In the romantic Latin Quarter of Paris, in the shadow of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, is the Pont des Arts bridge. For years, lovestuck couples have traveled this spot to undertake one of the most romantic vandalism activities imaginable. To ensure enduring love, couples attach a padlock to the rail of the bridge, lock it, carve their initials or a little note into the lock, then pitch the keys into the Seine River. No more, says Parisian officials, who undertook a midnight mission to cull the locks from the bridge under cover of darkness.
They maintain that the locks on the bridge were causing damage to the 19th Century structure, and the locks had to be removed to preserve the bridge’s integrity. A few locks remained on the bridge, possibly because whoever was charged with the removal didn’t want to also strip a few obviously antique locks from the rails. Loving couples, undeterred by party-pooping Frenchmen, have already resumed adding locks to the bridge.
After all, why let a tradition die out? While it’s not always a pretty look, the bridge itself with its locks, some old and some new, is a beautiful sight in real life. It’s just one of the many romantic quirks of the City of Love. These things should be preserved, not fought against.
Tags: folk tales, customs, unusual customs, bridge of lovers, padlocks attached to bridge for good luck in love, unusual traditions, Pont des Arts bridge, Paris, France, padlocks removed from bridge