Paris | Locks (and Locks!) of Love

You know those locks along the Pont Des Arts in Paris? The one where lovers go to lock up their love forever and toss the key in the Seine below? Well, over the past year that novel idea has seemingly made the must-do list of every tourist couple to touch down in France.When we were in Paris for the spring, the bridges were absolutely heaving with them.

There were men dotted along every ten feet or so of the bridges with assorted locks and sharpies out for purchase.

The once romantic gesture has transformed from something quite to something that... well, had gone too far.

And this weekend, it really went too far. Like down-into-the-river-too-far.

Apparently, the locks have gotten so out of control that they weighed down a portion of the railing and ripped it down into the Seine.That's pretty in-seine, isn't it?

Read more about it here.

After seeing how out of control they were, I'm kind of ready to see Paris stop the tradition like Florence did on the Ponte Vecchio in years past.

Then again, I was really sad when Venice outlawed selling birdseed and feeding pigeons in St. Marks Square. (Though selfishly, who really cares after snagging a photo like this?)

---

What do you think?

Should the tradition be locked into the culture of Paris

or should it be tossed to the bottom of the (key-ridden) Seine?

*images by Noah Darnell for Aspiring Kennedy