1 / 10Paris’ oldest bridge, the historic Pont Neuf, is being transformed into a giant inflatable “cave” by French artist JR. The large-scale artwork, called La Caverne du Pont Neuf, is one of the city’s biggest public art projects in recent years and is set to open to visitors on June 6. (Image: AP)
2 / 10Paris’ oldest bridge is disappearing under a giant artwork | The 17th-century Pont Neuf, which has stood over the Seine River for more than 400 years, now appears covered by a massive rocky cliff. The installation creates the illusion that a prehistoric cave has risen in the middle of Paris. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 10The project took more than a year to prepare | The artwork has been in development for over a year. The large overnight inflation process was delayed earlier because of poor weather conditions, making this week’s installation phase one of the project’s most important moments. (Image: AP)
4 / 10The structure is massive but mostly made of air | The cave stretches about 120 metres long and 18 metres high, roughly the size of a six-storey building. Despite its scale, the structure weighs only around five tons because it is built using 80 fabric arches filled with nearly 20,000 cubic metres of air. (Image: AP)
5 / 10Visitors will walk through a dark tunnel inside the bridge | Once open, people will be able to enter the installation for free and walk through a long tunnel with no daylight. JR said the experience is designed to make visitors slow down and “lose track of time” in the middle of the busy city. (Image: AP)
6 / 10The artwork pays tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude | JR’s project honours artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who famously wrapped the same bridge in golden fabric in 1985. That landmark artwork attracted millions of visitors and became one of Paris’ most remembered public art events. (Image: AP)
7 / 10The cave also carries a message about modern life | JR said the installation was inspired by Plato’s allegory of the cave, where people mistake shadows for reality. According to the artist, modern “caves” are often social media feeds and phone screens that shape how people see the world. (Image: AP)
8 / 10Technology and music are part of the experience | The project includes an augmented reality layer developed by Snap, allowing visitors to see additional digital effects through their phones. The sound design was created by Thomas Bangalter, best known as a former member of Daft Punk. (Image: AP)
9 / 10The bridge will stay closed to traffic during the event | The installation will remain open from June 6 to June 28 and will operate throughout the day and night. During this period, traffic on the bridge will be stopped. The artwork will also coincide with major Paris events, including Fashion Week, World Music Day and Nuit Blanche. (Image: AP)
10 / 10The installation will leave no permanent mark | JR said the project was designed to avoid damaging the historic bridge. The structure does not dig into the stone, and all fabric used for the installation will later be reused or recycled. Once removed, the Pont Neuf will return to its original appearance. (Image: AP)
