No More Locks of Love for Paris?

There’s more to do in Paris than lock your love

Walking through the streets of Paris it’s not uncommon to come across locks. Whether it’s on a bridge or random gate, it’s abundantly clear that tourists can’t pass up the opportunity to leave their mark behind. While the Pont des Arts bridge was the most famous location for locking your love, these locks are popping up across Europe.

For years, tourists visited the Pont des Arts bridge to mark their love by attaching a lock to it’s frame, and tossing the key in the river as a symbol of ever lasting love. In 2014, 2.4 meters of railing collapsed due to the overwhelming weight of the impressive collection of heavy love tokens, which was estimated to weigh 45 tons.

Good Bye Locks of Love

On June 1st, 2015 one million padlocks known as “love locks” were removed from the famed bridge, which connects the Louvre and Institut de France across the Seine river.  The move was orchestrated by city officials who believed the locks spoiled the aesthetics of the bridge and were damaging its infrastructure.

Locks started to appear on the bridge in 2008, but the act of “love locking” is widespread, with locks appearing in Germany, Russia, China, and Italy. The custom has spread to other bridges within the Capital of France. Locks are being removed throughout the city, yet they continue to emerge. No landmark is safe.

The Future of Pont des Arts

To prevent love locking on the bridge the railings have been replaced with glass panels. City officials suggest lovers, “celebrate their union with a selfie rather than by attaching locks.”

The bridge will now be the location for outdoor art exhibits. The first display was by artist Daniel Hourde’s titled “La Passerelle Enchantee” or “The Enchanted Bridge.”

The city hopes Paris will remain the “city of love” and that tourists will remember that “the Pont des Arts is a symbolic place. Paris is and has always been the city of love, and never needed locks for couples to celebrate their union. The bridge remains a lively and cultural place.”

What do you think about the “love locking” custom? Are you for or against the act on public property?