Show love with selfies not locks, pleads Paris

Parisian authorities are appealing to couples to help them save the city's bridges from 'love locks' by posting selfies of themselves.

Bridges across the city are adorned with hundreds of thousands of padlocks inscribed with lovers' initials, with couples often throwing the keys into the Seine as a symbol of eternal love.

But, "too much love can be a dangerous thing", reports AFP. Local residents and authorities say the cadenas d'amour constitute vandalism and are causing structural damage to the city's bridges. There are also fears that the keys are polluting the Seine.

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To counter the threat, City Hall has put notices up on bridges encouraging couples to take a selfie rather that adding another love lock. They are invited to post their snaps here or share them on social media using the hashtag #lovewithoutlocks.

The social media campaign tells couples that "Paris delights in its lovers, who come in numbers so great, but its bridges are more fragile than their passion, and thousands of padlocks are some weight!"

They said they would stop short of banning the locks or fining tourists and would not be removing any of the existing padlocks.

Earlier this year, part of the railing along the famous Pont Des Arts bridge collapsed under the weight of the locks, raising safety concerns.