Community Chat

[lolakimono]

Maybe you've seen the pedestrian bridge in Paris.

Maybe you've heard of the tradition of couples in love writing their initials on locks, chaining it to the fence/bridge, and tossing the key into the river as a symbol of the couple's unbreakable bond of love.

So what happens when a bridge cannot support the weight of all of the padlocks?

They have to be removed, at considerable cost, as the weight and bulk are too much to handle.

The solution? First, temporary wood panels to block the use of new padlocks.

This inspired padlock themed graffiti.

Then, there was Plexiglass.

Now there are rotating "love themed" exhibitions on the bridge.

Should there be another "romantic" space in Paris where lovers can continue the padlock tradition?

Or...

Is this vandalism and a burden on taxpayers?

[Vivian]

Le Pont des Arts became a model for other cities. It’s so romantic, so Parisian. I understand that the weight of the locks became an issue but there must be another way to demonstrate love in the City of Lights.

[sunshine45]

i like the plexiglass look.

how much of a tax burden is it on the people that actually live there and do they mind it?

[lolakimono]

@sunshine45

The removal pictures are telling.

Excerpt from Conde Nast Traveler-

The act was popular with honeymooners, but locals weren't as fond of the locks, which weighed down the bridge to the point of endangering its structure. Altogether, city workers removed an estimated one million locks—65 tons' worth, including 20 tons from the nearby Pont de l'Archevêché alone.

[missy1]

Maybe they can melt all the locks and make something cool.

[GCR18]

It probably is a tax burden the locals.  They should find a way to keep the history without people leaving things.  Maybe they could melt the locks and build a statue.

[GCR18]

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@missy1 wrote:

Maybe they can melt all the locks and make something cool.

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Haha.  Exactly what I was thinking.

[Drythe]

We have (perhaps HAD) a padlock there.

I understand about weight, cost, tax burden really do, but in this case I err on the side of romance.  

After all, to be pragmatic, romance brings a good deal of revenue to Paris, indeed to France.

[sunshine45]

well then, if the locals are opposed, then i vote for the plexiglass. LOL

[stevieb]

There's nothing romantic about a padlock affixed to a bridge. It's costly and it's vandalism. Lovers need to find another way to express their supposedly undying love... One wonders how many could go back and undo those padlocks had they not tossed the key into the water, undoubtedly promoting rust in the already polluted Seine... Sorry romantics, I find this one a bit ridiculous...