Love Locks; Paris, France

Matt and Tiera have a thing for each other.  So do Helio and Monica, and for that matter, Runar and Lena.  I learned this while crossing a bridge in the heart of Paris called the Pont de l’Archevêché.

Those were just three of literally hundreds of couples who wrote their names and initials on locks and then attached them to a chain-link fence overlooking the Seine River.  It’s a way of publicly professing eternal love for each other.

Love locks on the Pont de l’Archevêché bridge in Paris.

And it’s much cheaper – and lasts a whole lot longer — than a dozen roses.

These so-called “love padlocks” are part of a growing worldwide phenomenon.  No one is actually sure of where it all started, but lovelocks on bridges are increasingly becoming a common sight, particularly in France, Italy and Germany.

The French government, though, doesn’t particularly appreciate these stainless steel symbols of amour, saying they “raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage.”  A couple of years ago, the locks were removed from another bridge in Paris.

But that hasn’t deterred young lovers.  The locks have since appeared on several other bridges – like the Pont de l’Archevêché — more plentiful than before.

As the famous French novelist Marcel Proust once said: “Love is space and time measured by the heart.”

What Proust didn’t say was that you can find it in the hardware section at Home Depot for $7.99.

Copyright © Dan Fellner 2012