Pont de Bir-Hakeim 04 © French Moments
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Last Updated: 28 April 2021

The pont de Bir-Hakeim spans River Seine in Paris, linking the 15th and 16th arrondissements. It is one of the most beautiful bridges of Paris and is popular for the great views it offers on the river and to the Eiffel Tower.


Pont de Bir-Hakeim

Pont Bir Hakeim Paris © French Moments
Pont Bir Hakeim, Paris © French Moments

The Bir-Hakeim bridge was built between 1903 and 1905. It replaced an earlier steel footbridge that had been constructed in 1878 for the World Exhibition. Made of steel, it forms an arch bridge 237 metres long and 24.7 metres wide.

The particularity of the bridge lies in the fact that it has two levels:

  • the lower part is for car traffic and pedestrians, and
  • the viaduct above is dedicated to métro line 6.

 

Metal colonnades with a line of art-deco street lights support the railway viaduct in all of its lengths except when crossing the Île aux Cygnes.

Line 6 of the Paris métro © French Moments
Line 6 of the Paris métro on the bridge © French Moments

The bridge is decorated with monumental iron sculptures and statues.

In the central arch of the bridge are featured four high-relief statues:

  • figures of Science and Labor by Jules-Felix Coutan (upstream), and
  • Electricity and Commerce by Jean Antoine Injalbert (downstream).

 

La France Renaissante

In the middle part of the bridge, on the upstream tip of Île aux Cygnes stands an equestrian statue known as “La France Renaissante“.

Sculpted by Holger Wederkinch in 1930, it was offered to the City of Paris by the Danish community. The inauguration in its present location took place in 1958.

From there, there is a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower.

Pont de Bir-Hakeim © French Moments
Pont de Bir-Hakeim © French Moments

The Battle of Bir-Hakeim

Formally known as Pont de Passy, the bridge was renamed in 1948 to commemorate the Battle of Bir-Hakeim (1942). There the Free French forces fought against the German Africa Korps during World War II.

Pont de Bir-Hakeim 07 © French Moments
Pont de Bir-Hakeim © French Moments

The Île aux Cygnes

The bridge crosses the Île aux Cygnes to which it gives access to pedestrians.

On the downstream tip of the island stands the Statue of Liberty, a smaller replica of the NYC monument sculpted by Bartholdi.

The Bir Hakeim bridge was listed as a historic monument by the French authorities in 1986.

To better enjoy the view from the bridge, take line 6 of the métro between the stations of Bir-Hakeim and Passy:

Tour Eiffel Line 6 © French Moments
From Métro line 6 © French Moments

More photos of the Bir-Hakeim bridge:

Île aux Cygnes from the Eiffel Tower © French Moments
The view of the bridge from the 3rd floor of the Eiffel Tower © French Moments
Pont de Bir-Hakeim and la France Renaissante © French Moments
The bridge and “la France Renaissante” © French Moments
Pont de Bir-Hakeim © French Moments
By the bridge © French Moments
Line 6 of the Paris métro © French Moments
Line 6 of the Paris métro © French Moments
Pont de Bir-Hakeim © French Moments
The middle part of the bridge © French Moments
The view from the 2nd platform of the Eiffel Tower © French Moments
The view from the 2nd platform of the Eiffel Tower © French Moments

 

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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  1. I love this bridge! I will always remember when my daughter Genevieve was studying at NYU’s Paris campus back in 2004. She was also working as an au pair for a French family who lived in Passy. One night I took the line 6 metro across the bridge to go to her apartment. The Eiffel Tower was lit up and I was afforded great views of the tower as the metro crossed Le Seine over the Pont De Beir Hakeim. Breathtaking!

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