5 Most Instagrammable Bridge Views in Paris

May 1, 2022
Bridge view sunset Ile Saint Louis Paris

As you stroll the riverbank of Paris, you will undoubtedly notice there are many beautiful bridges spanning across the River Seine- 37 to be exact. In fact, I pass by 20 bridges in less than 4 miles on my regular running route through central Paris! As the City of Love continued to grow, so did its need to further connect its famous Right and Left Banks. This system of bridges is part of what makes Paris so walkable, and their beautiful city views and historic designs are part of what makes Paris so dang instagrammable!

Here are the Top 5 bridges in Paris you should visit to get the perfect shot at dawn or dusk:

Pont de l’Archevêché

Built in 1828, Pont de l’Archevêché is the narrowest road bridge in all of Paris and links Île de Cité to the 5th arrondissement on the Left Bank, right behind the one and only Notre Dame Cathedral. The bridge offers one of the best Notre Dame photo ops in the entire city, and sometimes you’ll find local artists capturing the beauty by painting from their easels. This view is especially lovely in the fall, when the leaves are changing in the park and on vines draping down the side of the walls along the river. Once you get your photo, check out the riverside bouquinistes that sell beautiful old French books and vintage postcards out of the green street stalls lining the Quai de Montebello.

Nearest metro station: Saint Michel Notre-Dame

Pont Saint-Louis

You can take your time on Pont Saint-Louis, as there are no cars allowed on this cute little pedestrian bridge that links Île Saint-Louis and Île de Cité in the middle of the Seine River. The footbridge (or “passerelle”) links the back corner of the Notre Dame gardens to a small square of restaurants along Rue Jean du Bellay and is a popular spot for local street performers to set up shop. It is almost guaranteed that on a Friday evening or sunny Sunday afternoon you will find musicians, magicians, sometimes even roller bladers competing for the attention and tips of those out for a stroll along the Seine.

Nearest metro station: Cité

Pont des Arts

This breathtaking pedestrian bridge links the Institut du France of the Left Bank to the Louvre courtyard on the Right Bank. Pont des Arts is nicknamed the “Bridge of Love,” or love lock bridge, where couples from around the globe used to visit and attach padlocks with their initials on the railings along the sides of the bridge. However, it’s estimated that over 1 million of these locks were removed by 2015, when the grates were replaced with glass panels to prevent the bridge from sinking under the weight. Don’t fret- you’ll still find where some rebellious lovers have attached locks to the bridge’s lampposts, and the bridge offers some of the best views of the City, with a distant Eiffel Tower looming over the Musée d’Orsay.

Nearest metro station: Pont Neuf

Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III is easily one of the most iconic and ornate bridges in all of Paris, connecting Invalides (site of Napoleon’s Tomb) on the Left Bank to both the Grand and Petit Palais on the Right Bank, with magnificent views in between. A true symbol of the Belle Époque (or “Beautiful Era”) of Paris, art nouveau lamp posts line both sides of the bridge, bookended on all four corners by towering bronze sculptures of winged horses. The bridge is wide and there are sidewalks on either side, but the best view/photo op is on the sidewalk along the Right Bank- one of my favorite places to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. This ornate bridge is breathtaking all the time, but especially magnificent when illuminated at night, even in the rain– just watch the last few minutes of Midnight in Paris as proof.

Nearest metro station: Invalides

Pont de Bir-Hakeim

The steel Pont de Bir-Hakeim has connected the 15th and 16th arrondissements just downstream from the Eiffel Tower since 1905, but movies and television like Inception and Emily in Paris have made this bridge even more famous in recent years. The view of the Eiffel Tower from this bridge are unparalleled- you can take beautiful photos from the tip of the Île aux Cygnes, a stone-walled semicircle that juts out in the middle of the bridge, or beneath the arched hanging lamps that run along the middle. If you come at sunrise or sunset, you might have to wait a few minutes to score the perfect photo op, but it should prove entertaining- this bridge is now quite popular for wedding and engagement shoots.

Nearest metro station: Bir Hakeim

The Best Summer Activities in Charleston, SC

The Best Summer Activities in Charleston, SC

There are so many ways to fill a perfect summer day in Charleston- even those of us who live here have a hard time fitting it all in! This list is a compilation of some popular local pastimes and favorite summer treats, all perfect ways to fill out that travel...

April in Paris

April in Paris

Five years ago today I ran the Paris marathon. In many ways, I still see April day as the culmination of my time living in Paris. Since I trained for the entire marathon while living there, it felt like a (very long) run through my backyard- a sweaty love letter to...

March in Paris

March in Paris

March- the month in Paris where some days feel like spring and others forecast snow. One of the best parts of this ambivalent weather is the fact that Parisians end up unsure of what each day’s appropriate head attire should be, thus upping my odds of a few non-ironic...

February in Paris

February in Paris

I love February in Paris, and it has nothing to do with the allegedly love-filled holiday that occurs half way through it. February is the month I decided Paris was home. Paris feels quiet in January, but tinged with a lackluster air of recovery. The holidays have...

January in Paris

January in Paris

It feels a little funny to start here, as January is the one month of the year I *might* try to dissuade you from booking a ticket to Paris. It's just so grey. Seriously, the January I lived in Paris I saw the sun a grand total of 3 times in January. No, I'm not...

A Paris Cafe for Every Type of Traveler

A Paris Cafe for Every Type of Traveler

“Bonjour. Un café, s’il vous plaît.” If there is a single phrase that a tourist in Paris should make sure to store in even the most jetlagged of brains, this just might be it. Coffee. Café. Espresso. Noisette. Café Crème. The French take their coffee breaks quite...

24 Hours in Sorrento, Italy

24 Hours in Sorrento, Italy

Perched on the cliffs along the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is a coastal town overlooking sparkling waters dotted by the islands of Ischia, Capri and Mt. Vesuvius. For many, Sorrento is seen as the gateway to Amalfi, and may just be a quick transfer along the way to...

A Guide to Rome’s Trastevere Neighborhood

A Guide to Rome’s Trastevere Neighborhood

Trastevere is my absolute favorite Roman neighborhood - full of winding cobblestone streets dripping with ivy, local trattorias, and some of the coolest bars the city has to offer. This historically working class neighborhood still holds on to its roots, with a...

How to Eat Like a Local in Italy by Region

How to Eat Like a Local in Italy by Region

Italians are incredibly proud of their local gastronomy- and rightfully so! Those of us coming to visit are generally ready to devour every pizza, pasta and tiramisu in sight. However, if you are a tourist looking to eat and live like the locals, you need to know what...