Seine river cruise, Paris

About a Seine cruise

The Seine runs through the very centre of Paris, so in an hour on the water you see nearly all the main sights on both banks. The sightseeing boats, bateaux-mouches, are long, often glass-covered vessels with an open upper deck and an enclosed lower one, some carrying up to 1,000 passengers. A typical trip lasts about an hour, with live or recorded commentary in several languages.

Bateaux Mouches is the trademark of the oldest river-cruise company, founded by Jean Bruel, but the name has long been used for all such boats. It literally means 'fly boats', yet it comes not from the insect but from the Mouche district of Lyon where the first ones were built. Today several companies operate on the Seine.

What you see from the water

• The Eiffel Tower — full height from mid-river.
• The Louvre and Tuileries — the palace's long riverside façade.
• The Musée d'Orsay — the former station with its clocks.
• Notre-Dame — the Île de la Cité from the water.
• The Pont Alexandre III — gilded statues above the river.
• The Pont Neuf and its masks — the oldest bridge from below.

The route

A classic cruise leaves from the pier at the Eiffel Tower or the Pont de l'Alma heading upstream, past the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre III, the Place de la Concorde, the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre. It slips under the Pont Neuf, circles the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis with Notre-Dame, then turns back.

On the return it often reaches the Île aux Cygnes with its small Statue of Liberty replica before heading back to the Eiffel Tower. In an hour you'll see both banks, dozens of bridges and quays listed by UNESCO.

Lunch and dinner cruises

Many companies offer lunch or dinner cruises: you sit at a table by a panoramic window while the boat drifts past Paris by night. These last two to two and a half hours, often with live music, and cost noticeably more than a standard cruise.

Book a dinner cruise in advance, especially for weekends and holidays, and check the dress code, as some boats ask for smart clothes. With children, a standard one-hour trip or a cruise with a light snack on board is easier.

The Batobus river shuttle

The Batobus is a river shuttle that works like a hop-on hop-off bus on the water. It has nine stops: Beaugrenelle, the Eiffel Tower, the Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, the Jardin des Plantes, the Hôtel de Ville, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées. A one- or two-day pass lets you board and alight as often as you like.

Boats run every 15–30 minutes without commentary, but it's a handy way to travel between sights while admiring the city. The Batobus is best on a sunny day when you want to spend the whole day by the river.

Tips for your cruise

Short on time? Take a standard one-hour cruise in the evening, one of the best ways to see Paris quickly. To sightsee and reach museums too, get a full-day Batobus pass.

The open deck is breezy even in summer, so bring a layer. For the best photos sit on the side facing the Île de la Cité as the boat turns, and hold your phone tight.

A cruise rounds off a day at the Eiffel Tower or the Trocadéro nicely: the piers are close by, and afterwards you can watch the tower sparkle from the water.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

51

Pont Alexandre III

Paris, France

20 min · Free · 10 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Pont Alexandre III

61

Champs-Élysées

Paris, France

1 h 30 min · Free · 11 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Champs-Élysées

46

Champ de Mars

Paris, France

1 h · Free · 18 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Champ de Mars

65

Eiffel Tower

Paris, France

2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs · 18 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Eiffel Tower

How to do it right

• Lights at night.
• Cheaper online.
• A layer on deck.
• Batobus for a full day.

Questions