It's impossible to cross the Pont de l'Alma without thinking of the tragic accident that claimed the life of Princess Diana in 1997 in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel, located between the bridge and the Place de l'Alma. This square is home to a replica of the flame from the Statue of Liberty, donated by the American newspaper Herald Tribune in 1897 to commemorate Franco-American friendship. Every day, admirers of the princess come to pay their respects at this monument.
But let's return to the history of this infamous bridge. The Pont de l'Alma was supposed to be inaugurated duringthe 1855 World's Fair, but as the bridge was not completed on schedule, it was inaugurated a year later, in 1856, by Napoleon III. Napoleon III wanted to use the construction of the bridge to celebrate the Crimean campaign of 1854. To commemorate this victory, the bridge was adorned with four large statues of soldiers placed on its pillars: the foot soldier, the grenadier, the artilleryman, and the zouave.
Of these four statues, only the Zouave remains today, the other three having been moved to other parts of France after the bridge was replaced in the 1970s following the collapse of the first bridge. For the record, the Zouave statue has always allowed Parisians to gauge the rise of the Seine during major floods in Paris. During the flood of 1910, for example, the water level reached the Zouave's shoulders!
The current Pont de l'Alma, 142 meters long, is made of steel and offers a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. There are some great photos to be taken in this area, you've been warned!
