Let’s continue the tour of some of the 37 Paris Seine bridges.
Referring to my last post, with a map, I mentioned that there are four bridges made for pedestrians only. They are the Passerelle (foot-bridge) Debilly, Passage (or Passerelle?) Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, Pont (or Passerelle) des Arts and Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir. A few other bridges were built for more heavy traffic, but are today open only for walkers.
A few words about two of the pedestrian ones:
The Passerelle Debilly (which got its name from a general) was originally built as a temporary bridge for the Universal Exhibition 1900 – it was ready in 1898. It was slightly deplaced and became permanent in 1906. It got a new floor of exotic wood in 1997. It seems that the bridge was a notorious meeting place for eastern secret services during the Cold War.
Referring to my last post, with a map, I mentioned that there are four bridges made for pedestrians only. They are the Passerelle (foot-bridge) Debilly, Passage (or Passerelle?) Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, Pont (or Passerelle) des Arts and Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir. A few other bridges were built for more heavy traffic, but are today open only for walkers.
A few words about two of the pedestrian ones:
The Passerelle Debilly (which got its name from a general) was originally built as a temporary bridge for the Universal Exhibition 1900 – it was ready in 1898. It was slightly deplaced and became permanent in 1906. It got a new floor of exotic wood in 1997. It seems that the bridge was a notorious meeting place for eastern secret services during the Cold War.
We are quite close to the Eiffel Tower, but I would especially recommend the bridge as a connection between the Palais de Tokyo, housing the Paris Museum of Modern Art– also a very nice place for all kinds of exhibitions - on the northern (right) bank and the new Quai Branly Museum for primitive art on the southern (left) bank, designed by Jean Nouvel. One particularity is the “living wall”.
On top of Palais de Tokyo you can until the end of the year find a one-room-hotel, Hotel Everland, with possibly one of the best views in Paris. There might be one or two nights free still before it’s removed; price range 333 – 444 € depending on the day of the week.The Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor is recent – 1999. It replaced different older bridges (Pont de Solférino) and got its name even later (in 2006) from the former President of Senegal (and poet – the first African to sit in the French Academy) who died in 2001. It has only one single arch and the arch serves as a second level for pedestrians. It has also exotic wooden floors. The bridge has been constructed by the Eiffel Company, still existing. It’s a perfect way to reach the former railway station, now the Quai d’Orsay Museum (with its art from 1848 to 1915, including the impressionists) from the Tuileries Park – or vice versa.
You can find these photos "in full" and as a slide show on Ipernity. Well, it’s already Friday again! Have a nice weekend!
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