Pont Neuf (1604)
Connects the Quai des Grands Augustins and the Quai de la Mégisserie
The Vert-Galant Escape: I highly recommend descending the stairs behind the statue of Henry IV to reach the Square du Vert-Galant at the very tip of the island; it is the best spot to admire the bridge’s 384 unique “mascaron” sculptures from below while enjoying a peaceful moment right at the water’s edge.
The oldest bridge in Paris, it is composed of 12 arches and adorned with half-moon turrets on each pile, which served as shops until the 19th century, as well as many macaroons, comical faces that adorn the cornices (there are over 300).
This bridge was doubly innovative for its time: for the first time a bridge was lined with sidewalks for pedestrians, and for the first time in France a human statue, namely that of Henri IV, was exposed on a public road.