Seine river cruise (Bateaux-Mouches)

Bateaux-Mouches (Port de la Conférence)

An hour on the water past the big landmarks

⚠ Long lines at sunset

Hours

Apr–Oct 10:00–22:00 every 30 minutes; Nov–Mar every 45 minutes 10:00–16:00, then every 30 minutes 16:00–21:30; extra sailings in school holidays

Tickets

Adults €20, €17 online on the official site; children €10 (€8 online), under 4 free. Open-dated, valid one year

Address

Port de la Conférence on the north bank by Pont de l'Alma, 8th arr. (not at the foot of the Eiffel Tower)

From the Pont de l'Alma pier, a two-deck boat runs up the Seine past Orsay, the Louvre and Notre-Dame, turns, and comes back toward the Eiffel Tower. It is an hour or so sitting down while the landmarks slide by, ideal for an evening when your feet are done. At dusk the riverside buildings light up one by one as you pass under the bridges, and you finish beside the sparkling tower. Many reviews say the open upper deck gets cold, even in summer. Boarding is first come, first served, with no fixed time.