St Cirq has a thread on this board about the problem.
I posted that I've seen some on monuments and that the keys are thrown in the Seine polluting t.

I should think the authorities in Paris might see an opportunity to bring in a lot of revenue for the city, AND preserve the beautiful old bridge, by imposing fines on one and all - the vandals AND the lock sellers. I can't imagine a few smart French heads couldn't come up with a solution. I've seen French policemen chasing down people who are illegally riding bikes in public parks and fining them on the spot; it's not unthinkable they couldn't post a policeman or two on every bridge to do the same.

But once again, first they would need to have a law to enforce.

Poor, little people. It's their opportunity to make a mark on the world.

I think this looks awful and ugly.

This must be a recent fad? I was in Paris 20 years ago and don't remember seeing padlocks on any of the bridges in the center..
Surely, the locks will need to be cut off when the bridges need repainting, or repairing?

I agree that this is very much like graffiti.

It is a fad. I was there two years's ago and it wasn't nearly as bad. I think it is now out of control and looks awful. I hope it never comes to my city, Ottawa, Canada's capital, but probably will.

<i>Graffiti is writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.[1] Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and it has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.[2]</i> Wikipedia

Because grafitti include elaborate paintings, I still think that the locks are like tagging and scratching one's initials on public conveyances.

I think the idea of a permanent installation meant for locks might help.. not sure where I saw it, but they had made metal "trees" for this purpose and I thought it was a cute idea.

<i>I think the idea of a permanent installation meant for locks might help..</i>

Only if a ban on other locations is strictly enforced. The sheer number of locks on the bridge argues against a "tree" as a substitute.

Justine, the metal love lock trees are in Moscow.

willit and flanner, it's nothing to do with aesthetics, or being fashionable, or with-it. It's destructive in so many ways. It is, in fact, "graffiti, litter, vandalism"

The locks are steel - steel rusts and affects all of the metal structures of the bridge, railings and lamps. On the Pont des Arts, there is evidence of the rust affecting the structure of the bridge itself.

Another issue is that people throw the keys into the Seine where those keys rust and litter the bed of the river - maybe wildlife is affected? Perhaps, but at the very least it's littering.

The weight of the locks is estimated by some to be at least 130k on each section of the Pont des Arts and might even be affecting the struts beneath the bridge. All this apart from the idiots risking life and limb to climb higher to attach their "symbols".

And, yes, I'd prefer my view of the Seine to be untainted. The original design of the bridges was intended to open up the river in a truly expansive way for all pedestrians. It was part of the history of the city , designed to be inclusive and to open the river to all. There is no way one can view the river in the same way now. I want an unobscured bridge view (those are my aesthetics and I stand by them!)

Well said, Libretto!

Youth is fickle. Perhaps in a year or two's time, the custom might be considered hopelessly naff. Of course, you might get geriatrics taking up the custom. Look what happened to tattoos ;-(

>> Of course, you might get geriatrics taking up the custom<<

Oh blimey, permanently locked-together Zimmers. That's going to take up even more space.

Good post Libretto

Nice, libretto!

http://www.thelocal.fr/20140609/lock...iling-collapse

Maybe they will ban them now?

We were recently in Venice and the Academia Bridge (other bridges in Venice as well ) is getting locks too. A lock seller is right there offering his wares-five euros I think.

I have once read that in Central Park, NY, it takes at most 24 hours for graffiti to be removed. Could the same not be done on these precious bridges?

Graffiti is removed quickly in Paris, too. You call a number and they come and remove what has defaced your building.

As for the "love locks," they are everywhere. Even in my neighbourhood on a railroad bridge crossing the Gare du Nord train tracks, there are love locks. There are love locks attached to the bridges over the Canal Saint Martin. There are at least 10 bridges on the Seine that have been defaced, not to mention fences in parks, squares, any place that people can think of. (Yes: people are stupid.)

Today on one of the midday news programs, the city official who has been saddled with the love lock problem was the special guest. He said that a solution has not been found yet but everybody is brainstorming about what to do. He said that in any case there will be no law or decree banning the practice or creating a big fine. "We can't put police on every bridge 24 hours a day and there are already too many unenforceable laws in existence." The Russian love lock trees have been inspected and are not suitable -- they are super ugly, just about as bad as the bridge situation. Since they have already collected several tons of locks from fallen panels, etc., they were wondering about melting down the locks and creating some sort of love sculpture, but since the locks are made out of so many different kinds of metal, melting them down is pretty much impossible, too. Right now they are trying to imagine some sort of electronic love message thingamabob that would permanently broadcast everybody's love messages to the world, but they can't think of any way that this could be conceived as more attractive and desirable than sneaking love locks onto every piece of Paris where one will fit. But they have not yet given up on this idea.

Anyway, they are still piling up all of the love locks in a warehouse somewhere, and the poor guy in charge of the situation said that as soon as they have found some sort of alternative, they will certainly announce it with great fanfare.