On the program?
- Pont Neuf
- Pont des Arts
- Alexandre III Bridge
- Pont d'Iéna
- Bir-Hakeim Bridge
The 5 most beautiful bridges in Paris that you must see
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Paris has 37 bridges over the Seine. It would be ambitious to want to visit them all in a single day, so we have prepared a walk for you to walk on the five most beautiful of them! Icons of cinema, a meeting place for lovers, the oldest bridge in Paris and technical feats: we take you there.
#1. Pont Neuf: the bridge that misses its name
Paradoxically, the Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge still standing in Paris. Built between 1578 and 1607 under Henri III and then Henri IV, it takes its name from its innovations compared to the bridges of the time. Indeed, it is:
- One of the first stone bridges to connect the two banks of the Seine (via the Île de la Cité)
- The first bridge without a house on it, to offer an unobstructed view of the Seine
- The first bridge with sidewalks to protect pedestrians from horse-drawn carriages and mud
Pssst: go down the stairs to the Square du Vert-Galant at the tip of the Île de la Cité and admire the bridge from the level of the Seine with its 381 sculpted mascarons (grotesque faces, not the sweet desserts we know).
A bridge reinvented by contemporary artists
In 1985, the artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude completely wrapped the bridge in golden fabrics for two weeks — an artistic shock that attracted millions of visitors.
Forty years later, in June 2026, the artist JR pays tribute to them with his installation La Caverne du Pont Neuf, which this time transforms the bridge into a monumental cave (free and accessible day and night).
How to get to the Pont Neuf?
- Metro 7 : Pont Neuf station, take the Quai du Louvre / Pont Neuf exit
- Metro 4 : Cité station, coming from the island, pass in front of the Conciergerie, the Palais de Justice and the Sainte-Chapelle
- RER B/C : Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame station
#2. Pont des Arts: a metal masterpiece
With the Pont des Arts, make way for the first metal bridge in the capital, built at the beginning of the nineteenth century on the decision of Napoleon. It owes its name to the nickname of the Louvre, located a stone's throw away, then called "Palais des Arts".
The bridge of love, before it weighs too much
Between 2000 and 2015, hundreds of thousands of couples from all over the world hung padlocks with their names on the bridge's railing : a love ritual that symbolizes a love that lasts.
However, it is not far from 45 tons of padlocks (according to the City of Paris, editor's note) that were hung on it, weakening the bridge and forcing the City to remove everything in 2015.
Pssst: come in the late afternoon, the golden light on the Seine and the dome of the Institut de France in the background make it one of the most grandiose places on the left bank.
How to get to the Pont des Arts?
- Metro 1 : Louvre-Rivoli station
- RER A/B/D : Châtelet-Les Halles station
#3. Pont Alexandre III: the most chic bridge in Paris
Inaugurated for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Pont Alexandre III - which commemorates the Franco-Russian rapprochement concluded in 1891 between Tsar Alexander III and the French president from 1887 to 1894, Sadi Carnot - is often described as the most elegant bridge in the capital.
It must be said that with 32 period bronze lampposts, its 17-metre golden pylons and its twenty or so sculptures, it has something to impress.
Pssst: you've probably seen it on TV, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Pont Alexandre III served as the start and finish point for the triathlon events.
How to get to the Pont Alexandre III?
- Metros 8 and 13 : Invalides station
- Metros 1 or 13 : Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau station
- RER C : Invalides station
#4. Pont d'Iéna: a Napoleonic bridge that almost blew up
Built between 1808 and 1814 by Napoleon, the Pont d'Iéna and its neoclassical architecture commemorate the victory of Jena against the Prussians (14 October 1806).
A little anecdote that almost went wrong : in 1815, the Prussian general von Blücher, defeated at Jena, wanted to blow up the bridge in retaliation. Missed, it was the intervention of Tsar Alexander I that prevented him from doing so.
A bridge that has become a pedestrian, a direct legacy of the Olympic Games
Historically open to cars, the Pont d'Iéna was temporarily pedestrianised for the Paris 2024 Games, to end up remaining so by decision of the City (buses and taxis excepted) ! Today, more than 50,000 pedestrians use it every day.
The result? It is now one of the best frontal views of the Eiffel Tower from the ground, without worrying about traffic.
How to get to the Pont d'Iéna ?
- Metros 6 and 9 : Trocadero station, as you walk down the Trocadero gardens, enjoy a most iconic frontal view of the Eiffel Tower before reaching the bridge
- RER C : Champ-de-Mars station – Eiffel Tower, arrival on the Champ-de-Mars side, exit directly at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the bridge faces its gardens
#5. Bir-Hakeim Bridge:a feat of engineering
Initially a simple pedestrian bridge then transformed into a bridge, we owe the Bir-Hakeim bridge to the engineer Louis Biette and the architect Jean-Camille Formigé.
Their feat? Build a bridge on two levels:
- Car, cyclist and pedestrian traffic, below
- Metro Line 6 Overhead Tracks, top
A magnificent bridge that offers an unobstructed and breathtaking view of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, at all hours.
Filmmakers' favourite bridge
With its Art Nouveau metal galleries and the metro line that glides overhead, it doesn't get more photogenic than that.
Christopher Nolan (Inception, 2010), Luc Besson (Angel-A, 2005), Jean-Paul Belmondo (Fear of the City, 1975) and the Italian Bernardo Bertolucci (One Last Tango in Paris, 1972) have all used the central promenade of the bridge for their films.
Pssst: in the middle of the bridge, stairs go down to the Ile aux Cygnes (850 m of little-known tree-lined promenade). Follow it to the end: a replica of the Statue of Liberty awaits you.
How to get to the Pont de Bir-Hakeim?
- Metro 6 : Bir-Hakeim station, the station is perched on the viaduct of the bridge itself — when you get out of the metro, you are already on the bridge, Eiffel Tower in the frame
- Metro 6 : Passy station, to arrive on the right bank of the Seine
- RER C : Champ de Mars Eiffel Tower, left bank
Make all 5 bridges in a single one-hour ride along the Seine
These five bridges form a natural route between the Pont Neuf and the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, on foot or by bike, and in the direction you want, you will have it for a little more than an hour.
Tip : a good part of the quays are pedestrian, enough to take a nice walk!