You all know about these love locks that lovers attach to Le Pont des Arts (and now a lot of other bridges and not only in Paris!) - see this article in the NY times for more. Well, I passed by it yesterday, found this little breach in it and thought it was very symbolic. As many point out, love is not supposed to be a chain - nor a lock for that matter - but you're supposed to stay together out of freewill ;-)
Thank you, Eric, for bringing this awful low-brow practice to light. I HATE this stupid "love lock" craze, based on a crappy romance novel for teens -- I researched this dumb physical graffiti and found:
ReplyDeleteThe love lock craze is not exclusive to Paris. Similar padlocks can also be found on fences and bridges in Rome, Moscow, Prague, Brussels and Mount Huang in China. It is unclear who started the fashion. Italians claim it was sparked by the romantic novel I Want You by Federico Moccia and is merely a case of life imitating art. In Moccia's book the main characters attach a padlock to the Ponte Milvio Bridge in Rome, kiss and throw away the key.
How chintzy can you get?
Well, Yes, I heard the Italians claim this craze too. But i don't think we'll ever know...
DeleteEither the chain link broke because the locks were too heavy or someone broke it because they were no longer in love. I love this bridge, always visit it when in Paris.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I have always thought this was the silliest and in some ways, most destruction new fad.
ReplyDeleteFads seem to always come and go.
ReplyDeleteBut what I like is your photo -- how you framed the bridge. Nicely done!
Merci Ms M ;-)
DeleteThey've lost the love they thought was locked,
ReplyDeleteAnd so they cut the fence. I'm shocked!
There may be hope, we see the proof.
Out there is love's new bridge: Pont Neuf?
(Hey, it's late at night, it's the best I can do. Pfft.)
Not bad actually, not bad!
DeleteBy the way Jeff, did you see I posted a little Save the date note for the next PDP picnic on May 5th!
Delete@jeff : LOL a good one.
ReplyDelete@eric : Love the bridge and the locks ;)
Well done, Jeff! Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteFunny to use locks to symbolize love, when to many people they represent tyranny and oppression.
The idea is that you're supposed to throw the key into the river after locking to symbolize one's eternal love. What I find amusing is that some use combination locks. hmmmm...
ReplyDeleteLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!
DeleteHow about they keep the key and throw themselves in the river?
ReplyDeleteI vote for that.
Deleteuuuh, c'est profond.... :)
ReplyDeleteand of course the only reason why you found this little cute view is that probably one 'out-of-love-lover' cut the fencing to unchain his lock.... :))))
I don't know, but I'm really curious to know actually!
Deletesorry, I see that others before me had the same idea...
ReplyDelete@Drummond - are you English? (love your sense of silliness!)
Kiki, I live in England,but I am Scottish. Perhaps living in this silly country has affected me.
DeleteOnly joking, the English are very nice, just like the French.
Eric.... Thanks for getting over there... Not the prettiest bridge in Paris but maybe the coolest... But Paris... In the spring... What could be better ???
ReplyDeleteWell actually, now that you mention it, it's so cold in Europe at the moment that we barely think of spring!
ReplyDeleteThese locks are SO unthinking-sentimental, yet claim the right to take over public space.
ReplyDeleteIs there room for Prévert's
"Pour toi mon amour" ?
Je suis allé au marché aux oiseaux
Et j'ai acheté des oiseaux
Pour toi
Mon amour
Je suis allé au marché aux fleurs
Et j'ai acheté des fleurs
Pour toi
Mon amour
Je suis allé au marché à la ferraille
Et j'ai acheté des chaînes
De lourdes chaînes
Pour toi
Mon amour
Et je suis allé au marché aux esclaves
Et je t'ai cherchée
Mais je ne t'ai pas trouvée
Mon amour
I remember that poem. Hadn't heard it or seen it in ages! Thanks for posting!
DeleteSorry, punctuation went wrong in introducing the Prévert. Can you fix for me, Eric? merci!
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with punctuation?
DeleteIt should read: Is there room for Prévert's "Pour toi mon amour" ?
DeleteJe suis allé au marché aux oiseaux
etc.
hope you enjoy the link.... (pun not intended)
Yes, Eric, I saw the picnic post. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteAs to Drummond's humor, it could be more Scottish than first appears. Before jumping in the river, put the key in your pocket so you don't lose it! (Just kidding. Actually, Americans other than me are very nice, just like the Scottish.)
Hey, it provides a job for the people who come along and remove them for the city. They don't just toss them in the Seine, do they? (And I love the framing of the Pont Neuf too—nice, Eric!)
ReplyDelete" They don't just toss them in the Seine, do they?" I surely hope they don't!
DeleteET,
ReplyDeleteI've been commenting on your blog via FB and tonight see you've changed your blog layout. I like it. I also love the bridges in paris and was a champion for the locks. Now...not so much. They are too much I think and there are the lock vendors ......and well it's overdone and just too much. I hate it when commercialism ruins MY Paris. :) Love you POV though.
V
" They are too much I think and there are the lock vendors" Interesting, I never thought of that LOL. Let's hope the safe vendors don't have the same marketing plan!
DeleteEn tant que défenseur du patrimoine, je vois surtout les dommages causés par cette manie récente et stupide d'accrocher ces cadenas sur les ponts...
ReplyDeleteEric, this is a superb shot. And also it may mean that it's time to stop harassing that poor bridge and find another use for these locks.
ReplyDeleteSomeone commented on the Ville de Paris's site that maybe we could recycle the locks and keys into a giant heart or something like that and it sounds like a great idea to me. We could put notices on the bridge that say the locks are no longer allowed due to damage to the infrastructure, but please deposit your locks and keys in those two receptacles (one for the locks, the other one for the keys) for the new art project (maybe make a giant heart and stick it somewhere in the Tuileries or La Defense or something like that.) How about it?