This is a photo I took during my recent holiday in Gran Canaria. Engraved padlocks had been attached to this wire fence which runs along the beach side promenade. The sea was much bluer than it looks in this shot!
Seeeing the padlocks reminded me of the Pont Des Arts, in Paris which is sometimes known as the ‘Bridge of Lovers’. Have you ever been there?
There are many stunning bridges in Paris but this one had a specific romantic meaning for lots of people. Many couples would buy a padlock, engrave it with their names, the date and a short, romantic message. They would then attach it to the bridge and throw the key into the Seine. I must admit this is something I have never done but I have noticed that inscribed padlocks are now appearing all over the place.
As today is Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be interesting to tell you more about the Pont des Arts. This bridge connects the Louvre to the Institut de France and is pedestrianised. It’s an iron bridge that became famous for the thousands of padlocks that were attached to the structure. The first love locks started appearing in 2008 but the trend spread very quickly and by 2014 there were about 45 tonnes of padlocks weighing down the bridge. This put a massive strain on the bridge’s infrastructure and eventually one of the railings collapsed.
By this time, Parisians had fallen out of love with what was perceived by many locals as a tacky tourist attraction. The authorities were equally concerned about the safety of the bridge and on June 1st 2015 all the padlocks were removed. It has been estimated that over one million padlocks were taken away. The railings have now been replaced with glass panels.
Have you seen lovelocks either in Paris or elsewhere? Do you think they’re a romantic symbol or a bit of an eyesore? I’d love to know! Happy Valentine’s Day !
I am linking with #AllAboutFrance. Do go and have a look if you want to discover lots of interesting blog posts which all have a French theme!
Fancying France 
Such a shame about Le Pont des Arts, I hope the situation won’t get out of control in other places. What about just spending quality time with the ones you love.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Absolutely! Thanks for commenting.
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Hi June,
I’ve only seen the padlocks in Paris. To tell you the truth, I didn’t think it was that bad years ago, but toward the end it got to be ridiculous. The worst part is that the glass barriers on the bridge are fugly. I like the old iron better! It is what it is–right???? s XOXOXOXO
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Absolutely! I haven’t seen the glass barriers yet. Really must return to Paris 💖 xoxo
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I’ve never seen these and it sounds like a lovely idea until everyone is doing it! It must have cost a fortune for repairs and removal. Sounds a bit like vandalism to me.
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I agree that the original idea was probably quite romantic but in the end it just got out of hand. Yes, I’m sure it must have cost a great deal to remove all those padlocks and repair the bridge. Shame!
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Not seen any but have read about such places. Lovely sentiment and I expect with just a few padlocks it is quirky and sweet but then it gets overdone and the originality is lost. And of course there is the issue with weight.
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I agree that the original sentiment was lovely but it was a shame that the weight of all the padlocks ended up damaging the bridge so badly.
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I can see why Gran Canaria’s lovelocks reminded you of Pont Des Arts. If you want to see photos of the relocated Pont Des Arts lovelocks then maybe head over to my Valentine’s Day post (last year) and check them out. Annette #AllAboutFrance
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Thanks, Annette. I’ll definitely check out your Valentine’s Day post. #AllAboutFrance
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I’ve never liked the lovelocks trend, to me they are eyesores and not romantic, and as well as the ugliness of the locks themselves there’s also the pollution of throwing the keys in the water…all one million of them. I’m glad they’ve gone form the Pont des Arts but they are still all over other places. Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance (taking a break in April, hope to be back in May)
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I agree Phoebe, they’re just another source of pollution. Enjoy your break! #AllAboutFrance
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I agree that the lovelocks are an eyesore.
https://operasandcycling.com/pont-des-arts-without-the-love-locks/
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The lovelocks might (possibly) have been a novel idea initially but – as so often happens – people all jump on the bandwagon and take things too far. I’m off to read your post now!
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