This bridge is a magician. It can turn an ordinary moment into a brilliant one.

The Pont Neuf connects the Left Bank to the Right Bank and touches down briefly in the middle, at the tip of the Ile de la Cite.

Step onto the bridge and imagine the day in 1607 when Henri IV celebrated its completion.

When the cacophony of the city is overwhelming, just head for the Pont Neuf. Walk across slowly, stopping frequently.

Look up the river. Look down the river. Towers and turrets from ages ago, line the banks. Clouds fly by, tinged with pinks and blues.

Paris goes all soft like an Impressionist painting and Life is good. Enjoy the view.

PONT NEUF, THE OLDEST BRIDGE IN PARIS
Metro: Pont Neuf

The architecture of Paris is remarkably charming when viewed from above. Rooftops are as interesting as facades. Dormer windows, skylights and terraces are punctuated by chimney tops. Slate and iron, stone and brick, yield to mullioned glass. The shuttered windows of Winter, with their flowerless window-boxes, are thrown wide open in summer and planted with red geraniums. From above it appears to be a city yearning for light, capturing it in every conceivable way. Maybe you already have a favorite vantage point, but there are many fabulous ways to get above it all.