The turbulent history of the Pont des Invalides
The Pont des Invalides is one of the emblematic bridges of Paris.
This pedestrian and road bridge, one of the lowest in Paris, forms a vital link between the Left Bank and the Right Bank.
It was named after the nearby Hôtel des Invalides, in line with which it was initially built.
Its history began indeed in the 1820s, when it was designed as a metal suspension bridge, without any supports, a cutting-edge design for the time. Unfortunately, this first Pont des Invalides was demolished before it could even be opened to traffic, due to its instability.
A second three-arch suspension bridge, with two 20-meter-high portals and two piers, was built in 1829. However, it suffered the same fate as the first bridge, and led to the implementation of regulated traffic just twenty years later. It was finally demolished in 1854, and the current bridge was hastily built downstream for the 1855 International Exposition.
The engineers reused the two existing piers but added a third in the centre for extra support. Despite these efforts, the bridge sank by nearly 30 centimetres in two decades and is the lowest bridge in Paris!
New problems arose in 1880 when the winter ice breakup damaged two arches, necessitating their rapid reconstruction. However, the Pont des Invalides has maintained its stability ever since! The central arch is even equipped with a sensor to measure the clearance under the vault for the passage of boats.
Interestingly, during its construction, workers unearthed an extraordinary relic: a boat carved from a single oak trunk, dating back to the Viking invasions of the 9th century.
One of the most elegant Parisian bridges
Despite its turbulent history, the Pont des Invalides boasts remarkable sculptures.
Nicolas-Victor Vilain sculpted “La Victoire terrestre” (The Land Victory), which adorns the upstream pier. Georges Diebolt, famous for sculpting the Zouave du Pont de l’Alma, created “La Victoire maritime” (The Maritime Victory), which adorns the downstream pier. Bosio, known for his sculptures on the Arc de Triomphe, created the military trophies and imperial arms that decorate the two original piers.
Now firmly anchored in its foundations, the Pont des Invalides is admired as much for its understated elegance as for the breathtaking view it offers of the Seine. Parisians cross it, fishermen admire it from the nearby quays, and on special occasions, a three-masted schooner drops anchor nearby.
Metro stations: Invalides on Lines 8 and 13, Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau on Lines 1 and 13, Alma-Marceau on Line 9 or La Tour-Maubourg on Line 8
Coordinates: Lat 48.864235 – Long 2.310384
