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The Statue of Liberty, Pont de Grenelle: Say Hello to the Parisian Version
Just
because the Statue of Liberty in New York City is so prominent, it doesn’t mean
that it’s the only one you should see? Did you know that there are more than a hundred of
replicas of the Statue of Liberty all over the world? Yes, even in Singapore. But
the really cool thing is that even in France, they have it! Yes, we all
know the history here: France gave the
United States the Statue of Liberty in 1886, and apparently, the Americans,
with their very generous spirit, gifted the French with a similar one, but a smaller version in
1889. So, why queue in the top touristy places like the Eiffel
Tower, the Arc
de Triomphe; Notre-Dame
Cathedral or even the Louvre. Instead,
try visiting the southern area of Paris, maybe somewhere in the very middle of
the river Seine – meet up with lady Liberty, oui?
Fun
fact: The Statue of Liberty was designed by a French sculptor named Frédéric Auguste
Bartholdi and was then constructed by THE Gustave Eiffel himself, yes,
THE man who made the Eiffel
Tower! Merci! Although apparently, there are five lady liberty replicas
in Paris, the grandest of them is in the heart of Paris. Just like the lady
liberty in NYC, the one in Paris, is situated in a little man-made
island called Île aux Cygnes. It is a smaller version, and it actually
faces west, towards its 'big sister' beyond the oceans. It’s just just off the Grenelle
Bridge, and quite accessible to tourists and locals.
The
surrounding area looks like a park of some sort, with a couple of benches and
several work-out areas. It’s along the Siene
river, so it’s pretty dramatic to just stop and stare at lady liberty,
while enjoying the Parisian city vibes. If you are lucky, you can even see the Eiffel
Tower a bit blurred from the overall background, but still quite
noticeable. It’s definitely one of those areas in Paris that’s relatively still
hidden compared to the likes of Pont de Bir-Hakeim (hello
Inception movie?) which is a few blocks from the area.
Ending
up walking around this vicinity by accident, because the intention was really
to find a shortcut to the Pont de Bir-Hakeim.
Nevertheless, since the nearby mall Beaugrenelle is
closeby, and the Parc André Citroën also
is walkable (and worth the visit!) – deciding to stop by the Statue of Liberty, Pont de Grenelle is
worthy of being included in your itinerary if you’re looking for a less
touristy, more random yet still culturally relevant place to visit. Best part
is, it’s free – no need to ride a ferry, or pay expensive tickets like the ones
you’ll spend in NYC!
Directions:
15th district - Access on Pont Bir-Hakeim and Pont de Grenelle
Metro:
Bir-Hakeim on Line 6
[FRANCE TRAVEL] Read the rest of Explore France Travel Blog Series:
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