The Sassy Guide to the City of Light
As an American living in Paris for nearly 9 years, I have plenty of words of wisdom to share about this glorious, yet sometimes frustrating, city. Each weekday this month I will share my thoughts on some of the best stuff to do in Paris. Today's letter, R, is for Romance.
While officially called the City of Light, Paris is also known at the City of Love. Oui, but of course! Everywhere you look, lovers stroll hand in hand, smooching, sighing, and generally being in love. It used to make me gag. But then I met my French husband and now I'm just as bad as the rest of them.
If you can't beat 'em, make out with 'em.
So what does a picture of locks have to do with that? There's a relatively new craze in Paris (and several other cities around the world) where you fasten a lock to a bridge and toss the key into (read: pollute) the Seine, as a way of showing your eternal love (and lack of concern for the river's wildlife). Fellow author Adria J. Cimino recently wrote a great post on why Paris's Love Locks are not a good idea and should be stopped. I even signed the petition.
But I must confess. One of the locks in the picture is mine.
Yep, years ago, when I first met my husband and was hopelessly in love, I stupidly fastened a lock to the bridge. At least I didn't toss the key into the river. I give a hoot - I don't pollute! I can't erase the past but I can help spread the word. If you want to "lock in" eternal love, how about just visiting the bridge and snapping a photo of you smacking lips with that special someone? A picture's worth a thousand words, right? I've never heard a saying about how much a lock is worth.
Update: One of the bridges with the love locks (not the one I did it on, though it hardly matters) has collapsed. The city periodically removes the locks but I guess not often enough (understandable). I've even heard that vendors roam the area selling locks, so you know the problem will just keep coming back.
Check out the full series:
Paris A to Z: A is for Pont Alexandre III
Paris A to Z: B is for Boulangerie
Paris A to Z: C is for Chateau de Vincennes
Paris A to Z: D is for Drinks
Paris A to Z: E is for Eiffel Tower
Paris A to Z: F is for Fondue
Paris A to Z: G is for La Grande Epicerie
Paris A to Z: H is for Haussmann Architecture
Paris A to Z: I is for Ile St. Louis
Paris A to Z: J is for Jim Morrison's Grave
Paris A to Z: K is for Kir Royale
Paris A to Z: L is for The Long Hop
Paris A to Z: M is for Métro
Paris A to Z: N is for Notre Dame
Paris A to Z: O is for Musée d'Orsay
Paris A to Z: P is for Promenade Plantée
Paris A to Z: Q is for Quaint Shops
Paris A to Z: R is for Romance
Paris A to Z: S is for Sacre Coeur
Paris A to Z: T is for Trousseau
Paris A to Z: U is for Un Reve
Paris A to Z: V is for Vin
Paris A to Z: W is for Walking
Paris A to Z: X is for Expats
Paris A to Z: Y is for Court Yards
Paris A to Z: Z is for Zen in the City
