Pont Neuf

"The Oldest Bridge Across the Seine Stand on the the quais beneath the Pont Neuf bridge—the city's oldest crossing of the Seine—and look up. Staring down at you are mascarons , stone faces that resemble gargoyles, but without bodies. No two of these grotesque visages are the same. Enjoy their individuality as you ponder the decades it took to build this stone structure: begun in 1578 by Henri III and inaugurated by Henri IV in 1607. From 1588 to 1599, construction was interrupted by the French Wars of Religion, which lasted 36 years. Then head up the stairs to walk across its two spans, which connect the Ile de la Cité to the Right and Left banks. Great views of the Louvre can be had from the longer, seven-arch span that stretches to the Right Bank."

A Huge Collection Of Rarely Seen Matisse Paintings Have Been Donated To This European Museum

Paris’s oldest bridge is set to become the site of a cavelike immersive artwork in summer, promising a once‑in‑a‑lifetime cultural experience that has already been singled out as the best new thing to do in the world this year, transforming the historic crossing into a major contemporary art attraction. - Annie McNamee

The Best New Travel Experiences and Things to Do in Europe in 2026, From Festivals and Food to Immersive Art and Nature

Set on Paris’s oldest bridge, this free immersive art installation by street artist and photographer JR will run from June 6 to 28 and will see the bridge encased in a huge, jagged rock formation that nods to the quarries from which the original rocks were extracted, reimagining the landmark once wrapped by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 1985. - Liv Kelly

Paris Is The World’s Best City For Culture Right Now, According to Locals

In the autumn, this historic bridge will be transformed by artist JR into a monumental cave, described as a stunning tribute to Christo’s 1985 installation The Pont Neuf Wrapped, underlining how even iconic infrastructure in Paris becomes a canvas for ambitious cultural projects. - Liv Kelly