Je suis de retour - I'm back after a little break.
Do you remember the locks of love on the Paris bridges? They made the Pont des Arts one of the most famous bridges in the city with all of the locks that couples had put on the bridges. Michael and I participated in the "new" tradition by purchasing a lock from one of the local bouquiners (used book sellers), writing our initials on it, locking it to the bridge (there was not much room), and tossing the key into the Seine.
So many couples did the same thing that it added about 4 tons of weight onto the sides of the bridge, which was closed in the 1977, rebuilt, and reopened in 1984. In 2008, amourous couples, inspired by an old legend, began to "lock" their love on the bridge. It got to be a bit much as the weight of the locks added as much as 1550 lbs per panel to the bridge. In 2014, one of the panels fell into the Seine - thank goodness there wasn't a Bateau Mouche going underneath - and the City of Paris ordered that all panels, locks included, be removed from the bridge. The panels have been replaced by clear plexiglass type panels; locks can't be attached to the glass type panels, so lovers have gone to other bridges and places to seal their love.
But, what happened to all those other locks that were cut away from the Pont des Arts? I thought that they had been simply tossed away, or maybe melted down. But NO!
Sixty-five tons (including some from the Pont de l'Archevêché) of locks have been stored somewhere and are now being sold. Anyone who wants can now buy a piece of Paris history and the proof of people's love. The locks will be sold in groups of five, ten, or even more, and the proceeds will go to those who work to support and in solidarity with the refugees in Paris. The idea has just been made public, and sales will start in the new year. That will give you some time to save enough for your love locks from the Pont des Arts!
If you're interested, there is a group that tried to get lovers to take photos of themselves on the Pont des Arts to seal their love instead of using the locks - their website is No Love Locks. Once the sale of the love locks is done, the remaining metal locks will be melted down
What do you think? Is love for sale?
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| With locks |
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| the new panels on the Pont |
