French artist’s installation to transform Paris’s oldest bridge into giant cave

French artist JR gestures towards the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris (Michel Euler/AP)

French artist JR, popular for his large-scale projects from photographs to graffiti and street art, wants Parisians to do something unusual: stop for an immersive experience on the city’s oldest bridge.

In June, he plans to transform the bustling Pont Neuf that dates back to the 17th century into a walk-through “cave” – a temporary, monumental public artwork that will cover the stone arches with a rocky illusion and invite visitors to cross the River Seine through a tunnel, complete with sound and digitally augmented reality.