Sommaire
From the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame via the Canal Saint-Martin, there is no shortage of boat trips in the French capital. Boat trips in Paris allow you to discover Parisian monuments in a new light. Discover our top 5 cruises on the Seine and the canals of the capital.
1. Boat cruise from the Eiffel Tower to Les Invalides
It is at the foot of the Eiffel Tower that you embark for this cruise on the Seine. For two, with friends or with the family, the Bateaux Parisiens cruise is the most exclusive boat trip in Paris. Its glass trimarans allow you to experience your cruise in the open air. From the upper deck, you will discover the monuments of the city of Paris without any filter.
Practical information:
- boarding: Bourdonnais port (at the foot of the Eiffel Tower) or Montebello quay (near Notre-Dame) ;
- duration: 1 hour;
- timetable: departure every half hour or every hour depending on the season:
- reservation: bateauxparisiens.com;
- individual audioguide included (14 languages available).
2. Champagne cruise on the Seine: discover Paris as a couple
Before lunch or dinner, you embark with the Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches for a boat trip in Paris. On the menu, a cruise close to the most beautiful monuments of the Capital (Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Musée d’Orsay…) and a mini-bottle of Moët et Chandon brut Impérial champagne per person. A chic and glamorous boat tour of Paris for adults only!
Practical information:
- boarding: port de la Conférence, pont de l’Alma, right bank, boat-mouches Paris boarding area ;
- duration: 1 hour 10 minutes;
- times: departures every 30 or 45 minutes depending on the season;
- ticket reservation: bateaux-mouches.fr;
- one mini-bottle of champagne per person.
3. Boat trip on the Canal Saint-Martin and under the bridges of Paris
The Canauxrama company invites you to a cruise of Old Paris. This romantic cruise takes you along the Saint-Martin canal in the shade of hundred-year-old trees. You sail from the Arsenal Bridge to the Bassin de la Villette, a water sports paradise in Paris. You will discover the alternative Paris by boat: its locks, its swing bridges and its working-class districts. This cruise ends in beauty with the Crimée lift bridge.
Practical information:
- embarkation and disembarkation: port of Paris-Arsenal (Bastille metro station) ;
- duration: 2 hours 30 minutes;
- times: departure at 2.30 pm;
- reservation and price: canauxrama.com;
- english-French guide.
4. Dinner cruise on the Seine at sunset
At the end of the day, you will board a fully glazed boat of the company La Marina de Paris Seine. The programme includes the discovery of the most beautiful monuments of Paris while tasting authentic and traditional dishes. Night falls on the Seine and Notre-Dame lights up. Then come the Louvre, the Conciergerie and its clock, and the Grand-Palais. The greatest Parisian museums and sites are revealed under the stars. You dock at the foot of the Musée d’Orsay after taking a last photo of the illuminated Eiffel Tower.
Practical information:
- embarkation and disembarkation: port of Solferino, Musée d’Orsay ;
- duration: 2 hours;
- times: departure at 9.15pm for the romantic dinner, other times are available earlier in the evening for children accompanying their parents;
- reservation: romantic dinner-cruise ticket on the website marina-de-paris.com;
- souvenir photo offered.
5. Discovery cruise at low prices with the Vedettes du Pont-Neuf
The Vedettes du Pont-Neuf boat trips in Paris leave from the Île de la Cité. These cruises on the Seine are among the cheapest in the capital. On board, a guide will show you the most beautiful monuments of Paris. The Vedettes du Pont-Neuf boat trip takes you from the Pont-Neuf to the Eiffel Tower with a diversion to the Arab World Institute and the Hôtel de Ville.
Practical information:
- boarding and disembarking: Pont-Neuf, square du Vert-Galant ;
- duration: 1 hour;
- timetable: departure every 30 minutes, every hour or one hour and fifteen minutes depending on the season;
- reservation: time-stamped tickets (cheaper) or Open tickets valid for one year on the website vedettesdupontneuf.com;
- commentary in French and English.
There are boat trips in Paris to suit all tastes and prices. Whatever your choice, your cruise on the Seine will be an experience that will allow you to discover the Capital with a unique perspective. An experience that can be complemented by a walking or bus tour through the old Paris.
