Pedestrian bridge DEBIE was built, like the Eiffel tower for the universal exhibition, 1900, and became the second metal construction, illustrating the technological advances of the era. In a sense, he repeated the fate of the tower was conceived as a temporary structure, but remained forever.

In the design of the second world exhibition focused on art. Came a magnificent Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Pont Alexandre III– all in a magnificent Beaux arts. On the waterfront near the Eiffel tower stood a Grand thematic pavilions, and opposite, on the right Bank, recreated medieval quarter of "Old Paris" went to the Alma bridge. To help the visitors to get from the pavilion of the army and Navy into the "Old Paris", and built this temporary, as then believed, the bridge.

Its industrial style didn't quite fit into the concept design. The architect Louis-Jean Resal put on two stone pier metal frame and decorated it with a dark green ceramic tiles, which was to create the impression of ripples on the waves. The bridge looked pretty brutal.

Perhaps Parisians was comforted by the fact that this passage, like the tower, here temporarily. However, six years later, the bridge is only slightly moved, eight gave him the name in honor of the French General Jean-Louis Debii, just in time for the centenary of his death in the battle of Jena. The bridge still stood and stood. In 1941, however, they are threatened – President of the architectural society disparaging remarks about him as a forgotten accessory long past event. However, the construction of a successfully survived until 1966, when it was finally included in the supplemental register of historical monuments along with the Pont Alexandre III and the Austerlitz viaduct (bridge over the Seine).

In 1991, the bridge was repainted in 1997 has updated coverage, laying the sidewalk from solid tropical wood species. It is now unlikely going over it people remember that he was once a temporary or unsuitable. Now it's just a beautiful and comfortable pedestrian bridge.