Paris removes love locks from Pont des Arts bridge

Can you love too much? According to the Paris city council you can.

For years lovers have been leaving padlocks enscribed with their initials and attaching them to the railings of the Pont des Arts bridge. They signify eternal love and hundreds of thousands of lovers have followed the “love lock” tradition in the city most noted for its romance.

As from today Paris City Council is removing them because the locks create “a lasting degradation of the heritage of Paris.” Last summer a section of the Pont des Arts’ fencing collapsed under the pressure of the weight “posing a risk to the people using the bridge”.

The bridge, which overlooks the Louvre is closed for one week while removal takes place. The bridge is also covered with graffiti and according to the No Love Locks campaign these will be replaced with 110 panels with artwork from artists from around the world.

Later in the year, probably in October, plexiglass panels will be installed on both the Pont des Arts and the Pont de l’Archeveche bridge that also crosses the Seine.

The message by campaigners is loud and clear “Sorry tourists, no more vandalizing our city. Finally, Paris is taking a definitive stand against ‘love locks’”.

Sweethearts Ben Drane and Stacy Morris from London are appalled. “Today is the last day? We can’t believe our token of romance is being removed. We are getting married next month and we wanted to lock in our love – we are gutted.”

Is this the end of romance in the city? “We want all the people who are in love, we want them to come to Paris but we don’t want them to use love locks,” said Bruno Julliard, the first deputy to the mayor of Paris.

Did you leave a love lock on the Pont des Arts (or another) bridge in Paris? Leave a comment