PalenQ, interestingly according to the wikipedia entry Christina posted above:
"In Paris Town Hall in May 2010 expressed concern over the growing number of love-locks on the Pont des Arts, Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor and the Pont de l'Archevêché bridges, stating: 'they raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage'. Lovelocks disappeared suddenly in 2010, but the Administration denied responsibility. The Pont de l'Archevêché saw the return of those love-locks immediately."

Positively Sisyphean!!

And Phread, you're very welcome. I enjoy living vicariously a little bit of <i>la vie parisienne</i> through your posts!

I have seen the documentary on Bill Cunningham.

I probably saw it before you did. My friend and I had lunch at the French Culinary Institute (L'ecole) in Soho, then we walked over to the IFC Center to see the film. The place was packed. This was March, 2011.

I have met Bill as he used to come to the shows of Todd Oldham, my former employer.

And if you are so smart you would know that Bill has his subjects sign a release so the photos can be shown in the Times.

Does Phread do this?

Also, most people would KILL to have Bill photograph them.

My Lanvin, you have such a flair for the obvious.


Please, I am Thingorjus!

ggreen - yes Sisyphean for sure - but like graffiti the theory is that if you clean it up quick enough that's the best way to deter it. How about security cameras to nab the miscreants - assuming the are violating some law - like a littering law?

But for me these type things only endear me to a place not turn me off - I love the bright graffiti everywhere in a place like Italy -great art at times - as great as boring Old Masters in stuffy art museums - a living art - and the lock thing is much like graffiti it seems though less conpisuous.

I don't mind the locks on the link fences but when they start abusing the monuments , sculptures like that poor crab, I'm all for some punishment.

We actually saw a fence covered with chewing/bubble gum in Assisi (up the big hill to the fort).

Phread, maybe put the word out that the keys are valuable--sure to be folks taking up diving!

OR set up a card table and sell chains for the lovers to hang the keys? There's money to be made from this.

I'm with cigalechanta. Graffitti bothers me more than locks on fences. But keys in the Seine can't be a good thing.

But keys in the Seine can be used to open locks in the Seine!

Pepper, I do not jump out and snap photos. I stand pretty obviously on the sidewalk, often half way in an intersection, with a rather large camera and a not very zoom lens (I can't shoot until thet are pretty close). People see me. Those who do not want me to take their photos make it very clear and I happily comply. Unlike Bil Cunningham, I do not get paid for this and will never use the photos for advertising, so I do not require a release.
Like Bill, people ask me to take their photos all the time.
I live here. Not only are people constantly taking photos of me, but they ask me to step back, step forward, or repeat an action for their photos. Just today, having a romantic moment with Mr French, two women asked him to actually leave our table to photograph them. Photography seems to have become part of the Paris experience.
TDudette, love the chain idea!

This trend started a number of years ago, I think on the on the Ponte Milvio in Rome..it seems that Rome has designated "official" spots for the locks:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/wo...4.6991537.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ove-locks.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...s-removed.html

<< But for me these type things only endear me to a place not turn me off >>

Me too! Though I haven't seen the fences full of locks like those Phread has - just a few here and there. Southern Italy has some great graffiti, much better than generic tagging. Love those Circumvesuviana trains!

That said, there is clearly a problem with the locks being a target for metal thieves cutting out huge pieces of fencing. Sounds at least as dangerous for passerby as the similar thieves here in NYC who have been stealing manhole covers!

throw the key at those lock losers!

I am glad to read this and will most definitely NOT be bringing a lock to Paris in Sept - at least not to leave anywhere! I had heard of this in Italy, but did not know it was happening in Paris.

I agree this is a dangerous, not romamtic thing to do. these
days metal is worth alot. we have tree protection grates stollen here in Boston/Cambridge