Passerelle de Grève
The Pont d’Arcole spans the Seine, connecting the Ile de la Cité to the Quai de Gesvres and the Quai de l’Hôtel-de-Ville on the Right Bank.
It replaces an older, 6-meter-wide cast-iron suspension bridge known as the Passerelle de Grève. The construction of this footbridge was ordered by royal decree on December 6, 1827, to facilitate pedestrian traffic between the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, one of Paris’s most popular squares, and the equally vibrant Île de la Cité.
Opened to pedestrian traffic on December 21, 1828, this footbridge took its name from the Place de Grève, which was originally the name of the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville.
Pont d’Arcole, the first wrought iron bridge
It is a common misconception that the Arcole Bridge was named in memory of the Battle of Arcole (November 15–17, 1796), which pitted France against Austria south of Verona in Italy and resulted in a French victory. The bridge was named after the young Arcole, who distinguished himself by his bravery during the Revolution of July 1830.
In fact, the bridge was named after the young Arcole, who distinguished himself by his bravery during the July Revolution of 1830. Arcole was indeed killed while courageously planting the tricolour flag on the bridge. Under heavy fire, he uttered the now-famous words: “Remember that my name is Arcole.”
The construction of the Pont d’Arcole was ordered by an imperial decree of August 31, 1854, to alleviate the traffic congestion caused by the opening of the Rue de Rivoli.
This first bridge was rebuilt a few years later in just three months by engineers Alphonse Oudry and Nicolas Cadiat. Eighty meters long and twenty meters wide, the Pont d’Arcole is a true feat of engineering. Made entirely of cast iron, it was also the first Parisian bridge built without supporting pillars.
The Pont d’Arcole was completely restored, maintained, and repainted between 1994 and 1995
Metro: Hôtel-de-Ville on Lines 1 and 11
Coordinates: Lat 48.855099 – Long 2.350441
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Bridge and Hotel de Ville by Pline CC BY-SA 3.0
