Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
buildings growing on it. The turrets were originally for vendors and street entertainers. In
thedaysofHenryIV,whopromisedhispeasants“achickenineverypoteverySunday,”this
would have been a lively scene. From the bridge, look downstream (west) to see the next
bridge, the pedestrian-only Pont des Arts. Ahead on the Right Bank is the long Louvre Mu-
seum. Beyond that, on the Left Bank, is the Orsay. And what's that tall black tower in the
distance?
• Our walk is finished. From here, you can tour the Seine by boat (the departure point for
Seine river cruises offered by Vedettes du Pont Neuf is through the park at the end of the
island—see
here
), continue to the Louvre, or (if it's summer) head to the...
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Paris Plages (Paris Beaches)
The Riviera it's not, but this string of fanciful faux beaches—assembled in summer along a
one-mile stretch of the Right Bank of the Seine—is a fun place to stroll, play, and people-
watch on a sunny day. Each summer, the Paris city government closes the embankment's
highwayandtrucksinpottedpalmtrees,hammocks,loungechairs,and2,000tonsofsandto
create colorful urban beaches. You'll also find “beach cafés,” climbing walls, prefab pools,
trampolines,
boules
, a library, beach volleyball, badminton, and Frisbee areas.
Cost and Hours:
Free, mid-July-mid-Aug daily 8:00-24:00, no beach off-season; on
Right Bank of Seine, just north of Ile de la Cité, between Pont des Arts and Pont de Sully;
for information, go to
www.paris.fr
,
click on “English,” then “Visit,” then “Highlights.”
