Emily in France 🇫🇷 I Crossed All the Bridges in Paris
A very nerdy trek
Did you know that there are 37 bridges in Paris? I do… and so do my legs. This Saturday, my girlfriend and I set ourselves the goal of crossing every bridge in Paris. And not only that, we also challenged each other to come up with a “fun fact” about each one.
It may be up there as the nerdiest weekend activity I’ve ever taken part in, and I loved every moment, including the end, in the pouring rain.
Technically speaking, the adventure began just outside of Paris, in Charenton. This near suburb availed us with a beautiful view of the Pont Amont, one of a handful of bridges we couldn't technically cross, seeing as it’s only for cars. (It’s also point zero of the périphérique, the ring road around Paris.) At 10:30am, the weather was still sunny, with a blue sky dabbed with puffy white clouds.
The bridges on the eastern edge of the city, such as the Pont Charles de Gaulle connecting the 12th and the 13th, tended to be more modern or even industrial in appearance.
They nevertheless afforded some great views, like this one of the line 5 crossing the Seine on the Viaduc d’Austerlitz.
This bridge boasted some gorgeous details from Jean-Camille Formigé, who also designed the crematorium at Père Lachaise Cemetery. The decoration is made up of different sea themes like fish, anchors, and tridents.
We crossed bridges where the facts were less fun, like the Pont de Tolbiac, into which the four-man crew of the Douglas plane Boston crashed voluntarily in 1943 to avoid causing more damage in Paris. There were no survivors.
The Pont Saint-Michel, too, was the site of a horrible tragedy. On October 17, 1961, a peaceful protest against the War in Algeria took place here. The police retaliated, and many protesters threw themselves into the Seine. A plaque was placed here Mayor Bertrand Delanoë on the anniversary of the massacre in 2001.
Towards the center of Paris, as we zigged across the islands and back again, we encountered the Pont au Double, so named for its one-time toll: two deniers aka a double-denier. The word denier is linked to the word dinar.
The presence of niches on the Pont Marie is a bit misleading: They've never held any statues. And a tradition dictating that lovers must kiss when passing under the bridge was ostensibly invented by American tour guides. (I would never do such a thing if you booked a tour with me, though I will happily regale you with rumors claiming Napoleon invented the baguette, which he most certainly did not.)
By the afternoon, the sky had begun to darken, lending a moody countenance to the 381 faces representing forest and field divinities sculpted onto Pont Neuf, Paris’ oldest bridge and its third longest, spanning both sides of the Ile de la Cité.
Moving ever westward, the bridges grew even grander, often boasting statues, like this one on a corner of the Pont du Carrousel, leading to the Louvre.
The Pont de la Concorde, which leaves from the square once known as Place de la Révolution, is aptly built from stones from the former Bastille Prison.
The grand Pont Alexandre III’s gilded statues are covered with 1.8 kilograms of gold leaf; they stood out like beacons against an ever angrier sky.
We soldiered on.
The modern Pont de l’Alma was once home to four statues, but only the Zouave is left, representing a class of infantry regiments linked to French North Africa. They were originally meant to be comprised Berber volunteers from the Zwawa group of tribes in Algeria. Later, Zouaves were nearly exclusively recruited from the pieds-noir community. They were among the most decorated units of the French Army.
A fine rain soon began to fall, which meant we were glad to encounter a handful of covered bridges – and to take refuge at some of the péniches serving drinks on the quayside.
Nevertheless, the rain quickly evolved from a sprinkle to a deluge, and photo-taking thus degenerated to quick snapshots in an effort to keep phone screens dry and fingers sentient. This one of the Statue of Liberty facing away from the Pont de Grenelle is one of the better ones from the latter part of the day.
This image of me trying and failing to use my phone, I would argue, is even better.
By 9pm, we were drenched and starving. 37,072 steps after our auspicious beginnings, we celebrated with 10-euro Champagne and a croque saumon at a brasserie steps from the Pont Aval, Paris’ longest.
It was a feast – and a feat – to remember.
Cheese of the Week
In the heart of Lozère, aka Roquefort country, the cheesemakers of Le Fédou have been inspired by Mont d’Or in creating their Lou Claousou, a soft-ripened cheese made with the milk of Lacaune ewes and encased in a ring of spruce. The resulting cheese is rich and creamy without the lanolin quality most sheep's milk cheeses boast. The lightly washed rind offers a slight pop of funk, and the interior develops a soft, creamy interior that almost collapses into custard.
To discover more of my favorite cheeses, be sure to follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and tune into the Terroir Podcast, where Caroline Conner and I delve into France's cheese, wine, and more one region at a time.
What I’m Eating
Disclaimer: I was a guest of the property for this meal.
Benjamin Schmitt’s eponymous, terroir-driven restaurant takes full advantage of the light-filled space, exuding the warmth of the chef himself, whose Michelin-spangled past at such spots as Le Meurice and Taillevent shines through. He manages to deftly dance between stodgy cassoulet and such fine dining plates as the above. More on the blog.
What I’m Doing
1. Our next TERRE/MER retreat is on the books! Join us for cooking, ceramics, and yoga overlooking the Mediterranean from April 11 to 14. Book now to secure yoru spot!
2. Signups for the next edition of the Nantes Writers’ Workshop June 24 to 28 are open! In the meantime, be sure to sign up for our newsletter to keep those creative juices a-flowing.
Where I’m Going
1. To the last day of the Salon du Fromage, where thus far I’ve judged a whole lot of blues (including an exceptional one from Basque producer Onetik that discerned a Gold) and met passionate pros ranging from a French importer of artisan British cheeses to a Tuscan producer revitalizing buffalo milk production in his native land.
2. To Paloma, a spot known for creative small plates with international flair in the heart of Belleville.
3. To check out this expo on Robert Doisneau, the “spirit of the Resistance,” at the Musée de la Résistance Nationale in Champigny-sur-Marne.
What I'm Writing
1. “This is the fifth bookstore I’ve ever owned,” says Penelope Fletcher from where she’s sitting in a cozy corner of her shop, sunlight flooding in through the massive windows overlooking the Luxembourg Gardens. “This is the fourth Red Wheelbarrow.” More for Bonjour Paris.
2. Eleven under-the-radar whiskeys to try from the 230-strong collection at Whiskey Neat. For InsideHook.
3. From the archives: Thirteen top chefs in Paris dish about their favorite spots to eat and drink when off duty. For Fodor’s.
What I'm Reading
1. When I call The House in the Cerulean Sea a light read, I mean it as the deepest of compliments. A fantastic and fantastical romp through a world with an unfortunate similarity to our own – a fear of difference – this book is filled with heart and love. I could have devoured this in a sitting, but I forced myself to stop to prolong the pleasure. I don't often reread books, but this one has earned a permanent place on my shelf alongside books like The Phantom Tollbooth and The Language of Flowers as something I'm sure I'll turn back to as a feel-good reread in years to come.
2. This (excellent) news that the fake flowers adorning many French cafés are finally going to be regulated. In TimeOut.
3. This story about the Palestinian restaurants boldly asserting themselves as such that also addresses the murky waters of broader terms like Middle Eastern or Levantine in describing food and the occasional performative nature of supporting local industry in the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza. In Eater.
A bientôt !