Ideas for visiting Paris Explore the City of Light in different ways

We loved our River cruise on the Seine. Our guide was great and gave us a lot of interesting history. We saw several iconic landmarks like the Louvre and Notre Dame. The best part though was they timed our passage by the Eiffel Tower to coincide with the lights turning on at twilight. It was magical and while I'm sure all the tours are great, going on the 8 p.m, tour was a perfect end to our first day in Paris.

Sightseeing Cruise - 06967

The guide for this tour may have been the best one I have ever had for any tour. And I have been on quite of few in my lifetime. We really enjoyed this tour. I highly recommend it, especially for the price.

Sightseeing Cruise - Keith_S

An amazing way to see all the sights in an hour. We only had a short amount of time and two small children so running around Paris wasn't an option. This took the stress away while enjoying everything we wanted to see. Such an amazing price as well. The boat had so much space and small amount of passengers. So was able to move around the relax. Super friendly and informative staff.

Sightseeing Cruise - nickyl8

Really good experience! Definitely recommend it and I would suggest going on the cruise early on your trip to get a good view of everything you are about to see. Our guide was great and really knowledgeable! Really enjoyed the whole experience!

Sightseeing Cruise - Artemis

This is a fun way to see the sites and enjoy a river cruise. The views were beautiful despite a little bit of rain. We actually had a full length rainbow at the end of our cruise across the water. It was fun.

Sightseeing Cruise - Jill

A must do! Our boat guide, Maxine, was great! He was so knowledgeable and kind. He interacted with everyone on the boat and made sure we were having a great time. A wonderful way to see major sights through Paris! Would definitely book again!

Sightseeing Cruise - katheri

Excellent cruise! Left on time, plenty of seating with good views, witty and informative commentary!

Sightseeing Cruise - Movan

My mom and I took this cruise on an evening with some light rain, but we stayed on the first floor to stay covered. There was room to step onto the uncovered bow when we approached Tour Eiffel. We received some good tidbits from the guide on the speakers, but it was difficult to hear everything given some other travelers, including some children, having simultaneous conversations. The MC shared everything in English and French, so it felt very authentic. The tour was the perfect length to get a glimpse and brief history of various landmarks, including the Lourve, Musee d'Orsay, the Obelisque (though I completely missed this from the left side of the boat), Grand Palais, Notre Dame, and more! We may have had a better view from the top deck, but didn’t want to get rained on :)

Sightseeing Cruise - Indigo_K

A wonderful history about the city of Paris, as well as scenic views of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Sightseeing Cruise - Aidan_S

Great knowledgeable guide in multiple languages. Really nice experience. Would highly recommend for couples, single travelers and families.

Sightseeing Cruise - Anika_A

Great trip. Guide was funny and informative. Would recommend

Sightseeing Cruise - c88tsj

Timed perfectly to Eiffel Tower twinkling! It was hot in Paris but the cruise was a welcome relief. Commentar was very good and informative!

Sightseeing Cruise - Jenny

An excellent tour and just the right length. The guide switched so skillfully between French and English that for a moment I almost forgot I don't even speak French! Just the right amount of facts about the monuments we passed.

Sightseeing Cruise - mooch

It was a great experience. Amazing guide that translated in several languages and we got to see so many great monuments at sunset. Definitely recommend!

Sightseeing Cruise - Nichole

We went to the tour we had booked at 8:15pm and while waiting to board the boat it started pouring rain and hailing. The boat was an open boat so they announced we could come at 10:15 instead. We waited for the rain to stop and got dinner and came back for a lovely cruise. It was cold but we were prepared. Some people on the boat with us were super loud taking videos of themselves but the tour was very nice!

Sightseeing Cruise - Sherri_S

We gave out feet a rest and booked this cruise for our last day. The ship was clean, had a full bar and you could get light food, and a lovely boutique. The guide spoke well in both French and English, and was quite informative. Very nice view of the falls. Would definitely recommend!

Sightseeing Cruise - Marian

Lovely scenic cruise along the River Seine with a lovely glass of champagne. Our cruise was the night PSG won the Champions League so the atmosphere along the river was electric with people, fireworks and horns it was quite a sight

Champagne Cruise - Donna

Amazing! The sunset cruise with champagne down the Seine River was definitely the perfect ending to the night. Seeing the Eiffel Tower SPARKLE was spectacular! 10/10! Would definitely recommend.

Champagne Cruise - Tonya

Book this tour!! We did this on our first night in Paris and it was so beautiful and fun we decided to go again on our last night

Champagne Cruise - Christine

They leave on time. Be on time. No blankets were provided in June, despite it being somewhat cold, so just come prepared for weather. Excellent views of the Eiffel Tower at night. Crew was friendly and welcoming.

Champagne Cruise - Rebecc

What a fantastic experience! Seeing Paris from the Seine was absolutely beautiful, especially with all of the famous landmarks along the way. The cruise was relaxing, well organized, and a perfect way to take in the city's beauty. I do wish they were able to time it with the Eiffel Tower lights but we still really enjoyed it!

Champagne Cruise - jenmic

Loved this sunset river cruise. It was very lovely to see the Eiffel tower light up and to see alll the landmarks from the cruise boat. The timing is perfect because the sun is setting and you get to see the beauty of the city as it lights up.

Champagne Cruise - yanina7

River Cruise was a great way to see a different view of Paris. They will give kids soda instead of champagne if you ask. I would recommend going 9:15 or later unless you want the sun in your face for the first half of the cruise. Also you will NOT see the sparkling Eiffel Tower if you get on at 9:15. It was relaxing and scenic but the lines to wait to get on the tours were very confusing and we don't speak French but several people “helped” us in English but it turns out after waiting in line for an hour we had waited in the wrong line even though we showed them our ticket and they said we were in the correct spot. There was a very very helpful lady on the boat that we were in line for that took us to the correct line and made sure we got on the correct boat. I don’t have her name but I wish I did because she was so helpful. So, if you book the champagne sunset cruise you don't go to the main line when you get to the port, you walk a little farther down to the next large line that doesn’t have a boat/bathrooms by it. That was our experience anyway.

Champagne Cruise - Scott_R

Lovely evening on the cruise. We walked to our location and boarded on time. The view in the evening was lovely. Saw the sunset and the lights come on the Eiffel Tower. Beautiful!

Champagne Cruise - Patricia

This was a nice and well organized sunset cruise on the Seine. It costs a bit more than the crowded, bargain-basement cruises where you have to queue and might have to wait for the next boat, but I think it's worth it. I still recommend arriving at least 25 minutes early if you want to grab a chair and/or table. We were 15 minutes early and all the chairs were taken, so we stood, which was fine. It's only 45 minutes or so. You go upriver until reaching the end of the older buildings, then turn around and go down to the Eiffel Tower (timed so you arrive as the sparkling lights come on, which is every hour for about 5 minutes), and then back to the same spot. I wasn't immediately sure which boat was our boat, but I asked a crew member for a different boat and he pointed the way. Our boat had pop songs playing in the background, but not too loud. It's not a guided tour. There's apparently an app that you can download and listen to on your phone, but literally no one on our boat was doing that. They were talking among themselves and enjoying the views. Most people opt for the (plastic) glass of Champagne that's included, but other drinks are available. I had a can of Perrier.

Champagne Cruise - North_F

Went on this champagne boat cruise on a Wednesday. Saw the main sights, had a glass of champagne, bar was available for more. Cruise would have been better if we would have seen the Eiffel Tower lit up. Would definitely recommend.

Champagne Cruise - soophil

Overall, I think a trip worth doing. I don’t think the food on the longer trips on the river are worth it, so we stuck with the champagne tour. The trip starts from the ninth bridge, very great location, they go around the island of St. Louis head west down to Eiffel Tower. If you get the timing right, you will see the Eiffel Tower with the lights on, beacon on and the flashing lights. The dock was easy to find however, there is no assigned that said buy a tour tour here for example, so you have to ask someone if they are a via Tour agent. In the end, it was very easy to find the boat what complaint would be the amount of champagne it was basically half a glass of champagne in a plastic flute. But once again, the scenery is unforgettable. The price is right in spite of not having a refill on the champagne, which is what you would expect. I think it was a good trip and still would recommend.

Champagne Cruise - Mark_W

It was amazing!! Get your tickets early and time it for sunset so that you get to see the Eiffel Tower lit up! Seeing the Paris city lights on the river is so calming and romantic. It has been my favorite part of my trip so far!

Champagne Cruise - Amber

The cruise was beautiful! The perfect timing to watch the sunset. Not only were there amazing views of the Eiffel Tower, but you also got to see other monuments like the Notre Dame. The perfect end to our trip

Champagne Cruise - Emma_t

A perfect Paris evening. The champagne river cruise at sunset was effortless and elegant, with golden light reflecting off the Seine as we drifted past iconic landmarks. The pace was relaxed, the views were stunning, and the atmosphere felt intimate without being crowded. As the sun set, the city transitioned into a soft glow, building to the highlight of the night—the Eiffel Tower sparkling against the dark sky. Seeing it twinkle from the water was unforgettable. If you want a romantic, memorable way to experience Paris, this is hard to beat.

Champagne Cruise - Whitne

The ride on the river at night was beautiful. Loved the music. The reveal of the Eiffel Tower lit up and them with pulsating lights was amazing. This was our last night in Paris and I couldn't imagine a better way to end our visit.

Champagne Cruise - Tamara

Before I started the tour, I was regretting getting a guide. I thought I had bought smg that wasn't necessary. I was SOOOO wrong. Our guide was AMAZING. He took us to see so many cool things and told us the story behind and what not. The museum is so huge that it’s so beneficial to go with someone who has direction and knowledge.

Louvre - ILEANA_P

Our small group tour of 6 was a great experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the museum and exhibits. His presentation was incredibly interesting and made the visit quite memorable. Even my husband, who is not a museum fan, stayed engaged. Highly recommend!

Louvre - Carie_D

This tour was a perfect way to see The Louvre. We met at the tour guide near the Louvre. We purchased a skip the line and private tour. I would recommend bringing a fan for inside the museum, it can get warm inside. We didn’t have to wait in the long line outside. There’s another entrance inside that we used. The guide knew where to go for restroom breaks with no line. Our tour guide was excellent!

Louvre - valerie

This was a fantastic tour! Our guide showed us all the major displays in the two hours of the tour. It was wonderful to see all of the amazing art pieces! It was very busy and crowded but our guide somehow brought us to the right place at the right time and we never felt rushed. Honestly, I would even pay double the price for the ease of navigating the lines and even skipping some lineups. At the end of the tour we had the option to stay and browse the Louvre on our own. I could not be happier with the whole experience.

Louvre - Christin

We had an excellent tour guide who spoke perfect English. He was worth his weight in gold getting us into the museum in about five minutes, skipping all of the lines. He was extremely knowledgeable and well it could take days to get through the entire museum, he gave us a really good overview on the two hour tour. After our tour ended that we had the option to stay in the museum as long as we liked.

Louvre - jm6672

We were lucky enough to have a private tour with an extremely knowledgeable guide who took time to teach us about all of the amazing works and guide the tour towards what interested us the most. He was funny, knowledgeable, and entertaining and I would highly recommend.

Louvre - rollinin32

We visited Le Louvre Museum on the first day after the October jewel heist. That gallery remained closed, which caused significant logistical problems getting around the museum. Our guide successfully navigated us through nevertheless. He was friendly, courteous, and considerate given that three of the six in our group were each octogenarians. He was also knowledgeable. I recommend this small group tour of Le Louvre Museum to everyone.

Louvre - Rayme

This was an awesome tour. This was truly a skip the line tour. Our tour guide took us to a side security entrance that was a lot smaller than the line at the pyramid. Once inside we went to the group area. There was no line for the bathrooms nor was there a line to enter the museum. Once inside, the museum is crowded. Our tour guide was a historian giving a tour. He had insightful knowledge of the history of the building, the art and French history. We learned a lot. He answered all of our question's. He was also very nice. He helped other museum patrons, giving directions when needed.

Louvre - 10Stem

Our guide Bosa was a wonderful tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and accommodating. The changing of the guards was not part of our tour but she was able to get us to buckingham palace in time to see it and positioned us in locations that allowed optimal viewing amongst the masses of people.

Louvre - Cynthia

I booked this tour with our family (two adults and two children, 11 and 13 years) at 6 pm on a Wednesday in July. The tour was with two other people, six persons in total. I don't know how busy Louvre is during the day, but this was really doable. Outside there was this huge line, but we got straight in, following our excellent, witty and extremely knowledgeable guide Sinsé. He knows so much about art history! His love for the museum itself and the art we passed (statues from the classic mythology, the Crown Jewels, Italian Renaissance paintings) was infectious. We learned so much during this tour that lasted about two-and-a-half/three hours. Sinsé's story (in perfect US-English) built up beautifully to the end mark of the tour: the Mona Lisa. It was surreal to see this icon in the flesh; of course it was crowded, but we got to it really fast and we made some nice pictures with the painting. And Sinsé put it in great perspective: there is so much beauty to see in Louvre. So much great works where it is hardly crowded. After the tour we were able to wander through te remaining 95% of the museum (it is huuuUUUge) to find out ourselves. In our humble opinion, this was a great way to obtain a first introduction of Louvre. Thanks Sinsé!

Louvre - 89€cn°

My twin 13 year old girls and I enjoyed the cruise. Even though it poured with rain, we enjoyed all the views from inside. Both guides were very good and funny. They made the commentary very entertaining. Seeing how the locks work was a very cool feature of this cruise. We took the cruise on our last day - it was a great way to end our holiday in Paris. I highly recommend it.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Christina

A highly recommended activity - it was perfect. A cruise that takes you along the Canal Saint-Martin, that side of Paris we don't necessarily know, with a friendly guide who shared his knowledge generously. Then seamlessly continuing onto the Seine, a very pleasant and information-rich journey rediscovering the monuments of Paris and some previously unknown neighbourhoods. A truly worthwhile outing. Kudos also for the organisation.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Brigitte

Loved this river cruise going through the few canal locks at the start was really cool. Then going underground through the tunnel was amazing . Couldn't believe how quiet it was and how clear the water was. Then a really enjoyable cruise along the Sienne. The female guide talks non stop. And I mean - non stop. Whilst she was informative and entertaining - it's really annoying but the end. You just wanted a few minutes of silence to enjoy the scenery. If we had a dollar for every time she said the phrase -“Just so you know” - we’d be millionaires. She did make us laugh despite all this Great cruise to see Paris

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - johnbo

The underground part of the Canal St Martin is a surprise. The tour gives one the opportunity to have a boat trip on both the canal and the River Seine, past the Eiffel Tower to the turning point of the tour at the Statue of Liberty.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Theuns

I highly recommend this cruise for a different way to discover Paris. A very interesting guided tour.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - celynst

I'm glad I found this trip as it was something different to the trips which just take you on the Seine. We enjoyed a sunny couple of hours firstly on the canal, going through locks and tunnels which was very interesting and picturesque. Then the tour on the Seine which took you to see many of the sights on the way. The trip was really enjoyable and the commentary was great. Thank you.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Julie R

It’s a wonderful tour, especially for us starting at the canal and going through the locks. A very unique experience. Cruise on the river was very nice as well. Seating is OK on either the top or the bottom. If it gets chilly or hot, it’s still nice inside.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Daryl_H

This is a lovely, relaxed boating trip down canals, an amazing tunnel, and a set of locks prior to entering the Seine. We were well informed with the commentary. It was a small group and a small boat - extremely pleasant!

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - beverly

The guide was excellent - the commentary was exceptional, what erudition. Bravo J.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Diane_C

This was my first river boat ride so I can’t compare it to a traditional river cruise but I’d think it stands out as an exceptional experience. Riding thru the locks; seeing the local neighborhood (kids jumping into the canal off the bridge by our launch - very hot day); floating past local marina with lots of interesting house boats, etc; and a slightly smaller crowd than some of the big operators. We saw everything the big operators saw and had French/English explanation of sights we were seeing. Drop off point was Pont Neuf just so it’s clear you don't go back to the start. We had a great time.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Alison_M

There are any number of companies offering a cruise on the Seine. What makes this one stand out is the inclusion of the Canal St Martin and the voyage through the locks and underground tunnel system before joining the Seine. The tour commentary was humorous and I felt the speed of vessel was slower, less hurried compared to the other we passed

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Chris

Most people miss this beautiful canal when in Paris. I loved seeing the lock system in the canal and then entering the Seine River portion. Snacks and drinks made this a comfortable ride and the narration was fun and informative.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - Rita_M

Experience was better than expected. Guide seamlessly moved between French and English sharing the history of the Canal, how it was built and how it affected Parisian life in the past and in recent times. We then moved into the Seine and received more info on this strategic river running through the heart of Paris. Weather was on again/off again rain so we stayed up top when it was clear and inside when the rain started (There was plenty of room inside). Onboard snack bar had plenty of choices to fill your snacking needs. It was a very relaxing and informative tour. If you love water and enjoy history even a little bit, this is a great tour experience.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - MarkD

I took my wife on the cruise as part of our anniversary trip to Paris and we both throughly enjoyed it. The journey down through several locks on the canal was a real treat and going through the tunnel under the Place de la Bastille was something special too, not what you get on any other river cruise. The history told and the connection from looking up from the River Seine on numerous Parisian landmarks really embeds you into your surroundings. A fascinating trip and some great photo opportunities too, especially the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty. We thoroughly recommend this cruise.

Cruise from the St-Martin Canal to the Seine - d32ben

Great experience. Did this with 5 kids of various ages and their 5 accompanying adults. The host fluidly switched between English and French. She is so talented! The ride is an hour long and in a cooler day that was plenty. Visitors booking is the only problem-- it kept asking for address compensation but there is no place to put that so I could generate the tickets. Luckily the tour operators are very used to it and didn’t even blink an eye. Fyi, if you are running late just wait for the next one, they run them every 15 or 30 min so it’s not a long wait!

Snack Cruise - Sahar_t

A wonderful visit with a fantastic guide! Bravo Elodie for your enthusiasm and your warmth!

Snack Cruise - Nicolas

Great experience with the family! 3 kids age 3,7,5. We missed the 17:15 cruise due to a bridge closing, but easily got on the 17:45 train with no problem. The snack box was great for the kids and made the cruise even more fun! Great to avoid the candy bar! Highly recommend

Snack Cruise - Sarah_K

It was a last-minute, same-day booking. Plenty of space on the boat for us to park the stroller. Snacks (small pastries, bottled juice for kids or hot drinks for adults) helped to calm the kids during the 1-hour cruise. Guide talked about 2/3rd of the journey - simple explanation with bits of humour. We also googled additional info that we were curious about. Terminal at the beautiful Pont Neuf - you can enjoy the area after the cruise.

Snack Cruise - Yusoff_R