10.6.13

Padlocks, padlocks...




Where did the love padlock idea start? Some say Serbia, some say Italy... Anyhow, now you find them all over the world. 

In Paris, especially the "Pont des Arts" was originally concerned. I posted aobut it e.g. here and here. In 2010 most of the padlocks mysteriously disappeared from "Pont des Arts". No local authorities admitted having been behind this. The rumour said it could have been done by an art student... Today, "Pont des Arts" is thus again well covered, but you can still see through. I took a few new photos the other day.


However, today an even higher concentration of padlocks can be found on the “Pont del’Archevêché” (see my post from 2008 – when there were not yet any padlocks). The bridge is today completely covered, and here you cannot see through… (see also top picture). 
I'm still in Sweden. This post is preprogrammed.

16 comments:

Starman said...

:)

Virginia said...

I"m torn. On the one hand I think it a lovely gesture, well it was for a while. Now, like everything else, too much of a good thing. I even saw people selling the locks and the Sharpie's on the Pont des Arts last trip. I"ve got to post those photos and of course, now Peter, I can link to your wonderful blog posts........again. :)
V

Thérèse said...

The best place to go for a lock designer looking for inspiration.

Alain said...

Vendeur de cadenas à la sauvette...Un métier qui réduira peut-être le chômage à Paris.

Synne said...

Oh yes, these have become a classic! I didn't know they disappeared from Pont des Arts at one point - I'm no great romantic, but I still think cutting them down was a mean thing to do!

Maya said...

I'm with you V! People should at least have to make the effort to go out and buy a lock.

Cergie said...

Certain cadenas est assez curieux, qui ressemble à un noeud chinois... Je me demande si la passerelle a été prévue pour supporter un tel poids jamais je n'en ai vu tant, je sens que le service d'enlevage va bientôt passer...

Jeanie said...

Oh, I wonder if the lock Rick and I put there is still on. Probably not -- I suspect that a year is far beyond the point of retention for a lock in Paris! But it was a lovely time and wonderful memory. It certainly looks far more full than it did when we were there -- we must have arrived shortly after "clean-out!"

Cezar and Léia said...

I like this subject and you prepared a wonderful post with beautiful compositions!
Léia

claude said...

Perso, je trouve que c'est du grand n'importe quoi. Tous ces cadenas défigurent les ponts de Paris. Le Pont des Arts ne méritait pas cela.
L'autre non plus d'ailleurs.

François said...

c'est une pollution.

je confirme que les services de la Ville de Paris enlèvent régulièrement des cadenas de ces ponts.
Le pont des arts est une structure trop légère pour supporter des tonnes de romantisme de mauvais gout mais de bon business.
On voit aussi des cadenas sur la tour Eiffel. J'espère qu'ils ne jètent pas les clefs.

encore merci pour ton blog.

Anonymous said...

I've never liked those padlocks - they give me the willies.

Maria

lady jicky said...

I think they make that lovely old bridge look ugly - there - I have said it! LOL

Kate said...

I wonder what effect the weight of all those locks have on the bridge, if any? I think it has become just a fad now.. . . too bad!

french cravings said...

I was in Paris in March and we crossed the Pot des Arts at least once a day. I noticed one spanking new panel of fencing, totally void of locks...the old one must have weighed a ton when they removed it! x Katie

Daryl said...

when we were there a few weeks ago there were not so many as in your photos ... here in nyc people leave 'locks of love' on the Brooklyn Bridge