Allée des Cygnes is a 600 m long artificial island on the Seine River, between Bir Hakeim bridge and Grenelle bridge between 15th and 16th arrondissements (districts). There are only pedestrians and bikers on this island, and the car traffic is very far, under the tree covered alley, you almost don’t hear it! Many families from the area take their kids there and it is really quiet: people sitting on benches and reading or just looking at the boats passing by, anglers, lovers. . . And from there you can have some interesting views on some famous Parisian monuments and a close look at two Parisian bridges.
On the Grenelle bridge end you can have this interesting view to Bir Hakeim bridge (Ah! Bir Hakeim is just a well in the Libyan Desert where the French troops resisted two weeks to Rommel’s Afrika Korps in 1942, giving time to Montgomery’s troops to gather in El Alamein, and the rest of the story is well known. . . )- well, view to the Bir Hakeim bridge and to a famous Parisian monument (picture 1). . . . . Walk in the shade of the trees and you will soon see a well known statue (picture 2). . . . . . , but before reaching it you can have a look on the shores for some other Parisian monuments, like the ring-shaped “Maison de Radio France” (picture 3), home to the French National broadcasting corporation, hosting a big concert hall. At the south western end you finally reach the landmark of the Allée des Cygnes (Swans, alley, but there are no swans): la Statue de la Liberté! (picture 4). The statue here is a copy of the Statue of Liberty of New York (offered by the French to the USA), created by Bartholdi; the American community of Paris offered this smaller statue to Paris in 1889 (centenary of the French revolution), but the statue has been turned in 1937, as it was showing its back to the west (America), and now faces west. The Liberty of New York is of course the original, but the first model of this statue, which Bartholdi created (so the first, in design point of view) is in Paris, in a place few know. . . . (Future tip. . . ). On the last picture, is the western end of the island, with the statue, seen from Mirabeau Bridge.
Updated Oct 18, 2008
The original Statue of liberty huge in size, was created by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and was a gift from France to the US, that the citizens of the latter till date proudly claim to be their national symbol. There is a miniature replica of this statue in Paris on an island in river Seine that was presented to the city of Paris by the Parisian community of the USA. I had never read about this in any book but while going through the map of Paris while I was there I saw a small symbol that looked like statue of liberty to me and my curiosity took me there. I walked there (quite a walk) from the RER C stop Kennedy radio France. If one takes a boat trip one might even photograph the eiffel tower and the statue of liberty on single shot and that is definitely interesting. Recommendable
Written Sep 29, 2008
Two replicas of the Statue of Liberty are found in Paris, France. One stands in the Jardin du Luxembourg: this is a bronze model. Second Statue of Liberty in Paris is near the Grenelle Bridge on the Île des Cygnes, an island in the river Seine (37 feet 9 inches) high. Dedicated on November 15, 1889, it looks towards the Atlantic Ocean and hence towards its "larger sister" in New York Harbor, which had been erected three years earlier.
Written Aug 8, 2008
Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi (1839-1904) was a sculptor born in Alsace who enjoyed the notoriety of creating gigantic works. He was commissioned to create the Statue of Liberty and personally chose the NY harbor site. While in the USA he copyrighted the model so that royalties from the sales of a miniature would help defray the costs of the production of the real one. He also made this one which was presented as a gift to France. This is not his only giant work. In Belfort, France he carved into a massive rock above the town the enormous Lion of Belfort. If you are in Alsace try to drive by it. If you are going to the Catacombs here in Paris, you will get out of the Metro at the Place Denfert-Rochereau and there you will see a bronze copy of the Rock sculpture. The original commemorates the successful defense of Belfort (1870-71) by Colonel D-R against the Prussians. (See our Tip Off the Beaten Path>Place Denfert-Rochereau). There are other works by Bartholdi around Paris (and in the USA) such as in the Cimitiere de Montparnasse where he is buried. The Liberty Statue is circled by the Bateaux Mouches on their Seine tours but there is walking access to the Allee des Cygnes where the statue stands at the western end of this narrow islet in the Seine just beyond the Pont de Grenelle.
Updated Mar 20, 2008
From the River Seine, you can take a look at the Statue of Liberty in Paris, which is a mini copy of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Although the one in New York is more popular, if you haven't been to New York, then checking out this one should be worth it. You can also take a picture of both the Eiffel and Statue of Liberty at the same time, making your picture very interesting (New York and France icon all in the same picture).
Updated Dec 2, 2006
One of my favorite Paris views, I finally got a shot of this I could stomach enough to post here. ------------------------------>
Below and a little "south/sw" of Pont Grenelle from the Passy side of the river, if you look back across the Seine towards the Eiffel tower - this is what you will see.
for a much better version than mine:
click below:
Anthony A shoots Lady Liberty
(he had to have shot that from a boat in the river.... amazing)
Anyway, a short stroll across Pont Mirabeau from either side of the river gets you this lovely Paris moment.
Updated Sep 14, 2006
Address: RER C stop Kennedy Radio France by Pont Grenelle
Replica of Liberty statue in NY. Yup. as we know that Liberty statue in NY is came from French. No need to go to NY, here in Paris you can see it as well but with mini version, not bad hehe....It's located at Pont de Grenelle.
If you took boat trip you won't miss it even you don't have any plan to see it.
Written Sep 20, 2005
Address: Pont de Grenelle
I was on a Bateau Mouches cruise down the Seine. I didn't know that there was a replica of the Statue of Liberty standing proudly in the middle of the river, obviously this was something I had missed in the tour books. It made me feel very endeared to the French and heard myself saying "Viva la France". It was a great reminder that the Statue of Liberty standing in the New York harbor was a gift from France and that this gift has become the becon of freedom that the US has always stood behind. This Lady was also the first thing immigrants saw when arriving by boat, it filled them with hope for a better life. Viva la France!
This state of Liberty was a gift to France from the US in 1885 and faces the original in New York.
Updated Jan 14, 2005
Ive seen the Statue Of Liberty in New York that was given to them by the French, now Ive seen the Statue Of Liberty in Paris...given as a present from America to France!!
The Statue is a smaller version, situated a 10 minute walk from the Tour Eiffel on an island in the middle of the River Seine.
The location is great, but I wouldnt visit here after dark....there were lots of broken bottles and glass lying around!
Very Cool to see the Statue here though...not as grand as the one in New York and not as big....its a nice touch all the same!
Written Jan 3, 2005
The Flame of Liberty is a replica of New York's Statue of Liberty Flame. Presented to Paris by Americans in 1987 to commemorate French American friendship and the 1987 Statue of Liberty restoration. The flame became an impromptu shrine to Princess Diana, when she died in a car accident in the tunnel located below the flame. For many years it was defaced by mourners and admirers. There are fewer and fewer admirers coming to the flame nowadays and the city has since cleaned up the flame. It is reverting to its intended symbolism.
Updated Nov 9, 2004
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The Flame of Liberty is a replica of New York's Statue of Liberty Flame. Presented to Paris by Americans in 1987 to commemorate French American friendship and...
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