In Russian the bridge connecting the Square René Viviani from the Notre Dame de Paris, commonly referred to as a bridge or a double double payment Denier. In any case, the essence is the same: for the passage of this crossing were charging twice as much as usual. Why?

In 1634, when this place was built the first bridge, almost everything here did not look like it is now. All current Promenade Maurice Careme on the left bank of the Ile de la Cité occupied Paris hospital Hotel Dieu ("God's house"). Free hospital for the poor living only on donations - although kings, and the brotherhood of the artisans were sent here is meat, the bread, the wood, Hotel-Dieu always just missed. Especially not enough beds - patients lay on them a minimum of two. Then there is not enough space, and had to build new housing on the other side of the Seine, where the embankment is now Montebello. To the river does not divide the hospital, and built a bridge.

He thought rather than as a ferry, but as part of the hospital - it stood at the Chamber. Below avgustinki nuns of the Hotel-Dieu, "the little laundress," from morning till evening washed in the hospital laundry Seine. One-third of the width of the bridge left for pedestrians and vehicles, and the locals began to use it. It was then that the hospital and put a double charge for the transition - to earn. Parisians were outraged (they had never liked this neighborhood - Hospital merged sewage directly into the Seine), it came to fights and even murders collectors card.

In 1709 the bridge collapsed because of bad weather. After 8 years it was rebuilt together with the buildings. The hospital also had difficult: it burned in 1737 and in 1772 respectively, and the second is very strong, the fire has not been able to recover to the end. During a global renovation of Paris Cite island was part of the plans of Baron Haussmann separate item. All the old buildings Hôtel-Dieu was demolished and in 1877 built a new hospital complex in an area of ​​three hectares - almost the same, only now closer to the right bank of the Cité. In this complex and now houses the city hospital Hôtel-Dieu, which specializes in the treatment of diabetes.

The bridge is rebuilt several times; its final form he found in 1882, becoming iron and odnoarochnogo. Now it is a short (45 meters long) pedestrian bridge for a unique Parisian bridges warm copper color. It is one of the most beautiful points of Paris - right in front of Notre Dame. Skip it, of course, free, but the historical name remains.