
ReplyDeleteI hope that each of you had chocolates, champagne, and roses for your Valentine Day.
Bises,
Genie
I hope our's is still there!
ReplyDeleteBen mince j'avais mis un commentaire. Probablement oublié de le faire passer. Zut, je ne me rappelle lus quoi !
ReplyDeleteAlors...* no comment*