Sunday; May 09
The River Seine and a few of the many great bridges: (make sure you scroll down to see it all!)
River Seine
A walk along the banks of the river Seine is something that
both locals and visitors have been doing for a very very long time. Head for the
pont de la Concorde and the pont de Sully for some of the best views of Paris.
It would be insane not to Cruise the
River Seine. A Seine river
cruise can be a very enjoyable and relaxing experience with much to see and
photograph. Many of the major Paris attractions reside on the river's banks or
close to it.. Excluding holes everything looks better in a boat.
The Seine is a major river of North Western France and one of
its well-known commercial waterways, plus a great tourist attraction, especially
within the city of Paris.
Dating back to when the Parisii tribe first established a
fishing village along its banks, the waters of the River Seine have always been
the heart and soul of Paris.
445km from its mouth, the River Seine is only around 24m above
sea level and the average depth is only around 8m in Paris, which also makes it
slow flowing and easily navigable.
From Le Havre, the tidal section of the
river goes to well beyond Rouen and ocean-going vessels can get 120km down from
the sea to Rouen where they can dock.
The River Seine is dredged and commercial riverboats
can use the river for 560km from its mouth.
Beyond Rouen there is a section that has
4 large multiple locks until the mouth of the River Oise.
There are 2 more locks and at Suresnes this lifts
the vessels to the level of the River Seine in Paris, which is where the River
Marne is located.
Until locks were installed in the 1800's to artificially raise
the levels of the this river, the levels did fluctuate, but today, the depth is
tightly controlled and the entire width of the river between the built-up banks
on either side is normally filled with water.
When Paris prospered through extensive river trading and
expanded to the Left Bank in the days of the Roman Empire, the Seine became a
great commercial artery, which was linked by canals to the River Loire, River
Rhine, and the River Rhone.
Tourists and travelers will notice the many splendid bridges,
which span the River Seine, some of them several centuries old, and the oldest
of these is the Pont-Neuf, whose first stone was laid in 1578 by Henri III in
the presence of the Queen Mother, Catherine de Medicis.
The newest bridge called the Pont Charles de Gaulle was
completed in the summer of 1996 to accommodate the ever-increasing influx of
traffic, especially with the new stadium. But the new bridges are not as pretty
and lack the charm of the old bridges.
The Seine, is without a doubt the
best-known French river in France and travels from Dijon in the Alps, through to
Paris, which it cuts in half, and then onto Le Havre, where it meets the English
Channel.
This divide by the River Seine through
Paris is what gives the city its distinct, geographic division.
For instance, the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d'Orsay
are on the south bank, whilst the Louvre, Grand Palais, and the Concorde can be
found on the north bank.
In the centre of Paris on the Ile de la Cite in the
middle of the Seine River, you will find the Notre Dame Cathedral among other
monuments.
And where the river forks in the centre of Paris it creates
two small islands, which are called the Ile de la Cite and the Ile Saint-Louis.
Click here to see other pictures
Click here to see other pictures
Pont Neuf or new Bridge isn't particularly new anymore. In fact it is the the oldest bridge in Paris. The Pont Neuf competes with Pont Alexandre III for the beautiful Paris bridge competition; I don't really think so, but that's what they say. It is 2nd, for sure.
Pont Neuf was opened and named by King Henry IV in 1607. An
equestrian bronze statue of the Henry was erected at the center of the bridge
after his death. The statue was melted down during the French Revolution but it
was replaced by an exact replica in 1818.
The Pretty Pont Alexandre
As you see from the photographs, the Pont Alexandre III is a
photographers delight. It is widely regarded as the prettiest bridge in Paris.
The bridge is well endowed with beautiful lampposts, sculptures of cherubs and
nymphs and four magnificent golden rearing horses on both ends of the bridge.
Pont Alexandre III may appear strangely familiar as it has starred in a number of movies over the years. It was built as a symbol of Russian-French friendship and was named after Tsar Alexander III. Pont Alexandre III has to be seen in day and moonlight.
Click here to see other pictures
Click here to see other pictures