The short answer
Yes. Placing a physical padlock on the Pont des Arts is not allowed today. That’s why people search “lock bridge paris illegal” and “is it illegal paris locks” before visiting the Paris lock bridge. Locks placed on railings, fences or nearby structures are typically removed.
The bridge is still there; the “lock railings” era is not.
In practice: locks disappear. In theory: enforcement can happen.
Couples keep the ritual without harming the monument.
Why the “bridge with locks in Paris” became a problem
The Love Lock Bridge started as a whisper: a couple, a padlock, two names. But as the love locks bridge Paris phenomenon grew, metal accumulated. A bridge can’t carry infinite weight. Paris chose to protect the monument—so the tradition with physical locks ended.
This is why searches like “fine love lock paris” exist: visitors want romance, but they don’t want trouble—and they don’t want their lock cut.
Another reason it matters: Pont des Arts is a “center point” of Paris
The Pont des Arts sits right in the heart of the city. From here, you’re within walking distance of the Louvre, the Seine quays, Île de la Cité, and Saint-Germain. That central location is one reason the lock bridge in France became the world’s symbol of love.