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Bateaux Mouches, founded in 1949, offers Seine sightseeing and dinner cruises with a fleet of 15 boats. It stands as the 4th top-paid attraction in Paris, serving 2.5 million visitors annually. I embarked on a 12-day journey to Paris to find definitive answers by trying out the five most popular river cruises and dinner cruises. While there are a fair few tour companies offering a solid variety of options for a Seine River cruise, you may want something a bit more tailor-made for a special vacation to Paris. In that case, you’re in luck — it’s possible to book a private boat tour of the River Seine. Here is a list of companies that offer semi-private or private boat tours along the Seine.
Paris ~ Giverny ~ Les Andelys ~ Rouen ~ Honfleur ~ Normandy Beaches
Regular cruises have free seating and you can sit wherever you find a spot – and also move around for views and photos during the cruise. On lunch and dinner cruises, you’ll be seated at a table but you can’t specifically pick one. They also offer short 30 minute stopover cruises that go between the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral, as well as longer round-trip cruises that last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Canauxrama is one of the top companies for providing canal tours around Paris, but they also provide scenic tours along the Seine River as well as a combined canal and river cruise.
Seine Experience the Normandy 2024
The Batobus is a hop-on, hop-off boat that runs along the River Seine, giving you the convenience to explore Paris on your own timescale and allowing you to create your own itinerary. There’s also a number of cruises on offer relating to special events, such as Valentine’s Day and Bastille Day. You also have the option of this family friendly Vedette de Paris cruise which is perfect if you are visiting Paris with your children. With the comprehensive list of sights on offer, a trip with Vedettes de Paris is a great way to see a whole lot of Paris’ top sights.
Video: Vedettes de Paris River Cruise Review
Owner of My Adventures Across The World, solo traveler, cat mom to Minnie. Claudia has been featured by the Lonely Planet and the Huffington Post. Booking in advance means that you will be able to get the best value for money. You will often be able to purchase tickets at discounted prices and compare reviews from previous customers too. The plus point of having your own private cruise of the River Seine means you get to relax in style (and privacy), travel at your own pace, and have more comfort overall. There’s also this early evening cruise on the Paris CityVision – keep in mind drinks are not included though.
If you are looking for the cheapest Seine River tickets, Vedettes du Pont Neuf is probably the best choice if you take advantage of their online deals. They also offer a great central location if you are going to be near Notre Dame. The website says the tickets (as of June 2023) are regularly 15 euros for adults and 9 euros for children 4-12. However, they often have a discount if you purchase the tickets online from their website. Narration is provided by live guides who give commentary in both French and English. You can also download the company’s free app that provides commentary in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese.
The Seine River flows through the City of Light and empties at the English Channel near Le Havre, with ports that include Rouen and Honfleur, plus visits to places like Monet’s gardens in Giverny. The cruise follows a standard itinerary between the Eiffel Tower and the Austerlitz Bridge, encompassing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. The views are rather limited even if you sit next to windows since you’re limited to seeing one bank of the Seine or the other.
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If you sit on the upper part of the boat, the boat has recently started asking customers to download a free audioguide app on their smartphones rather than giving out individual audio devices. The app commentary is available in multiple languages, but you will need a smartphone and set of headphones or earbuds to listen. You can buy tickets online (use our link for a small discount), by phone, or at the dock. If you purchase your ticket online, you can collect your ticket before boarding at the Pont de l’Alma at the Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches kiosk. You will just need to present your transaction number and proof of booking. This is the oldest company operating cruise boats on the Seine River, starting service after World War II, and these boats have become somewhat of a symbol of Paris.
thoughts on “How To Pick The Best Seine River Cruise In Paris”
Immerse yourself in the enchanting ambiance of Paris as this journey grants visitors a special vantage point to behold the breathtaking beauty and romantic allure of the city. A cruise along the Seine is a fantastic opportunity to learn about Paris and its famous attractions. The itinerary is rich in local charm, navigating several canal locks and a mile-long tunnel, presenting a side of Paris less seen by tourists. An interesting feature of this cruise is the option to start either from Parc de la Villette or Musée d’Orsay the Seine. On this Seine River cruise, you can explore Parisian landmarks between the Eiffel Tower and the Austerlitz Bridge, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and the Grand Palais. The assembly area has a covered waiting area, an air-conditioned waiting lounge, and a ticket office.
This is a new and unique tour much coveted by tourists and locals (yep, we also like trying new experiences!). Because of the small capacity of the bus, the Paris Duck Tours sold out very fast, so it is usually necessary to book many weeks in advance. If you don’t find this Seine River tour available for your dates, consider this Seine River + Canal Saint-Martin Duck Tour or this Paris to Versailles Duck Tour also with their unique amphibious bus. It is possible to get on the Batobus Paris as often as you want over a specified period of time without buying new tickets.
You can see the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides from the water on this evening trip down the Seine. Champagne is available for guests to sip on board to further elevate the cruise experience. In addition, take pleasure in an enjoyable boat ride down the picturesque Seine River for an hour. A cruise down the Seine at sunset is a lovely way to spend a date in the City of Light. Enjoy a three-course meal à la carte while taking in the sights of a lit Paris from the comfort of an all-glass vessel.
Their small-to-medium-sized, double-decker ships can accommodate around 220 passengers each. The lower deck provides comfortable outdoor and indoor seating, though with a lesser panorama. Additionally, there’s no way for a wheelchair user to ascend the stairs to the top deck unless you can cast Wingardium Leviosa. Each has thousands of glowing reviews, so the most reliable way to rank them was to experience them all.
The 1-hour non-stop Discovery sightseeing cruise is currently (as of June 2023) 20 euros for adults, 9 euros for children age 4-11, and free for children under 4. There are no wheelchair-accessible toilets on board or near where the boats are docked. However, some people with greater mobility who are in manual wheelchairs and have a person accompanying them to help them navigate the stairs and walkways, may be able to do these cruises. There is no narration during these boat tours as they are designed as a boat taxi service rather than an actual cruise. Staff members are on board, however, and can answer questions in both English and French. If you use the boat to do a sightseeing tour, the full circuit takes about 2 hours.
Ride a unique vehicle through land and water as you take in Paris’ various attractions. Come aboard on this one-of-a-kind city cruise as you make your way along the Seine and past notable sites. Whether you choose to take this enchanting journey during the magical evening hours or bask in the glorious daylight, prepare to be captivated by the breathtaking sights that await you.
Dior's Floating Spa in Paris Offers Facials While Cruising The Seine - Vogue
Dior's Floating Spa in Paris Offers Facials While Cruising The Seine.
Posted: Tue, 04 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
But if you have a more specialized dietary preferences or allergies (e.g., gluten-free, vegan, etc.), you will want to check in advance to make sure it can be accommodated. Boat access requires being able to climb up and down a set of stairs so you need to be at least somewhat mobile to do the ride. For those who can handle the steps, wheelchairs and walkers can be accommodated on the boat and there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet aboard the boat. The company only operates cruises between April and September and does not offer them daily.
It’s a cruise you can do over and over again especially in autumn when the changing leaves in Paris just look magical. Cruise itineraries on the Seine River can be any length from three nights up to 20 nights, depending on the cruise line you're traveling on. Since the Seine River flows through Paris, many cruises on this waterway pass by or near the Eiffel Tower. Paris and northern France shine in the spring, particularly April and May, as well as the shoulder months of September and October. While August is the peak season for tourists, keep in mind that locals often leave for their vacations, so some venues and restaurants are closed or may not have normal hours. If you've ever wanted to experience Paris in all of its dazzling glory, let a Seine River cruise transport you there (and beyond).
However, many of the other stops require steps or have cobbled walkways. Wheelchair accessible toilets are available near their Eiffel Tower dock. The open-top is great in good weather and provides unobstructed better views than some of the other boats operated by other companies without the extra deck. However, in bad weather you’ll be forced into the glassed-in bottom half of the boat.
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