Would you put a lock on it?

Would you put a padlock on a bridge to convey your love?

Stopping at the Lock bridge for some kisses, wedding picture or just a romantic stroll is on every Francophiles list!  After all it is the most romantic bridges with the Louvre on one side and Institute of France on the other.  Yes it makes for great pictures but putting locks on monuments like the Pont des Arts bridge is causing some serious issues.  Did you know there were about 1 million locks on Pont des Arts bridge in Paris – one of the iconic and beautiful bridges across river Siene before it started collapsing. The authorities have taken them all down and replaced with glass panels instead.  They are requesting tourists and lovers take selfies on the bridge instead of affixing locks to lock in their love.

This romantic phenomenon has started just a few years ago, around 2008.  It is now become a trend for tourists to put love locks on bridges around the world and have started doing this in other places like Venice and Florence.. and Germany,  and you probably have seen images of it in social media.  We stopped at the new Lock bridge – Pont de l’Archevêché near Notre Dame when we were in Paris, since it was top on our teenagers’ things to see.  We walked over to the bridge after a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral, to look at the padlocks and No we did not put a lock on it.  The locks on the bridge were colorful, creative and cute, but at what cost?  Parisians see the locks as a tourist gimmick that damages the legacy of the city’s architectural history.  You don’t want to tarnish a national monument to show your love or make a touristic bucketlist stop just to say been there done that!

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

We saw locks hanging from everywhere, lampposts, railings even some tree branches. The authorities come around and keep removing them we were told.

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?
Not just padlocks on the bridges, there are graffiti and chains along with the padlocks.

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

Outside Suburbia - Would you put a lock on it?

We chose to walk away from the bridge with just pictures and memories.  Remembering the old scouting adage – Travel lightly, making only memories and leaving only footprint!

What are your thoughts on putting padlocks on bridges that are national monuments?  Would you put padlock on a bridge to convey your love?

15 thoughts on “Would you put a lock on it?”

  1. I have to admit that I have a lock on one of those bridges… woops! We did it years ago before there was ever a problem, but I see now why the authorities are asking people not to do it!

    1. We live and learn, we were fascinated with the idea too initially Karin – reading about it changed our view. Sometimes small changes make a huge impact!

  2. My husband and I had a romantic evening years ago when we put a lock on the bridge. We were hoping to find in a few years when we visit back. Unfortunately it was gone. This past summer when I visited back with my daughter, we noticed not all the locks were removed and we regretted not putting one on. However, what is the point when you know it was going to removed?

    1. It is a romantic notion no doubt.. The authorities have changed some of the bridge panels to be fiberglass so that people can’t affix the locks. But you can still put them on the side railings I suppose!

  3. Wow you know from reading the title alone I would have said yes. When you put it in the ecological perspective the nature preservist in me says NO NO NO! I just never ever looked at it this way. Thank you for changing my perspective!

  4. In some ways, I think it’s beautiful but the other part of me thinks its a bit tacky. It won’t be there forever, the city will eventually cut them all off/remove them somehow. To each his own, though, but I don’t think this is something I’d do.

    1. Thanks for stopping by Lindsay – totally agree it is a little tacky to have to put locks on a bridge to convey love but you said it right- to each his own! Just didn’t want more bridges collapsing on us!!

  5. You are absolutely right. We too came across various bridges with padlocks on our travels to Europe. Infact I even blogged about one, but did not fix any myself on the bridge!

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