You'll soon have to swim from one bank to the other to cross the Seine, if the news is to be believed! And with good reason: almost half of the French capital's bridges will be closed in preparation for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on 26 July. We tell you all about it.
Le pont Alexandre III à Paris, France
- © Sergii Figurnyi / Shutterstock
Don't panic, the bridges will be closed gradually so as not to jam up the capital in one go. Although, Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez admits that it will be a "major hassle", as from 1 July the first bridges will be closed for security reasons.
Editor's tip: on the day of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, all the bridges in the capital will be closed, so travel by metro (if possible).
Le pont de la Concorde avec en fond l'Assemblée Nationale à Paris, France
- © JeniFoto / ShutterstockFrom 1 July, the Carrousel bridge and part of the Iéna bridge will be closed to traffic. On 8 July, the Pont de l'Alma, the Pont de la Tournelle and the Pont au Change will close. And finally, the last bridges will close on 15 July: the Pont de la Concorde, the Pont Royal and the Pont d'Arcole.
No date has been given for the possible closure of the Alexandre III bridge, the Pont des Arts, the Pont Neuf, the Pont d'Austerlitz and the Debilly footbridge. It should also be noted that the Champ-de-Mars-Trocadéro area will close gradually for works, while the Place de la Concorde will close from 1 June and will not partially reopen until early September.
Le pont d'Arcole à Paris, France
- © pisaphotography / Shutterstock
