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Paris and Lovers Look to Move on After Breakup With Bridge’s Locks Paris and Lovers Look to Move On After Breakup With Bridge’s Locks
(about 9 hours later)
PARIS — After Paris removed hundreds of thousands of locks affixed to the iron grillwork on the Pont des Arts last week, the romantics online were in mourning.PARIS — After Paris removed hundreds of thousands of locks affixed to the iron grillwork on the Pont des Arts last week, the romantics online were in mourning.
“This is so sad,” one wrote, amid the thousands of Twitter posts, Facebook messages and photographs across social media that have been posted in the past week lamenting the dismantling of the grillwork.“This is so sad,” one wrote, amid the thousands of Twitter posts, Facebook messages and photographs across social media that have been posted in the past week lamenting the dismantling of the grillwork.
“That was on my bucket list,” another said.“That was on my bucket list,” another said.
Others, picking up on a phrase in a Newsweek article, pronounced, “Better to have loved and locked than to have never locked at all.” (Also, sardonically, “They’re worried the bridge will collapse from the weight of failed relationships,” Bette Midler wrote on Twitter.)Others, picking up on a phrase in a Newsweek article, pronounced, “Better to have loved and locked than to have never locked at all.” (Also, sardonically, “They’re worried the bridge will collapse from the weight of failed relationships,” Bette Midler wrote on Twitter.)
The outcry left Paris a bit befuddled, especially because the city had announced last year that the ritual had to end. The weight of the locks was a safety hazard and posed a threat to the integrity of the walkway, which dates to 1801 and was rebuilt in the early 1980s. City officials had been asking people for months to find other ways to express their love.The outcry left Paris a bit befuddled, especially because the city had announced last year that the ritual had to end. The weight of the locks was a safety hazard and posed a threat to the integrity of the walkway, which dates to 1801 and was rebuilt in the early 1980s. City officials had been asking people for months to find other ways to express their love.
It now appears that there is so much emotional weight attached to the locks that the city is trying to assure the brokenhearted that it will find alternatives to the gesture — and it is hearing no shortage of suggestions about what could take the locks’ place.It now appears that there is so much emotional weight attached to the locks that the city is trying to assure the brokenhearted that it will find alternatives to the gesture — and it is hearing no shortage of suggestions about what could take the locks’ place.
Many of the ideas, shared in hundreds of emails to Paris’s city hall, as well as in interviews along the Seine, stick to the locks theme: placing a large installation along the river, or selling the panels to collectors.Many of the ideas, shared in hundreds of emails to Paris’s city hall, as well as in interviews along the Seine, stick to the locks theme: placing a large installation along the river, or selling the panels to collectors.
The general sentiment seems to be that if you cannot affix a lock to a railing overlooking the Seine and throw away the key, how do you express your feelings in Paris?The general sentiment seems to be that if you cannot affix a lock to a railing overlooking the Seine and throw away the key, how do you express your feelings in Paris?
A spokesman for Bruno Julliard, the deputy mayor in charge of culture, was eager to assure love pilgrims that there would be an alternative. “The removal of the love locks is part of a bigger plan to give people a new way to express their love,” he said.A spokesman for Bruno Julliard, the deputy mayor in charge of culture, was eager to assure love pilgrims that there would be an alternative. “The removal of the love locks is part of a bigger plan to give people a new way to express their love,” he said.
“We are looking at all the suggestions for what we can do with the locks,” added the spokesman, who could not give his name according to city policy. “Probably the mayor will make a statement saying: ‘Here are the top 10 ideas. We’ll find a solution before the end of the year.’ ”“We are looking at all the suggestions for what we can do with the locks,” added the spokesman, who could not give his name according to city policy. “Probably the mayor will make a statement saying: ‘Here are the top 10 ideas. We’ll find a solution before the end of the year.’ ”
He emphasized that the city’s decision was not an antilove policy.He emphasized that the city’s decision was not an antilove policy.
“We reacted because one of the panels fell down from the weight of the locks,” he said. “No one was hurt, but it could have been dramatic. This is why we do not want to let tourists do it, not because we don’t want them to express their love.”“We reacted because one of the panels fell down from the weight of the locks,” he said. “No one was hurt, but it could have been dramatic. This is why we do not want to let tourists do it, not because we don’t want them to express their love.”
The tourists strolling the Pont des Arts this week paused to examine the panels covered in street art that have been temporarily installed on the bridge in place of the grilles. (One artist, Brusk, has covered his panels in melting, brightly hued locks.)The tourists strolling the Pont des Arts this week paused to examine the panels covered in street art that have been temporarily installed on the bridge in place of the grilles. (One artist, Brusk, has covered his panels in melting, brightly hued locks.)
They need not go far to find hardware still sparkling in the sunlight, including on the tiny Pont de l’Archevêché, which links the Île de la Cité and the Fifth Arrondissement, and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, a wide pedestrian bridge leading from the Tuileries gardens toward the Musée d’Orsay.They need not go far to find hardware still sparkling in the sunlight, including on the tiny Pont de l’Archevêché, which links the Île de la Cité and the Fifth Arrondissement, and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, a wide pedestrian bridge leading from the Tuileries gardens toward the Musée d’Orsay.
There is even a sprinkling of locks on the railings of the picturesque arched footbridges over the Canal St.-Martin in the less-touristy 10th Arrondissement, although as yet none of the surrounding mini-industry — lock sellers shouting “luvlahs” or engravers at the ready — that is evident in the heart of the city.There is even a sprinkling of locks on the railings of the picturesque arched footbridges over the Canal St.-Martin in the less-touristy 10th Arrondissement, although as yet none of the surrounding mini-industry — lock sellers shouting “luvlahs” or engravers at the ready — that is evident in the heart of the city.
For the philosopher and novelist Pascal Bruckner, the desire to demonstrate love with a lock and key is a metaphor for our time. “So many chained hearts on this bridge, with the risk of a collapse,” he said. “People could have died from too much love; we’re so in love with love, we are ready to kill one another.”For the philosopher and novelist Pascal Bruckner, the desire to demonstrate love with a lock and key is a metaphor for our time. “So many chained hearts on this bridge, with the risk of a collapse,” he said. “People could have died from too much love; we’re so in love with love, we are ready to kill one another.”
He added in an email later that he had been thinking more about the locks, and concluded: “That bridge crumbling under the weight of the locks is a metaphor of modern love, overloaded with high expectations. We expect the spouse to be perfect, perfect father, mother, lover, worker, socially valorizing. This also explains why so many couples divorce for want of accepting the imperfection of the other. We value love so much that we love love instead of the persons.”He added in an email later that he had been thinking more about the locks, and concluded: “That bridge crumbling under the weight of the locks is a metaphor of modern love, overloaded with high expectations. We expect the spouse to be perfect, perfect father, mother, lover, worker, socially valorizing. This also explains why so many couples divorce for want of accepting the imperfection of the other. We value love so much that we love love instead of the persons.”
Candace Hilldrup, a psychoanalyst who works in the Marais district, said the placing of love locks was “magical thinking.”Candace Hilldrup, a psychoanalyst who works in the Marais district, said the placing of love locks was “magical thinking.”
“It’s like people carving initials in trees,” she said. “Trees live longer than we do, and we are projecting into the future. This action will make our love exist forever and protect our relationship in time.”“It’s like people carving initials in trees,” she said. “Trees live longer than we do, and we are projecting into the future. This action will make our love exist forever and protect our relationship in time.”
Ms. Hilldrup added that whereas carving the initials of your beloved in a tree was a relatively private act, smartphones and the Internet have globalized its modern-day equivalent. “People might feel that if they come to Paris and they don’t do this, perhaps it’s playing with fire,” she said.Ms. Hilldrup added that whereas carving the initials of your beloved in a tree was a relatively private act, smartphones and the Internet have globalized its modern-day equivalent. “People might feel that if they come to Paris and they don’t do this, perhaps it’s playing with fire,” she said.
The custom is variously attributed to a Serbian love story that dates to World War I, or to the 2006 novel “I Want You,” by the Italian author Federico Moccia, in which a character invents the ritual. It is prevalent in cities all over the world, but Paris, doubtless because of its image as a city of romance, seems to be the most popular.The custom is variously attributed to a Serbian love story that dates to World War I, or to the 2006 novel “I Want You,” by the Italian author Federico Moccia, in which a character invents the ritual. It is prevalent in cities all over the world, but Paris, doubtless because of its image as a city of romance, seems to be the most popular.
And the Pont des Arts, said Andrew Hussey, the author of “Paris: The Secret History,” has “always been about star-crossed lovers.” He cited the medieval clerics Héloïse and Abélard, as well as Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, the British actress and the French singer-songwriter whose 1969 duo “Je T’Aime ... Moi Non Plus” caused a sensation.And the Pont des Arts, said Andrew Hussey, the author of “Paris: The Secret History,” has “always been about star-crossed lovers.” He cited the medieval clerics Héloïse and Abélard, as well as Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, the British actress and the French singer-songwriter whose 1969 duo “Je T’Aime ... Moi Non Plus” caused a sensation.
Lovers do not have long to leave their locks on display here. According to the city, every lock is destined for removal. A rumor has circulated that they will be melted down and sold as scrap metal, but the city hall spokesman said that “for the moment,” all suggestions are being considered.Lovers do not have long to leave their locks on display here. According to the city, every lock is destined for removal. A rumor has circulated that they will be melted down and sold as scrap metal, but the city hall spokesman said that “for the moment,” all suggestions are being considered.
Those include a three-mile hollow glass wall along the banks of the Seine, filled with discarded locks, to which people could add new ones. Or iron trees or towers on which to hang the locks, like those that already exist in Moscow and Seoul, South Korea. (“Not very Parisian,” said Eric Carlson, an architect in Paris.)Those include a three-mile hollow glass wall along the banks of the Seine, filled with discarded locks, to which people could add new ones. Or iron trees or towers on which to hang the locks, like those that already exist in Moscow and Seoul, South Korea. (“Not very Parisian,” said Eric Carlson, an architect in Paris.)
“There could be a giant installation on the pedestrianized lower highway next to the river,” suggested Ariela Katz, a Paris-based architecture professor.“There could be a giant installation on the pedestrianized lower highway next to the river,” suggested Ariela Katz, a Paris-based architecture professor.
Tom Miles, a British tourist taking a selfie with his girlfriend in the love-locked little square around the statue of Henri IV on the Pont Neuf, said, “Melt down the metal and make a giant lock to symbolize everyone’s love.”Tom Miles, a British tourist taking a selfie with his girlfriend in the love-locked little square around the statue of Henri IV on the Pont Neuf, said, “Melt down the metal and make a giant lock to symbolize everyone’s love.”
There was a strange contrast between sentimentality and constraint in the symbol of the lock, said Franck Rezzak, a Parisian artist who lives near the Canal St.-Martin, who noted with alarm the recent appearance of locks there.There was a strange contrast between sentimentality and constraint in the symbol of the lock, said Franck Rezzak, a Parisian artist who lives near the Canal St.-Martin, who noted with alarm the recent appearance of locks there.
“Most people still think of love as a kind of contract, with a vocabulary of faithfulness, betrayal, possession,” he said. “Now they will probably have to melt the symbol of that contract. It is part of a capitalist cycle; the locks will become something else. It’s sort of perfect.”“Most people still think of love as a kind of contract, with a vocabulary of faithfulness, betrayal, possession,” he said. “Now they will probably have to melt the symbol of that contract. It is part of a capitalist cycle; the locks will become something else. It’s sort of perfect.”