Footbridge over the Seine

Yesterday when I left the Tuilieries Gardens after lunch, I wanted to get across the river but couldn't see an easy way across a busy street to the nearest bridge, a pedestrian bridge called the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor. There were some steps leading down below street level, so I took them, and found that pedestrians can cross under the busy street and then start climbing up the pedestrian bridge, with the river visible underfoot between the steps. It was very cool. At about mid-river, the stairs of the bridge met the two level spans on either side. At this link you can see an image that shows you the underground part rising up to meet the level spans.

When I got to the other side of the bridge, I was happy to see Thomas Jefferson.

It's a busy corner, so it was impossible to photograph the statue without at least a few passers-by. When Jefferson visited Paris, my understanding is that he brought home a lot of wine and a lot of books, which did not improve his financial situation any (although perhaps some of the books wound up in the Library of Congress). I can certainly see how easy it would be to bring home a lot of books and wine.

One more note about the bridge: On a few of the bridges over the Seine, it has somehow become customary for lovers to fasten a padlock to the structure of the bridge and then throw the key into the river in order to symbolize their commitment to each other. I hear that the city is trying to discourage this practice, and the bridges appear to be cleaned off periodically, but there are still plenty of padlocks on a couple of the bridges, including this one. As I walked across, I noticed that some couples write their names, and maybe a date, on the padlock. I wish them all well. While we are on the subject of lovers, I will note that I have seen more public displays of affection (not just pecks on the cheek but serious kisses and hugs, tender good-bys, and making out on park benches) in the past week and a half in Paris than probably in all my years of living in a college town.