Pont Neuf
If you’re familiar with French, you might be able to guess how Pont Neuf translated into English. Pont is bridge, and neuf can mean different things depending on the context - it can mean nine or new. In this case it refers to new. Despite the name new bridge, pont neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris. It’s one of the 37 bridges in Paris which makes crossing the river seine easy.
The bridge is made up of smaller arch bridges, made in the same was as the Romans made their bridges. On the south side there are five arches connecting the bridge to left bank (rive gauche), and on the north there are seven arches connect the bridge to the right bank (rive droite). The bridge is 232 metres long and 22 metres wide.
History
While pont neuf is the oldest bridge of the city today, it was not the first bridge. Construction started in 1578 by Henri III but was only inaugurated by Henri IV in 1607 (he’s the man on the horse you see in the middle of the bridge). In France during this period there was the Wars of Religion (1562 - 1598) which put a pause to construction.
Bridges in Paris were historically made out of wood. Wooden bridges had two main issues - the water caused the wood to rot, and wood burns easily. If either of these things were to happen, you’d end up with no bridge. But worse, bridges in Paris would often have houses on them. Despite the initial plans to include houses on this bridge, Henri IV said that he did not want this because it would obstruct the view of the Louvre.
In the Carnavalet museum, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris, you’ll find old maps where you can see bridges with houses on them. The Carnavalet museum is one of my favourite museums in the city - plus it’s free! It’s always fascinating to see how the city has changes over the years.
Another important feature of the bridge was the design with pedestrians in mind - which wasn’t always the case. The pavements allowed allowed pedestrians to avoid the traffic and the mud. Along the pavement, you’ll find small little niches, where at one point stood little shops.
It has been listed as a monument historique since 1889 (which is the same year that the Eiffel Tower and the Moulin Rouge opened). A major restoration of the Pont Neuf was begun in 1994 and was completed in 2007, the year of its 400th anniversary.
Statue of Henri IV
At the point where the bridge crosses Île de la Cité there is a bronze equestrian statue of King Henri IV. This isn’t the original statue, as this was melted down during the French Revolution but was replaced in 1818. Lots of statues of kings were destroyed during the French Revolution, often with the materials being used to create weapons.
Henri IV, sometimes called le Bon Roi Henri (the Good King Henri) or Henri le Grand (Henri the Great) was the king of France between 1589 and 1610. He was baptised a Catholic but raised as a Huguenot in the Protestant faith. This made him unpopular because until now, all kings were Catholic. He converted to Catholicism, reportedly saying that “Paris is well worth a Mass”. While king, he signed the édit de Nantes which guaranteed the religious liberties to Protestants (but not all religions) which put an end to the French Wars of Religion. In 1610, he assassinated by a Catholic zealot. There is a marking on Rue de la Ferronnerie where he was assassinated (just south of Fontaine des Innocents) in the 1st arrondissement.
View from the bridge
While facing north, you can see La Samaritaine, a large department store that was recently renovated. It gets it’s name from a water pump from the 17th century that used to be on pont neuf. At the time the pump provided up to 700,000 litres of water per day. It supplied running water to the Louvre district- where you’d find the Louvre and Tuileries palaces. The pump got its name from the Samaritan woman at the well from the Gospel of John.
While facing north west, you can see the Louvre. A lot of people are surprised at just how big the Louvre is - you really need a few hours to see even just the highlights. Facing west, you’ll see another bridge, Pont des Arts, also known as the love lock bridge. The love locks were cut off the bridge because the city was worried the weight of the locks would cause structural damage. You’ll still see some locks, but significantly less than before - even pont neuf has some love locks on it!
When standing in front of statue of Henri IV, looking east, you’ll see Place Dauphine, and old royal square. The square is named after the Henri’s son, the Dauphin of France (future Louis XIII). This little square is a great place to sit and watch the city go by.
Stone faces
The stone faces, or mascarons line the bridge - this is something that’s easy to miss when walking over the bridge! Mascarons were originally designed to frighten evil spirits from entering. The ones on the bridge are all replicas, but some of the original faces can be found in Musée Carnavalet. Eight other originals were first placed in the Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, but are now in the French National Museum of the Renaissance in the Château d’Écouen (a great day trip from Paris!).
Book a tour
Want to explore Île de la Cité with me? You can book a private tour here!