Exploring Pont Neuf Paris: The city’s oldest bridge

Why Visit Pont Neuf Paris

The Pont Neuf is the oldest and one of the most famous Paris bridges.

It’s also one of the most beautiful Parisian bridges, its twelve arches (seven to the right bank, five to the left bank) one of the best-known Paris landmarks, and a major part of the Paris – Banks of the Seine UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Pont Neuf forms part of some of the best views in Paris, especially from the Pont des Arts looking upstream towards the Île de la Cité and Notre Dame de Paris.

It also commands some magnificent views of Paris, including towards the Louvre and one of the best Eiffel Tower views.

Pont Neuf Paris History

King Henri III decided to build Pont Neuf Paris in 1577, the first bridge to span the whole of the river Seine.

Work commenced on the bridge in 1578, under the auspices of Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau, and was finally completed in 1607 during the reign of Henri IV. Like other bridges in Paris, the Pont Neuf was intended to be lined with houses each side.

Construction had been delayed for a decade by the Wars of Religion, during which Henri III was deposed and killed. Henri IV instigated the resumption of the building work in 1599, but without the houses – another first for Parisian bridges. The work continued under architects Guillaume Marchant and François Petit.  

Around the same time, the Samaritaine water pump was also built, and this supplied water to the area immediately to the north-west including the Louvre and what is now the Tuileries Garden.

The alcoves on the bridge were used as sites for trading and, later, shops. A variety of traders set up there including booksellers who would sell their wares from the parapet of the bridge.

These are the predecessor of the bouquinistes who, four centuries later, still sell books, paintings, posters and more along both banks of the Seine around the Île de la Cité.

The shop buildings were eventually removed in the 19^th century. The bridge also has a small niche in French culinary history, giving its name to pommes Pont Neuf, thick-cut potato chips (or French fries) which were regularly sold around the bridge.

Pont Neuf Paris has long inspired artists, and has been depicted in paintings by the likes of JMW Turner, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (pictured) and Claude Monet (possibly his grimmest ever painting).

In 1985, the Pont Neuf was also famously wrapped in fabric by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who later went on to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in 2021.

What To See At Pont Neuf Paris

The Pont Neuf was the first bridge to link the left and right banks of the Seine, and at 238 metres is the longest of the bridges over the Seine in Paris’ historic centre.

It’s also a wide bridge, at over 20 metres across – this allowed for the construction of pavements, unique at the time it was built. If you wanted to cross one of the other Paris bridges in the 17^th century, you would have to squelch your way through the mud to do so.

As you approach the Pont Neuf, you’ll notice the row of intricately carved heads, or mascarons. These 381 vivid grotesques are meant to ward off evil spirits. They have been incorrectly attributed to renowned Renaissance sculptor Germain Pilon, but he died in 1590, long before the completion of the Pont Neuf.

As you walk across the Île de la Cité from one section of the Pont Neuf to the other, you’ll find the equestrian statue of King Henri IV, who commissioned the construction of Pont Neuf but was assassinated in 1610, three years after it was completed.

Henri was popularly known as the Vert Galant, which literally translates as ‘Green Gallant’.  In other words, he was an older man with a predilection for chasing after women, especially younger ones.

A small park named after him, the Square du Vert Galant, is at the bottom of two narrow flights of stone stairs, and it’s one of the most beautiful and romantic gardens in Paris. It’s especially popular with locals in summer, who sit in the shady garden or on the riverside with a bottle of wine or picnic.

If you’re planning on a Seine river cruise – one of the best things to in Paris – one of the best operators, Vedettes du Pont Neuf, run boat trips from next to the Square, right below the Pont Neuf. We went on a Seine sunset cruise, which is a stunning way to see the city.

Where Is Pont Neuf In Paris

The Pont Neuf spans the River Seine at the western end of the Île de la Cité.  It is in the 1^st arrondissement of Paris.

It links the Quai du Louvre on the north side (Right Bank) of the Seine with the Quai de Conti on the south side (Left Bank).

Here are some distances from some of the main Paris landmarks to the Pont Neuf:

• Notre Dame Cathedral – 850 metres – 10-minute walk
• Louvre Museum – 400 metres – 5-minute walk
• Pont des Arts Paris – 400 metres – 5-minute walk
• Saint Germain des Prés Church – 850 metres – 10-minute walk
• Eiffel Tower – 4 km (2.6 miles) – 10 minutes by RER from St Michel Notre Dame
• Musée d’Orsay – 1 km by bus 87

How To Get To Pont Neuf Paris

If you’re travelling by Metro, the nearest station is Pont Neuf, on the pink line 7. It’s on the right bank (rive droite), and buses 21, 27, 58, 67, 72 and 74 all call at the Quai du Louvre stop within a few metres of the bridge on the same side of the river.

You can also reach the Pont Neuf via Metro line 4, which calls at St Michel (on the Left Bank) and  Cité, a five-minute walk away on the Île de la Cité.

You can also get there via St-Michel Notre Dame on the RER B and C lines – these are linked via subway to the St Michel line 4 station. Buses 27 and 87 also stop close to the Pont Neuf, at the Pont Neuf – Quai des Grands Augustins stop.

Things To See Near Pont Neuf Paris

Just across the street from the statue, Place Dauphine is one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. It was laid out and built between 1607 and 1610, and named after his son the Dauphin, who succeeded him as Louis XIII in 1610.

It’s a picturesque shady square with restaurants, cafes and a small boules court, well worth a stop for half an hour or so.

Place Dauphine has a view to the back of the Palais de Justice, which is home to two of the most fascinating Paris sights, the Conciergerie and La Sainte Chapelle Paris.

The Conciergerie is a medieval palace which was converted to a prison in medieval times, while Sainte-Chapelle, one of the most famous churches in Paris,  was a private royal chapel built by Louis IX and one of the greatest achievements of Gothic architecture.

It’s only a short walk from there to Notre Dame de Paris, the iconic Gothic cathedral currently undergoing restoration after the catastrophic 2019 fire caused immense damage to the fabric of the building.

And just beyond there, you’re into the wonderful Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin), a fascinating area which extends from the Seine up the hill to the Pantheon Paris.

Pont Neuf Paris – Final Words

Pont Neuf and the area around it are exceptionally beautiful. I first got to know the area intimately while living in Paris in the summer of ’92. It’s more popular now, but hasn’t lost any of its magic.

If you’re looking for a romantic break in Paris, take a bottle of wine down to the Square du Vert Galant one summer evening and finish up by walking back up to the bridge and watching the sunset behind the Louvre and Eiffel Tower from there.  

Take a look at more of our Paris bridges guides:

• 15 Famous Paris Bridges To Discover
• Pont Alexandre III Paris – the most ornate and flamboyant bridge In Paris
• Bir-Hakeim Bridge Paris – one of the most beautiful in Paris

And discover these wonderful churches on the Left Bank in Paris:

• Saint Severin Paris – late Gothic gem a stone’s throw from the Seine
• St Julien le Pauvre – gorgeous tiny church within sight of Notre Dame
• Saint Sulpice Paris – the second largest church in Paris after Notre Dame
• Saint Etienne du Mont – splendid church housing relics of St Genevieve, patron saint of Paris