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last mo.

JR's Pont Neuf Cavern Opens on Paris's Oldest Bridge

Open round‑the‑clock through June 28, the installation uses printed fabric, a Thomas Bangalter soundscape, curated scents, an AR layer to alter how people sense the bridge

Visitors walk into the artwork "The Pont Neuf Cave" by French street artist JR on the Pont Neuf bridge, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Paris, open to the public from June 15 to 28. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Visitors walk into the artwork "The Pont Neuf Cave" by French street artist JR on the Pont Neuf bridge, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Paris, open to the public from June 15 to 28. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Artwork "The Pont Neuf Cave" by French street artist JR on the Pont Neuf bridge opens to the public from June 15 to 28, in Paris, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Artwork "The Pont Neuf Cave" by French street artist JR on the Pont Neuf bridge opens to the public from June 15 to 28, in Paris, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Overview

  • The installation opened on Monday after repairs and safety inspections following wind damage that delayed its planned early‑June debut.
  • La Caverne du Pont‑Neuf covers the 232‑metre bridge with about 80 air‑filled printed‑fabric arches that rise roughly 18 metres above the Seine.
  • Visitors enter free at any hour to experience a layered design: a low electronic soundscape by Thomas Bangalter, shifting scents by Sarah Bouasse that evoke wet earth, and optional AR effects developed with Snap.
  • Organisers say the structure was inspected and repaired before opening and that the fabric will be reused or recycled when the run ends, with private sponsors underwriting the project.
  • JR frames the work as an ode to Christo and Jeanne‑Claude’s 1985 Pont Neuf wrapping and aims to change how people walk, hear and smell a familiar urban landmark.