Bridges of Paris

There are only thirty-seven bridges in Paris, but all of them are beautiful and many of them famous. A lot of people “claim” one as their own or, at least, as their favorite. Most people prefer the Pont des Arts, the Pont Neuf or the Pont Alexandre III.

The Pont des Arts (or, more specifically, the Passarelle des Arts) is the muster point for locals and tourists alike, especially the younger, hipper, university-age set. It’s a great place to have a picnic, listen to some young guitarist busking for a few euros or watch the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower for the first ten minutes of each hour through the evening.

Pont Alexandre III, a bit over-the-top for my taste, was built in the beaux arts, or modernist, style. With ornate gilding and ironwork, people the world over hold this bridge up as the quintessential Parisian bridge. It was built in concert with the Trinity Bridge in St. Petersburg—both bridges built by French engineering firms in honor of the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1892. The bridge in Paris was named after the Russian Tsar Alexander III.

Can you find a more unique bridge in the entire world the than Pont Neuf? No, I didn’t think so. It’s also Paris’ oldest bridge, dating to the 16^th century, and was, for a long time, the widest. It’s technically two bridges, but, like Pont Sully, gets to keep the same name on both sides of the Ile de la Cité (most of the other bridges that straddle the two main islands have different names on each side).

What makes Pont Neuf so darn cool is its 384 mascarons, or masks, adorning the edges. They’re mad and, while I’m sure I haven’t seen all of them, they each appear to me to be unique. The Pont Neuf also has a lot of history, ranging from the death of the last head of the Knights Templar to the death of Pierre Curie.

Another bridge with a special statue is the Pont de l’Alma, which has a stone Zouave. The Zouaves were Berber soldiers in the French Army during the mid-19^th century (they even fought on both sides of the U.S. Civil War). If you take a boat ride on the Seine, after you pass the Bateaux Mouches docks on your right on your way to see the Eiffel Tower, look to your right to see this soldier. The French have a saying: le zouave a les pieds dans l'eau, which means that there’s a flood afoot.

So what’s my favorite bridge? Well, it took me a long time to finally claim one as my favorite. Of course I like the Pont des Arts, Pont de Solferino and Pont Neuf. But it wasn’t until last winter that one sung out to me and made a connection. It is the least-seen by tourists and most Parisians. It is the newest. It is the last. It is the Passarelle Simone de Beauvoir.

It is my favorite for two reasons. First is the design, which is cool and sleek, almost Scandinavian. It appears to be two bridges, one intersecting with the other. And it’s a free-span bridge, which means no pylons, adding to its sleek lines.

Second is who it commemorates, Simone de Beauvoir, the existentialist author who laid the groundwork for modern feminism. This is the only bridge in Paris named after a woman. Finally. And so it is that I make this my bridge, crossing it from the national library to the beautiful and peaceful park (complete with vineyard and rose garden) across the Seine at Bercy.