The DMS was lucky enough to visit Paris, France. We had an amazing trip and learned so much about French history. Plus, the views around every corner are breathtaking. We wish we could have taken our lovely readers along, but since we couldn't, we thought we'd share our travels with you...
As you walk along the Seine River in Paris, your eyes can't help but notice the glitter shining in the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, it's clear the sparkle comes from thousands of locks fastened to the bridges, and to each other.
This got us thinking. The idea of putting a lock on a bridge to cement love seemed very romantic. Was this a tradition that had been going on for hundreds of years? We looked it up and were surprised to discover that while the tradition is believed to date back almost 100 years, securing locks to bridges in Paris was relatively new. (You can find out more about the history from Wikipedia). It's believed to have started sometime around 2008 in France. Paris isn't the only city to have love locks showing up on bridges, they are found in cities all over the world.
In June 2015 many of the locks in Paris were removed from one of the bridges, the Pont des Arts, because the massive combined weight of the locks was causing the bride to crumble. Some cities welcome the locks and have places for tourists to secure them, but in cities where the locks are considered vandalism tourists have been asked to stop leaving them behind. There are even signs asking tourists to stop affixing locks to the bridges, monuments, and other points of interest around the city.
Whether you think they are beautiful or a nuisance, the locks certainly gave us something to think about.
Have you seen the love locks in Paris or another city? What do you think about tourists leaving them behind?
