It’s in the 10th arrondissement that Jane Birkin found her place. Not a static statue or a discreet plaque, but a living footbridge, crossed daily by Parisians. On Saturday, December 13, by the Canal Saint-Martin, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, surrounded by hundreds of people, gathered to inaugurate this new structure named « passerelle Jane Birkin », in honor of their mother who passed away on July 16, 2023.
From the very first moments, the emotion was palpable. In this popular and trendy neighborhood, cherished by strollers, the name Jane Birkin resonated with a sense of belonging. A gentle and bright way to keeping her memory alive, right in the heart of a Paris she loved so much. Charlotte Gainsbourg spoke about the poetic dimension of this place and envisioned Parisians « coming here to reminisce .
meet, set a date, or kiss there », making the footbridge a living space as much as a place of memory.
A place to keep the memory of Jane Birkin alive
Located in the extension of Léon Jouhaux Street, the footbridge was previously known as the Customs Bridge. It is the first one from the southern part of the Saint-Martin Canal. A commemorative plaque has been unveiled there, reminding us of Jane Birkin's name, her birth and death dates, as well as her roles as a singer, actress, and director.
For Lou Doillon, this tribute is a response.à un manque. She emphasized that there hasn't been a place truly embodying her mother's memory until now and felt that the solemn character of the cemetery didn't match her personality. The bridge thus appears as a more fitting symbol: an open, traversable, lively space, in line with the image of an artist close to people and everyday life.
Jane Birkin, an emblematic figure of song and cinema, has marked French culture and international culture with her unique journey. She worked with great directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean-Luc Godard, and James Ivory, and is still associated with a image of artistic freedom and personal commitment.
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A constellation of women in the Parisian public space
With this inauguration, Jane Birkin joins the many actresses to whom the City of Paris has dedicated footbridges over the Canal Saint-Martin, including Arletty, Michèle Morgan, and Maria Schneider. Alexandra Cordebard, the mayor of the 10th arrondissement and the mastermind behind the initiative, spoke of a constellation of free women and unique artists, whose names now structure the urban landscape.
The Jane Birkin footbridge thus embodies a bigger commitment to highlighting female figures in public spaces. It stands not just as a commemorative tribute, but as a place of passage and encounters, welcome to be embraced by locals, staying true to the spirit of the one whose name it now carries.