Pissaro Pont Neuf

Long ago when Paris was just a baby, the Ile de la Cité was its playpen. Here the city can trace its roots. The ancient tribe of the Lutetians made their homes on this easily fortifiable island. Although they would build bridges to the main land, the complex currents of the Seine could easily wash the bridges away. Thankfully we don’t have such problems today.

The Pont Neuf, or New Bridge, is now the oldest bridge in Paris (not as old as Lutetia), go figure. Originally the bridges in Paris had houses and shops spanning the length on both sides (think Ponte Vecchio in Florence), but this could get a little congested on market day, and carriages and horse had a difficult time crossing. So, Henri IV built the first bridge in Paris with sidewalks and alcoves so pedestrians could move aside and not get hit by a charging horse. Now, it works just as well to avoid scooters.