20.11.08

... and even more Seine bridges

I would like to finish with the bridges this week. This means that I will exceptionally make a post also today, a Thursday. Tomorrow you will have the last bridge post!! In the meantime I'm rather busy with visitors this week; hardly any time to visit your blogs. I will be back looking and commenting later!

This one will be about three bridges: Pont d’Austerlitz, Pont Charles de Gaulle and Pont de Bercy (the ones in yellow on this map).





The Pont d’Austerlitz dates from the first years of the 19th century, the Napoleon I times. The original version which you can see below was later considered too narrow and dangerous and it has been reinforced and widened since; a first time in 1854, a second time in 1885. The name comes of course - once more - from a Napoleon battle victory, against the Russians and the British, in 1805. As we can see from the above map, this bridge leads not only to the Gare (Station) d’Austerlitz , but also to the Jardin (Garden) des Plantes, the French major botanical garden, definitely worth a visit, not only for the plants, but also for several museums, an aquarium and a zoo. (I will make a post about it soon.)
The Pont d’Austerlitz had a very heavy traffic and more was to come with an at present ongoing development of the upstream left bank of the Seine. It was thus decided to create a new bridge. The Pont Charles de Gaulle dates from 1996 and offers a new much more direct connection between the Gare de Lyon and the Gare d’Austerlitz. The two bridges are one way (except if you walk or bike of course). I guess there is no need to explain the name of the bridge.

The last bridge for today will be Pont de Bercy (see previous post). The present bridge is from 1864 and it then replaced a previous one from 1832. It was enlarged in 1904 in order to also allow a second level, for the metro (line 6). The concept here is the same as with the Pont Bir-Hakeim (see previous post) allowing a combination of metro and other traffic. In 1992 the bridge doubled in width, keeping the original general aspect. As mentioned earlier, different new activities in this part of the city led to highly increased need of river passages. This included of course some features from the 80’s and 90's that we can see in the immediate neighbourhood of the bridge – the Ministry of Finance (leaving a wing of the Louvre for this modern complex), a new multi–sport arena also used for concerts, both mostly just called “Bercy”, a new building for the National Library (Bibliothèque François Mitterrand)... and a lot more, on both sides of the river. The picture on the top shows you the Pont de Bercy and the Ministry of Finance.
You can find these photos "in full" and as a slide show on Ipernity.

15 comments:

Cezar and Léia said...

Oh Gosh! So many important informations! I do need to read it again and again....maybe to dream about ...Good night! :-)
Léia

Karen said...

More great photos. I especially like the one with the tall ship. How does it go past the bridges?
Your camera gives you such good depth of field.
I hate to see this series end.
Have fun with the visitors.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Wow! Just fantastic post as always, Peter! The first photo is stunning! Thanks for this wonderful post!

Olivier said...

ta photo qui donne sur la tour de l'horloge de la gare de lyon est superbe. Je trouve personnellement que la gare de lyon est la plus belle gare de Paris

lyliane six said...

Il est très bien ton slide show , mais tu devrais y mettre une chanson sur les ponts de Paris.Demande à Olivier il va t'en trouver une!.

claude said...

Je suis entièrement d'accord avec Olivier sur la gare de Lyon.
Que de ponts à Paris ! Bravo aux bâtisseurs.
Lyliane a raison aussi, tu devrais mettre de la musique sur ton blog. Il y a tant de chansons qui ont été écrites sur la capitale.

hpy said...

Je te souhaite une bonne promenade avec tes blogueuses! Amusez-vous bien, et ne tombez pas dans la Seine.

Anonymous said...

Karen the tall ship isn't going anywhere. It is moored there permanently. Having said that, these old sailing barges from Holland have pivoting masts : the masts can be lowered and hoisted back at will, it's just a matter of pulling ropes.

Peter thanks for your visit in Avignon. Yes, blogging was taking too much of my time, I need to concentrate on bread earning stuff. But of course I still plan to come hear for quick visits!!!

Mona said...

Gosh! I missed so many bridge posts.i never realized I was away so long. Have been busy like crazy & time has flown. Haven't even had time to post a post on mine!

Anonymous said...

How many bridges there are in Paris?
You perhaps have mentioned it, but I started now thinking it.
Or I will find also this knowledge from Google :)
They have demanded enormous work during centuries.

Welcome to ski !

Tanya Breese said...

So informative and beautiful photos :)

PeterParis said...

Léia:
I wish you some sweet dreams, not necessarily about bridges!

Karen:
The ships has to stay where it is, or to lower the masts! I think it will stay!

sonia:
Always so kind!!

PeterParis said...

Olivier:
La Gare de Lyon a aussi le Train Bleu! Je vais faire un post un jour!

Lyliane:
Il faut cliquer... tu peux choisir la musique que tu préfères! :-)

Claude:
J'ai déjà du mal à choisir mes photos...! :-)

PeterParis said...

hpy:
Si je peux commenter maintenant, c'est que je ne suis pas tombé ... pour le moment!

nathalie:
How lucky I am to be retired!

Mona:
Yes, I was missing your 55!

PeterParis said...

Leena:
So the snow is there! The answer is 37!

Tanya:
So nice to see you as one of my followers! Thanks!