VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets & hereās why!
This guide forms part of our complete France Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across France.
This article is also part of our š 4-Day Paris Travel Guide series, exploring major attractions in Paris including; Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Galeries Lafayette, Notre Dame, Montmartre, SacrĆ©-CÅur, and a River Cruise on the Seine. Beginning at Paris CDG and then to central Paris, our 4 days were packed with tours and adventures. Read the complete itinerary here.
Paris isnāt just about monuments!
There are 37 bridges & footbridges that span the Seine & connect the Left Bank to the Right Bank. The first bridges were built in 52 B.C. by the Parisii tribe, and were the Petit Pont & the Grand Pont.
The Seine riverbanks, from Pont de Sully to Pont de Bir-Hakeim via Pont Alexandre III, are a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Pont de lāAlma was where Princess Diana met her tragic death.
The Pont des Arts connects the Institut de France to the Louvre Palace. On our dinner cruise we passed under bridge after bridge, they were really quite a sight to see.
The Amazing Bridges & Footbridges over the Seine
The most spectacular of them all, the Pont Alexandre III, is where Paris quite literally shows off. Built for the Exposition Universelle 1900, this bridge was designed to symbolize the alliance between France and Russia under Tsar Alexander III. Its ornate lamps, cherubs, and most notably its gold-leaf statues represent Fame, Industry, Commerce, and the Arts.
That āgoldā you see isnāt just decorative flair; itās a deliberate statement of Paris at its peak, wealthy, powerful, and culturally dominant on the world stage. At sunset, those gilded sculptures glow brilliantly, making this one of the most photographed spots in the city.
Bridges in Paris have always been more than infrastructure, theyāve been stages for history. During the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, crossings over the Seine were used for military parades and symbolic entries into the city.
Even today, major national celebrations like Bastille Day transform the Seine into a ceremonial corridor, with flyovers, fireworks, and crowds lining the bridges for the best vantage points. The bridges become viewing platforms for one of Europeās most iconic annual celebrations.
Then thereās the artistic and cultural layer. The Pont des Arts has long been associated with creativity; connecting the Institut de France, home to the AcadĆ©mie FranƧaise, with the Louvre. Historically, it became a gathering place for artists, writers, and musicians, reinforcing Parisās identity as a global cultural capital. While the famous ālove locksā have been removed for safety, the romantic energy of the bridge hasnāt gone anywhere.
The Seine crossings also tell a story of resilience. Several bridges were destroyed and rebuilt over centuries due to war, floods, and urban transformation, especially during the periods surrounding French Revolution and later conflicts. Yet each rebuild brought new architectural styles, reflecting the evolution of Paris itself, from medieval stone crossings to elegant 19th-century ironwork masterpieces.
Why is this worth your time?
Because nowhere else in Paris do you experience so much history in such a compact, walkable setting. Within a short stretch of the Seine, you move from ancient tribal crossings to royal symbolism, ŃŠµŠ²Š¾Š»Ńtionary change, and modern romance all framed by some of the most visually stunning bridges in the world. Add in a sunset cruise or a simple riverside walk, and these crossings stop being just bridges, they become the story of Paris itself.
Boarding River Cruises
Pont de Bir-Hakeim This is the striking two-level bridge you see near the Eiffel Tower (cars below, Metro above). Itās one of the best photo spots in Paris, especially with the Eiffel Tower framed between its arches. Ćle aux Cygnes is a narrow island running beside the bridge. It stretches along the Seine and even has a small replica of the Statue of Liberty at one end.
Seine cruise departures: Some smaller cruise operators and private boats use docking points around this island area, though the main large departures (like Bateaux Parisiens) are slightly closer to the Eiffel Tower at Port de la Bourdonnais.
Our Seine River Cruise:
š We boarded our river cruise, on a rainy February evening, at Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Together with the Ćle aux Cygnes it’s one of the most cinematic and underrated spots along the Seine.
Read the story and watch our Seine River Cruise. It was well worth the money.
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect āTicket Ratingā of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and weād eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a tripās worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
