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onjour! This month of November, let’s continue our stroll through Paris.
This time, we will follow the Seine River as it winds its way through the capital city over almost
9 miles, and point out some of the 33 bridges that cross it, and contribute much charm to the City
of Light.
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| The Bridges of Paris |
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The Seine
The Seine has always played an essential role in the development of Paris. The first inhabitants chose
to settle on the "Ile de la Cite" (or City Island), because the Seine, which was back then twice as
wide as it is today, provided a very efficient natural barrier against barbarian invasions. Through
the centuries, fishermen, swimmers, and washerwomen have shared this more or less pure soft water that
was an integral part of their daily lives. It was by boat that Parisians got their wine, wheat, sea
salt, wood and hay. On the coat of arms of the City of Paris, a vessel with a silver sail symbolically
represents the important role that river trade played in the development and prosperity of the city.
Today, the Seine divides Paris into two very distinct areas: the Right Bank to the north and the Left
Bank to the south. Each is comprised of a mosaic of neighborhoods, very different from one another, yet
each special in its own right. Distances are calculated from the Seine outwards; this is reflected in
the numeric addresses of apartment buildings that start counting out from the river, and increase as
they become more distant from it.
The Bridges of Paris
For centuries, bridges were not only a means of crossing a river. They also served as plants that
supplied the hydraulic power necessary for the operation of the watermills and various other mechanisms.
However, for over 1,000 years, Paris only had 4 bridges! They were so flimsy that they were regularly
swept away by seasonal floods or they simply collapsed due to the weight of the houses built upon them.
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| Recipe
for November 2001 |
Chocolate Mousse |
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Cooking SOS ! If you
run into trouble with one of our recipes, send
an SOS e-mail to 911@francemonthly.com |
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The First Bridges: The Small Bridge and the Big Bridge (Ile de la Cite) |
When Paris was still called Lutetia, there were two wooden bridges built in the same extended
axis one beyond the other. These bridges were true fortresses, closed off by gates and towers.
Even the Vikings, in the 9th century, were unable to break through despite a naval armada of 700
ships. Only when a flash flood in 866 took out the Big Bridge, were the Vikings able to invade
the city. Throughout the centuries, these two bridges were continuously destroyed by floods,
and tirelessly rebuilt, unfortunately without ever taking into consideration the laws of physics,
namely the weight of the houses they had to support. However, these design flaws didn’t keep the
bridges from playing an important role in the pomp and splendor of the Middle-Ages. The large
"rue Saint Denis" was the path taken by kings when entering the capital city before taking the
Big Bridge. It was also used for other official processions, such as those that occurred during
weddings between nobles, victorious returns from wars, or visits from foreign dignitaries. The
expression "monkey money" (worthless money) comes from the history of Paris’ "Small Bridge",
which was originally a toll bridge. Only street performers were allowed to cross it free of
charge, and only if they were able to get their performing monkeys to make funny faces!
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The Oldest Bridge in Paris: The "Pont Neuf", King of the Parisian Bridges
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It was originally called the Bridge of Tears, because legend had it that when Henry III came to lay
the first stone on May 31st, 1578, he was crying. Apparently, the previous night, two of his beloved
courtiers had killed each other in a duel. The king died before the end of the bridge's construction,
and it was Henry IV who ordered the bridge finished in 1598. During its many years of construction,
the bridge was nothing but one enormous wooden scaffold made of intertwining planks, where it was very
risky to venture. It quickly became a hideout for bandits, who would rob passerby before throwing them
into the water. The bridge was finally finished in 1607 thanks to financial help from Burgundy,
Champagne, Normandy and Picardy. These distinct regions that weren’t yet known as France, definitely
had a vested interest in facilitating the passage of merchant ships. It was in fact the first bridge
to be entirely designed for traffic, and on which construction of housing was forbidden. From the Fronde
(1648-53, a series of revolts against the king’s growing authority) to the Revolution, the "Pont Neuf",
or New Bridge, was the daily scene of Parisian brawls and violence. For centuries, this place of ill
repute served as a shared meeting place for thieves, prostitutes and con men. Even the original statue
of Henry IV was toppled in 1792, during the French Revolution, and melted to make canons. The statue
that stands there today was actually inaugurated in 1817 by Louis XVIII. At the end of the Pont Neuf
on the Right Bank, you will find La Samaritaine, the famous department store. It owes its name to the
water pump that used to be at the bridge level, and supplied water to the Louvre and Tuileries palaces,
which included a sculpture of the Samaritan pouring Christ a drink of water. You must visit the rooftop
restaurant which offers one of the most beautiful views of Paris and its bridges.
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The Alma Bridge
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Napoleon III commissioned the construction of this bridge in 1854 to celebrate the victory of France
and England over Russia, in Crimea. Originally built entirely of stone, this bridge was part of the
“Grands Travaux”, or Great Works as they were known, that Baron Hausmann undertook to link the new
neighborhoods on both banks of the river Seine. Because it was so narrow, it was eventually demolished
and rebuilt of metal between 1970 and 1974. It is famous for its statue of a zouave, the only remaining
one from the original four that all represented infantry men from the Crimean war. It has become the
unofficial means of measuring the rise in the water level of the Seine. The zouave’s gaiters are often
under water, and occasionally his pants are too! But in 1910, it was no laughable matter when the water
reached his head. Indeed, a tremendous flood had transformed Paris into a city on the water. Such an
event could no longer happen today due to flood control brought by modern urban development upstream.
Very near this bridge, on Place de l’Alma, one can admire the Flame of Liberty, an exact replica of
the Statue of Liberty’s flame in New York City. This flame sculpture was a 1987 gift from the
International Herald Tribune, to celebrate the centennial of the original statue and reaffirm
Franco-American friendship. It has also become a makeshift memorial where, still today, passersby
come to place bouquets of flowers for Princess Diana, who died in the Alma tunnel after a terrible
car accident in August 1997.
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The Alexander III Bridge
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Built for the 1900 World Fair, its first stone was laid in October 1896 in the presence of Nicholas II,
Tsar of Russia. It is probably the most beautiful bridge in Paris, and certainly the most elaborately
decorated. Gigantic candelabras are surrounded by cupids, sea monsters, cherubs, lions, and winged horses
at either end. Upstream, hammered brass belles represent the Nymphs of the Seine with the Paris coat of
arms, while downstream, the Nymphs of the Neva carry the Russian coat of arms. This classified historical
monument is truly a masterpiece of the decorative art and exuberant architecture of the 3rd Republic. It
was, in fact, the first prefabricated structure. Its individual components were forged in factories, then
transported by barges and put into place with an enormous crane that covered the entire width of the Seine.
Made of one single arch that spans the river, it remains a technical marvel. It has been substantially
lowered so as not to obstruct the view of the magnificent Champs-Elysees on the one side and Les Invalides
on the other. The Alexander III bridge is a wonderful achievement that never ceases to delight the passerby
and the aesthete alike.
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The Grenelle Bridge
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The Grenelle Bridge is situated all the way downstream, very close to the national public radio building.
When it was built in 1827, it was a toll bridge constructed of wood that very quickly showed signs of
structural weakness. Despite several repairs, it collapsed in 1873 after an increase in traffic due to
festivities in honor of the visit of the Shah of Persia. It was therefore decided that this bridge should
be rebuilt entirely of cast iron in 1874. What makes this bridge unusual is that it is symmetrically
divided by a long sliver of land in the middle of the Seine, called "Swan Alley", accessible by a
footbridge. At the point of this little island is a circle that was designed to showcase a bronze statue,
the exact quarter-size replica of the Statue of Liberty of New York. This one was a gift from the US to
France in commemoration of the centennial of the French Revolution, and was inaugurated on November 15th,
1889. Originally, it faced upstream towards the Eiffel Tower (so as not to turn its back on the Elysee
Palace), much to the chagrin of its creator, Bartholdi, who was disappointed that it did not face the New
York City Statue of Liberty. He finally got his wish when it was rotated to face America for the World
Fair of 1937.
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A Stroll Along the Banks
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A visit to Paris would not be complete without a stroll along the banks of the Seine. What a pleasure
it is to take a leisurely walk along the embankment, to leaf through old books at the stalls of
secondhand booksellers, to admire the works in progress of artists who have come to capture the light
at dusk, all the while enjoying the spectacle of Paris' monuments and bridges. Another original and
fun way to visit this open-air museum is to hop on a "bateau-mouche" near the Alma Bridge. You can go
aboard various other sight-seeing boats from near the Pont Neuf or the Iena Bridge, near the cathedral
of Notre-Dame or near the Eiffel Tower.
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