Bridges of Paris: Pont Mirabeau in Autumn © French Moments
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Last Updated: 13 July 2022

No less than 37 bridges span the Seine, the river that separates the Left and Right banks of Paris. The river banks have been listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site since 1991. Here are our top 10 favourite bridges of Paris…

 

Facts about the bridges of Paris

  • There are 37 bridges spanning the Seine in Paris.
  • Five of them are pedestrianised and two are rail bridges (métro and RER).
  • Eight bridges connect the Left and Right Banks of Paris via the Île de la Cité and four via the Île Saint-Louis.
  • One bridge (Pont Saint Louis) links the two islands to each other.
  • Ten of them caught our attention.

 

Book a cruise on the Seine!

Seine Paris © French Moments
A cruise on the River Seine, Paris © French Moments

 

Fancy discovering the bridges from the river? Book one of the following cruises with our partner Tiqets.

Choose from a daytime promenade to a dinner cruise!

 

1. Pont de la Tournelle

Ile Saint Louis, Paris © French Moments
Pont de la Tournelle and Ile Saint Louis © French Moments

The first bridge built on the site was completed in 1620. The present-day bridge dates from 1928. A tall pylon flanks the bridge, topped by a statue of St. Geneviève, the Patron Saint of Paris. It links the Left Bank to the peaceful Île Saint-Louis.

 

2. Pont Marie

Pont Marie, Paris © French Moments
Pont Marie, Paris © French Moments

Constructed in 1670, the bridge is one of the oldest in Paris. It links the Right Bank to the Île Saint-Louis.

 

3. Pont au Double

Pont au Double, Paris © French Moments
Pont au Double, Paris © French Moments

There has been a bridge spanning the river on the site since 1626. The latest version, a single arch cast-iron bridge, dates from 1883.

 

4. Pont au Change

Pont au change, Quais de la Seine © French Moments
Pont au Change © French Moments

Linking the Île de la Cité to the Right Bank, the first version of the bridge dates to the 9th Century. It was rebuilt several times since and the current bridge dates from 1860. It bears the initials of Emperor Napoleon III.

 

5. Pont Neuf

Quais de la Seine © French Moments - Paris 34
Pont-Neuf © French Moments

The Pont-Neuf (literally New Bridge) is actually the oldest of all the bridges of Paris. Designed in 1607, it crosses the west tip of the Île de la Cité.

Read more about Pont-Neuf.

 

6. Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts and Notre-Dame © French Moments
Pont des Arts © French Moments

The footbridge offers one of the most romantic views of Paris. In the distance, the Île de la Cité can be seen and the medieval-looking bridge of Pont-Neuf links the Right and Left banks.

 

7. Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III in Paris © French Moments
Sculptural group symbolising the Neva River (upstream) © French Moments

The bridge named after the Tsar of Russia was built during the Belle Époque and connects the Invalids to the Grand and Petit Palais.

Find out more about Pont Alexandre III.

 

8. Passerelle Debilly

Eiffel Tower, Paris © French Moments
The Eiffel Tower and Passerelle Debilly © French Moments

This pedestrianised built in 1900 and listed as a Historic Monument looks like a mini-version of the Sydney bridge! It offers spectacular views over the Eiffel Tower.

 

9. Pont d’Iéna

Pont d'Iéna © French Moments
Pont d’Iéna © French Moments

Listed as a Historic Monument, the bridge dates from 1814. It is very famous for its remarkable position, linking the Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower and Champ-de-Mars.

 

10. Pont de Bir-Hakeim

Pont Bir Hakeim Paris © French Moments
Pont Bir Hakeim, Paris © French Moments

The particularity of the double-decked bridge from 1878 and 1905 is that it was designed for both road and métro traffic.

Find out more about Pont de Bir-Hakeim.

 

Bridges of Paris: English-French Vocabulary

Paris in Autumn © French Moments
The banks of the River Seine, Paris in Autumn © French Moments

(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin and (v) for verbs

  • bank = quai (m)
  • bridge = pont (m)
  • island = île (f)
  • Left Bank = Rive Gauche (f)
  • monument = monument (m)
  • Right Bank = Rive Droite (f)
  • river = rivière (f)
  • to span = traverser (v)
  • World Heritage Site = Site du Patrimoine Mondial (m)

If you want to learn more about the bridges of Paris, check out this beautiful coffee table book: Bridges of Paris by Michael Saint James. We love it and our copy of the book is set on a favourite part of our bookshelves at home! Order your copy on Amazon (affiliate link):

 

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Top 10 most beautiful bridges of Paris © French Moments

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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