15 Most Stunning Bridges You Should See in Paris


 

Updated by Farah in April 2022 and Vanessa in May 2023

Paris is split in two parts by the Seine, which creates a real border between the Right Bank and the Left Bank.

Yet we Parisians cross the river every day, going from one bank to another, and to our islands. In Paris, you’ll never have to walk long on the banks before you find one of the 37 bridges that we have, real links to the heart of the city, and the best spots to watch the reflection of the light on the water. Here are some of the bridges that you really can’t miss in Paris.

1. Pont Neuf, and the tip of Île de la Cité

Best bridges in Paris

Accessible by metro line 7 on metro station Pont Neuf, the Pont Neuf was, in its original form, the oldest bridge in Paris. Originally made of wood and stone, it was restored at the beginning of the seventeenth century, yet it remains one of the most important. It links the left bank, to the Island of the Cité and to the right bank, around Châtelet. From there, if you stand in one of the foot stools, you will have a magnificent view over the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, especially at night.

Read also; Exciting Facts about the Pont Neuf in Paris

Practical information
address: 75001 Paris, France
Bridge type: ARCH BRIDGE, DECK ARCH BRIDGE
Metro Station: Pont Neuf

2. Alexander III bridge

bridges

The Alexander III bridge is much younger, as it was inaugurated in 1900. It has Art Nouveau lamps, and was built in honour of the alliance between France and Russia. It is probably the greatest and most majestuous bridge over the Seine, with its golden statues and its columns.

It creates a link between the Invalides on the left bank and the Grand Palais and Petit Palais on the right bank, only a few minutes away from the Champs Elysées, and with a great view over major landmarks and the Eiffel Tower.

Read also; Here are five amazing things you can do at Pont Alexandre III

Practical information
address: Pont Alexandre III, 75008 Paris, France
Bridge type: ARCH BRIDGE
Metro Station: The Invalides station

3. Pont des Arts, the Love Lock Bridge of Paris

bridges

The Pont des Arts is probably considered the most romantic bridge in Paris. Linking the right bank, near the Louvre, and the left bank a few meters away from the Pont Neuf, it has become the place to go for lovers.

Lovers used to have a tradition: you had to lock a padlock with your name and your lover’s name on it on the bridge to make your love last forever, but this tradition is now over, because the padlocks were highly damaging the bridge.

It is actually a good think the padlocks are now all gone, since it now offers a stunning view with no padlocks ruining the scene! The Pont des Arts is also a pedestrian bridge where you can sit or even picnic while enjoying a great view!

Practical information
address: Pont des Arts, 75006 Paris, France
Bridge type: FootbridgeArch bridge
Metro Station: St Michel Notre Dame station

4. Pont de Bir Hakeim

Bridge Bir-Hakeim – by DXR – Wikimedia Commons

The Bir Hakeim Bridge is one of the most famous bridges over the Seine. There’s an iron viaduct that allows the Paris Metro to cross the river. It’s a gorgeous bridge with its intricate statues in iron and architectural decorations.

Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Featured in famous Hollywood hits such as Inception and Mission Impossible, this unique bridge has amazing views of the Eiffel Tower and is one of the best photo ops in the city. Moreover, have you heard about the Statue of Liberty in Paris? The most famous replica is located on Swan island between Bir Hakeim and Passy. On the adjacent river banks, you can partake in one of the river cruises such as the Paris en Scène dinner boat cruises which has many menu option.

Practical information
address: Pont de Bir-Hakeim, 75015 Paris, France
Website: PUENTE DE BIR HAKEIM
Metro Station: Bir-Hakeim

5. Pont d’Iéna

Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

After winning the battle of Jena in 1806, it was Napoleon Bonaparte I who ordered a new bridge to be built and hence, we’ve got the beautiful Pont d’lena or in English, the Bridge of Jena! The current bridge was built between 1808 and 1814 by the engineer Lamandé. It has five arches spanning 28 metres in a circular fashion and four intermediary pillars. It connects Quai Branly, the Champ de Mars and the Eiffel Tower on the left bank to the Trocadéro gardens on the right bank.

The bridge is decorated with beautiful imperial eagles and is one of the busiest, if not the busiest, bridges of Paris. Located close to the Eiffel tower, it offers unobstructed views of the tower and the river. The bridge also features esquatarian statues on all of its sides so make sure to take some photos!

Read also; Ultimate List: Here are the 100 Best Things to do in Paris

Practical information
address: Pont d’Iéna, 75116 Paris, France
Bridge type: Arch bridge
Metro Station: Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel station

6. Pont Saint-Michel

Pont Saint-Michel – by Julie Anne Workman – Wikimedia Commons

First constructed in 1378, Pont Saint-Michel was built many times over, most recently in 1857. The 62m long bridge with its distinct three arches from today is from 1857 and is maintained to allow easy access over the Seine. It’s located on the left bank of the Seine connecting Place Saint-Michel to the islands on the Seine. A nearby chapel of Saint-Michel gives its name. Earlier bridges were made of wood and later stone.

The Pont Saint-Michel was replaced between 1617 and 1623 with a new stone bridge on wooden piles and was supported two rows of houses and was at the time one of the largest bridges of Paris and one of the busiest too. A royal order by Napolean III declared that the houses be demolished soon after and hence, the bridge today features the insignia of Napoleon.

Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

The bridge features heavily in art by various European artists such as Albert Marquet, Albert Lebourg and Henri Matisse. This is probably due to its location with some great Notre Dame views.

Practical information
address: Pont Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris, France
Bridge type: Arch bridge
Metro Station: The Cluny – la Sorbonne station

7. Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir

bridges

The youngest bridge in Paris was inaugurated in 2006. Named after Simone de Beauvoir, it is extremely modern, and is dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists. It links Bercy on the right bank and the thirteenth district around Tolbiac on the left bank, and will take you to the François Mitterrand library.

Read also; Top 5 best drinking spots along the Seine River

Practical information
address: 75012 Paris, France
Website: PASSERELLE SIMONE-DE-BEAUVOIR
Metro Station: Quai de la Gare

8. Pont de l’Alma, its Zouave, and the Flame of Liberty

bridges

The Pont de l’Alma is not the most beautiful or impressive bridge in Paris, but it is interesting all the same, thanks to the Zouave on the side. There used to be four soldiers there, when it was built, in 1856. The remaining soldier is used to measure the rise of the Seine.

We say its feet should never be in the water, otherwise Paris will be in trouble. Check out for yourself if Paris is at risk of being flooded! It is also the place where Lady Diana died, and you’ll find the Flame of Liberty, which has become a sort of memorial for her.

Practical infomation
address: Pont de l’Alma, 75008 Paris, France
Bridge type: Arch bridgeGirder bridge
Metro Station: Alma-Marceau

9. Pont Mirabeau and its statues

bridges

The Pont Mirabeau was made famous by a poem written by Guillaume Apollinaire and using the water going under it as a metaphor for time passing. It is in the list of Historical monuments and it has four statues representing the City of Paris, navigation, commerce, and abundance.

Practical infomation
address: Pont Mirabeau, 75015 Paris, France
Website: PONT MIRABEAU
Metro Station: Javel

10. Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor

Though not as structurally impressive as your typical Parisian bridge, passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor adds a touch of modernity to the antique surroundings of old Pairs. The bridge was, as you can imagine,  named after the writer, poet and politician, Léopold Sédar Senghor (in 2006). Before, it was actually called Passerelle Solferino or the Pont Solferino. The previous structure was inaugurated by Napoleon III back in 1861, and this was named after the French victory in 1859 at the Battle of Solferino.

The bridges that had stood in its place were often being struck by barges, so they were eventually demolished. This new structure was built in the late nineties,  and links the Musée d’Orsay and the Jardin des Tuileries.

The footbridge was constructed using steel by none other than the Eiffel company that was founded by Gustave Eiffel who designed and built the most famous landmark in the entire world- the Eiffel Tower! The wooden paneling is constructed from exotic Brazilian tree wood, giving it a unique look.

This is actually the bridge you will cross over on your walk from the Eiffel Tower to The Louvre Museum!

Read also; Here are five amazing things you can do around the River Seine

Practical infomation
address: Léopold Sedar Senghor, 75001 Paris, France
Bridge type: FootbridgeArch bridge
Metro Station: Assemblée Nationale

11. Petit Pont

As you might have guessed, Petit Pont means “Little Bridge”. The Petit Pont connects the Ile de la Cité to the Left Bank and is one of the two oldest bridges of Paris. River floods repeatedly destroyed the Petit Pont between the 9th and 18th century, however it was continuously rebuilt, and has kept the same historic name to this day. In fact, the old bridge was closed for pedestrians during the aftermath of the April 2019 Notre Dame fire. It is open now, however sadly the view has changed a bit since the destruction of some of the precious structures of the sacred site. The good news? The Cathedral will be rebuilt.

Practical infomation
address: Petit Pont – Cardinal Lustiger, 75005 Paris, France
Bridge type: Arch bridge
Metro Station: Saint-Michel Notre-Dame

12. Pont de la Tournelle

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.

This bridge connected the Eastern bank of the Seine (le quai Saint-Bernard) to l’île Saint-Louis. It was destroyed by ice in 1637, and again in 1651. A stone bridge was then built in its place in 1654. That bridge was then demolished, and finally replaced in 1928. It went through many natural disasters and flooding, like many of the other bridges in Paris.

You’ll find the statue of Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, atop of the very tall pylon, designed by Polish-French monumental sculptor Paul Landowski.

The Pont de la Tournelle offers stunning and incredible views around sunset, and is located in one of the most charming areas of Paris.

Practical infomation
address: Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris, France
Bridge type:  Arch bridge
website: PONT DE LA TOURNELLE
Metro Station: Cardinal Lemoine station

13. Passerelle Debilly

Passerelle Debilly, which overlooks the Eiffel Tower and spans the River Seine, has been in place for well over a century, allowing hundreds of thousands of foot travelers to travel from the Right Bank to the Left Bank (and back again) each year. The footbridge, which connects the two banks of the Seine, was first built in the city to serve as a gateway between the Right and Left Banks during the 1900 World’s Fair (known in French as the Expositions Universelles).

Alfred Picard approved the plans at the time, and the building was supposed to last only 20 years, like the nearby Eiffel Tower. As a result, the bridge was built to provide a convenient pedestrian path between the Army and Navy, as well as the Old Paris halls on the other side of the Seine.

The curved building was created by Jean Résal, who also constructed the Pont Alexandre III (one of Paris’ most Instagrammable photo sites). This iron bridge on stone piers isn’t the most gorgeous the city has to offer, but that shouldn’t dissuade you. It is one of the best bridges in Paris for photographing the Eiffel Tower. 

Read also; Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Seine Cruise

Practical infomation
address: Passerelle Debilly, 75007 Paris, France
Bridge type:  FootbridgeArch bridgeThrough arch bridge
website: PASSERELLE DEBILLY
Metro Station: Iéna station

14. Pont Au Change

Joe deSousa, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pont au Change, which connects the Ile de la Cité at the Palais de Justice and the Conciergerie with the Right Bank at Place du Chatelet, is the most recent of numerous bridges to stand at this location.

The rebuilt Pont au Change was designed by French engineers Paul-Martin Gallocher de Lagalisserie and Paul Vaudrey, and construction began in 1858 and was completed on August 15, 1860.

There are three elliptical stone arches with a span of a little over 30 meters, and because this was built during Napoleon III’s reign, you will notice the imperial symbol with the letter N in between the arches that lead down to the bridge’s piers and abutments.

Gazing downstream from the Pont au Change, you will see the most renowned and oldest bridge in Paris, the Pont Neuf while gazing upstream, you will see the Pont Notre-Dame, named after the famed cathedral of course.

Practical infomation
address: Pont au Change, 75001 Paris, France
Bridge type: Arch bridge
Metro Station: Saint-Michel

15. Pont Charles-De-Gaulle

Dinkum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Pont Charles-de-Gaulle (Charles-de-Gaulle Bridge) is a steel-reinforced concrete girder bridge that spans the Seine River in Paris’s eastern outskirts. It is a one-way bridge bringing traffic from the 13th to the 12th arrondissements. Pont d’Austerlitz, a one-way bridge lower downstream, carries traffic in the opposite direction.

The bridge, which connects the Biblioteque Nationale de France to the Bercy quarter, was erected to relieve congestion on the Pont Austerlitz, the city’s most heavily used bridge at the time. Although not a historical bridge or a padlocked bridge in Paris, this one is an example of sleek modern design that shows that the French has not lost their bridge-building prowess.

Read also; SEINE RIVER HOP-ON HOP-OFF CRUISE IN PARIS

Practical infomation
address: 66 Quai d’Austerlitz, 75013 Paris, France
Website: PONT CHARLES-DE-GAULLE
Metro Station: Gare de Lyon station

One way to get a wonderful glance at all the amazing bridges on this list is to do a Paris Seine boat tour, which I highly recommend. Every friend that has visited me has taken my advice and has told me the Seine boat ride was their favorite part of the trip! You can book tickets for a boat tour with BatoBus or Bateaux Mouches, the most popular boat touring companies. I also recommend Vedettes du Pont Neuf, another boat cruise company.

You now know the best bridges in Paris according to a local! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything! Feel free to share your favorite bridges in Paris and talk about your experiences!

Read also; 20 Great Things Not to Miss When Visiting Paris

See you soon in Paris!

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are Amazon’s best-selling travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 – Learn more here
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 – Learn more here

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack – Learn more here
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage – Learn more here
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle – Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.

Also check this
Discover the Best Tours in Paris with Local Guides. Check Paris Walking Tours
We run free tours: Montmartre walking tour and Trendy Marais Tour are our best sellers. Free walking tours in Paris