A boat ride on the Seine is one of the classic experiences for visitors to Paris, and rightly so! Discovering Paris from the Seine makes it easy to understand the geography of Paris and the location of some of the city’s major monuments: Notre Dame, the Ile de la Cité, the Ile Saint-Louis, the Louvre, the Pont des Arts, the Institut de France, the place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Garden…not to mention the Eiffel Tower!
The beauty of many of these sites is best appreciated from the Seine, especially at night, when the monuments are illuminated and Parisians and tourists stroll along the banks of the Seine. This activity pleases adults, children and even adolescents!
The boats are called “bateaux mooches” (fly boats) because of the distinctive shape and the lights of the most famous boats.
Two main companies offer boat rides: the Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches and the Vedettes du Pont-Neuf. It is possible to take a cruise during the day or at night.
Hours
– Vedettes du Pont Neuf: departures each hour between 14.00 and 22.00
– Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches: departures every half hour between 10.00 and 22.30
In both cases, the cruise lasts around one hour.
How to get there
– Vedettes du Pont Neuf: docked at Square du Vert Galant in the 1st arrondissement. It is a 10 – 15 minute walk from the hotel, at the tip of the Ile-de-la-Cité, not far from Saint-Michel.
– Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches: docked along the Seine near the metro Alma-Marceau in the 8th arrondissement. Take bus 63 to the Alma-Marceau stop. Bus 63 stops on the rue des Ecoles, two minutes from Hotel Marignan. Alma-Marceau is also accessible by metro line 9.
Hotel Marignan’s advice
A boat ride on the Seine is a “must do” during your trip to Paris. Purchase your tickets at the hotel and benefit from a discounted price. The photos you take during this cruise will become your personal treasures.
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