Pont Neuf in Bad Weather

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This is the Pont Neuf as it appeared on a day with really rotten weather (New Year’s Eve, 1999). This photograph is incredibly dreary compared to my other photograph of the bridge, taken during nice weather (and it was also taken from the opposite side of the bridge).

Unfortunately, this kind of weather in Paris is not uncommon, especially in winter, although it usually isn't quite this dark and dreary. It wasn't terribly cold at the time this photo was taken—about seven degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit)—but it was heavily overcast, misty, and generally very depressing from a weather standpoint. The city was extremely animated because of the Year 2000 celebrations pending that same evening; there are tons of people on either side of me, and you can see that the Pont Neuf itself is very crowded. The weather just wasn't cooperating.

You'll also notice that the river is amazingly high in this photo, especially compared to the other one. It was running about 4.5 metres above its normal level on this particular day. This isn't unusual for this time of year, with runoff and snowmelt and rain, but it was still higher than it usually gets. Notice that the Georges Pompidou Expressway on the right, which is normally crowded with cars at this time of day, is instead under about a metre of silt-laden river water. Only the guard rail is visible as it disappears into an underpass beneath the bridge (the Pont au Change) from which this photo was taken. This typically happens several times a year.

Photographed on December 31, 1999.