A brief history of the Pont des Arts and the “love padlocks”
We have been running in Paris for a long time and we see Paris evolving slowly. For example with the Pont des Arts* which is one of our favorite bridges to cross the Seine. Since 2008, we have been sharing the city’s discovery tours with runners from all over the world. It is an opportunity to take souvenir photos. It also allows us to see the evolution of our favourite places such as the Pont des Arts. See with this short film some samples of the Pont des Arts photographed thanks to our friendly visitors. * Who remembers that in the early 1980s the Pont des Arts was broken due to an accident and in the process of being repaired? If you too, you come to Paris, we will be very happy to run with you. Join us and discover Paris with authentic Parisians guides who will take you on the best running routes in Paris and who always have tons of secrets to share with you:
Follow us on the run, discover the beautiful sites of Paris
Thanks to Kendra and Michael, Anne and Valentine, Craig, Andrew and Gina, Elizabeth and David (happy to see you again), James and Angela! If you too, you come to Paris, we will be very happy to run with you. Join us and discover Paris with authentic Parisians guides who always have tons of secrets to share with you:
12th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, a stroll in the History of Paris with Aveen and David
8:05 AM – With Aveen and David, confirmed runners from Dublin (Ireland), we explored Paris, by running and stopping in front of various buildings or places which restore the city such as it was in the previous centuries. Discovering “Le Marais”, the Left bank (Latin Quarter et “Saint-Germain des Près”), the Louvre and “Ile de la Cité” is a journey through the time and a way of feeling the History of Paris. Paris was damaged, bombarded but never totally destroyed as were London (Great fire of 1666) or Lisbon (Earthquake of 1755). In Paris, all the layers of History are represented (since the Roman Lutetia). Our route thus led us: in the 12th century with Notre-Dame, in the 14th century with the magnificent “Hôtel de Sens”, in the 16th century with the Carnavalet Museum (formerly “Hôtel de Carnavalet” and “Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau”) and the place Dauphine, also created at the end of the 16th century, Let us admire now four beautiful places appeared in the 17th century: The “Jardin du Luxembourg” (Garden of Luxembourg), The “Jardin des Plantes”, initially Royal garden of the Medicinal Plants created in 1626 (see the picture at the beginning of this article), The “Place des Vosges”, The “Hôtel de Sully”. Our road also passes in the 19th century with the “Place de la Contrescarpe”, created in 1852 in the location of a counter-scarp of Philippe Auguste’s surrounding wall (12th century). Merci Aveen ! Merci David ! The route of the tour:
Chestnut trees in flowers, place Dauphine, with Lena
Lena – Place Dauphine 11:03 AM – Lena comes from Sweden. While running, we discovered a Paris colored by the spring. Look at the photo above where the Place Dauphine shows proudly its chestnut trees in flower. Created shortly after the “Place des Vosges” (at that time, Place Royale), the Place Dauphine owes its name to the son of king, the “Dauphin”, future Louis XIII, son of Henri IV whose we can see the statue on the west of the Place. Beautiful small quiet square, opened on the Justice Palace, it was until 1874 a square closed by a third side of buildings. The Place was then a complete triangle. Before and after Here are the buildings which constituted the basis of the triangle: Place Dauphine before 1874 – East side – No trees at the time! Other beautiful trees and vegetables accompanied our route: The oldest tree in Paris Lena – Locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) planted in 1602 (Square René Viviani) The plant wall which covers a part of the buildings of the Quai Branly Museum Lena – Plant wall created in 2004 by Patrick Blanc (Administrative buildings of the Quai Branly Museum) The trees which follow the new banks of the Seine Lena – Banks of the river Seine (left bank) – In the background, the Eiffel Tower Merci Lena ! The route of the tour :