Paris---the bridge with all of the locks near Notre Dame
 

Tell me about how this started and when.
Merci!

A couple of articles found with a quick google:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...s-2293506.html

http://french-news-online.com/wordpr...#axzz1aPh3mhmu

Love locks are also on a fence at the popular lookout above Florence. Forgot the name of the area. First saw them in 2008 and again this summer.
Also saw the ones on the bridge close to Notre Dame this summer. First time I've seen them there. Took a couple photos of them just for fun.

Ahhh--romance!

love locks ... I think you are thinking of the Ponte Vecchio ...

Lots & lots of locks there.

You are obviously referring to the Pont des Arts and the subject of its lovelocks is quite controversial. Those who place lovelocks there obviously love them but many find it an eyesore and a blight on a Parisian landmark. Just have a look at these recent threads from another forum on this topic:

http://tinyurl.com/3owokgw

http://tinyurl.com/3juuw7u

http://tinyurl.com/3tjxr72

I must be terribly unromantic. The first time I heard about it, I didn't think, "Oh, isn't that sweet!" I thought "Isn't this just a form of vandalism?" Plus, what about all those keys thrown into the river? Piles of rusty pollution.

If the city encourages it and is willing to deal with the consequences, then fine. But, if it's a problem for the citizens of Paris, something is going to have to be done sooner or later to control it.

Of course, the locks are definitely better than the germ-infested bubblegum walls in San Luis Obispo and Seattle.

http://tiny.cc/zo84d

http://tiny.cc/yt83h

sap---you're right about the bubble gum walls. That's just germy and gross.

Call me crazy, but I happen to like the idea of the locks. It's romantic and fun. How many of those people who attach locks are going to say to themselves---"Let's do a return trip and see if our lock is still on the bridge?"

We saw one lock where a guy asked a girl to marry him. Attached to it was another lock for when they returned on their honeymoon.

I have to say that I did not like all the plastic bags tied to the bridge though---looked kind of messy.

When people break-up they should be required to go back to the bridge and cut the lock off. I guess you know where I stand on this. Bah humbug.

Sap,

I first saw the locks on the Pont Alexandre in Paris a few years ago, posted here to ask what it was all about.

I think they were as bad as graffitti but vandalism fits as well as in the case of the Pont Alexandre, they have been fixed to the bridge, covering up one of the medalions.

Ridiculous.

Is not the city doing occasional removal of the locks (and not on news of a divorce :))?

We've been home a week after being in Paris for 9 days so I've seen the "lovelock bridge" recently. We crossed the Pont des Arts several times and didn't find the locks unattractive. One day was windy so the smaller locks moved making the sound of wind chimes. I thought about the story that went with the placement of each lock.

Our friends living in Paris didn't think the bridge unsightly but then they are young and in love ;;)

I don't find that bridge especially attractive on it's own but I've seen it used for art exhibitions--I think of the lovelocks as another ongoing modern art exhibition. Deborah

The lovelocks I saw are at the Piazzale Michelangelo outside of Florence-- with a fantastic view of the city. There were tons of locks in 2008 but many less this summer. Not sure where the keys end up as there is no water there--locks are attached to a fence.
I read they are removing the ones at Ponte Vecchio. Don't know that for a fact, though.

As for the ones in Paris, the bridge is loaded with them. I didn't think about all the keys thrown into the Seine! But, it'll take a long time for them to build up enough to cause a real problem, I think.

I was told this is a European thing to do, not just in Paris. I recently saw lots of locks on a bridge in Wroclaw, Poland.