On the Pont Neuf, artist JR's 'Caverne' opens to the public
Published on 16/06/2026 - 9:34 GMT+2 Stalactites, the sound of water dripping onto rock... in the heart of Paris, the public can now wander through a cave without actually...
Published on 16/06/2026 - 9:34 GMT+2
Stalactites, the sound of water dripping onto rock... in the heart of Paris, the public can now wander through a cave without actually going underground.
A stone's throw from Notre-Dame Cathedral, the artist JR, known for his XXL photo collages, has "wrapped" the Pont Neuf to create a "Cavern". (source in French)
The soundscape has been designed by electro composer Thomas Bangalter, a former member of the duo Daft Punk. The structure, 120 metres long, 20 metres wide and between 12 and 18 metres high, covers the entire bridge. The idea is to make the city disappear and transport passers-by far away from the capital.
"It really is total immersion – the sound, the subdued light and this feeling of being shut in and yet, ultimately, a certain sense of freedom," says Marie-Christine, who came especially to see JR's work. For Sébastien Depond, it is the visuals that make the difference: "You feel as if you can see and even touch stalactites."
An installation to walk through
Visitors make their way through the cavern on foot, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It sits on one of Paris's main pedestrian thoroughfares, between the Samaritaine department store and the Hôtel de la Monnaie, and just a stone's throw from Notre-Dame Cathedral.
"We were just passing by and we said to ourselves: 'Oh, that looks interesting'," explains Fiona, a German tourist. "I'd also seen a few videos on social media, but we hadn't come especially for this. It was very interesting to walk through the space and remember: 'Ah yes, I'm walking on a bridge'."
Back in 1985, the Pont Neuf had already been wrapped, in fabric. The work by artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who have both since died, drew millions of visitors.
Opening delayed by ten days
The Cavern was due to open on 6 June and run until the 28th. The weather, however, had other ideas. Powerful gusts of wind combined with heavy downpours four days before the opening damaged the structure. Several large tears in the inflatable structure forced the opening to be postponed.
"In all my projects in public space over more than 25 years, I've always run into enormous difficulties," JR told AFP on Monday. "They were often on the other side of the world, so people didn't realise. This time it is in the heart of my city, of our city, and so people were able to see, in the open air, the reconstruction work right in the middle of the public square."
Ten days later, the cavern is finally accessible, this time under blazing sunshine, according to the weather forecasts. But JR is adamant, no matter how high the temperatures rise. "We carried out tests during the heatwave two weeks ago and the Cavern was always 15°C cooler than outside. So it works like a real cave – or almost."
