Where the concierge points people first
- Bateaux Mouches — The original big sightseeing cruisers, leaving from the Pont de l'Alma. A loop past the Eiffel Tower and round the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, with commentary. (48.8640, 2.3058)
- Bateaux Parisiens — Departing from the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the easiest to tack onto a tower visit. Same river, same islands, a different start point. (48.8526, 2.3480)
- Vedettes du Pont Neuf — Smaller boats from the Square du Vert-Galant, the tip of the Île de la Cité. Start here if you are already near the Louvre or Saint-Germain. (48.8574, 2.3410)
- Batobus — A hop-on, hop-off shuttle rather than a cruise, with a day ticket and stops including Jardin des Plantes and Musée d'Orsay. Best when you want transport with a view. (48.8519, 2.3498)
- Canauxrama — Up the Canal Saint-Martin between the Port de l'Arsenal and the Bassin de la Villette, through the locks and the long tunnel under the Bastille. Slow, and quite unlike the Seine. (48.8841, 2.3718)
- Paris Canal - Port Solférino — Starts on the Seine by the Musée d'Orsay, then turns off up the canal to La Villette, so you get river and locks in one trip. (48.8618, 2.3230)
The rest of the boat tours in Paris — every one we hold
- Bateau Boréas (48.8612, 2.2925)
- Bateau Melody Blues (48.8340, 2.3809)
- Batobus Station (48.8580, 2.3357)
- Batobus Station (48.8547, 2.3534)
- Batobus Station - Jardin des Plantes (48.8466, 2.3623)
- Batobus Station - Musée d'Orsay (48.8606, 2.3264)
- Dolce Vita Yacht Privé - Croisière Privée sur la Seine à Paris (48.8481, 2.3633)
- JP's Boat (48.8528, 2.2856)
- La Rivière Enchantée (48.8780, 2.2673)
- Paris Luxury Boat (48.8477, 2.3673)
- Paris Seine (48.8626, 2.2946)
- Parisducktour SAS (48.8358, 2.2925)
- River Limousine (48.8643, 2.3153)
- Victoria Sloep Experience (48.8537, 2.2870)
- Visite Paris En Bateau (48.8396, 2.2775)
The canal trip is the one people miss
Every Seine cruise circles the same two islands, the Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis, so pick by departure point rather than route. The Canal Saint-Martin is the different trip: boats rise and fall through a chain of nine locks and pass under swing bridges, then run in the dark through the vaulted tunnel beneath the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir and the Bastille. Evening departures around sunset are the busiest on the Seine; a morning boat is calmer and the light on the stone is kinder.
Questions people ask
What is the best boat tour in Paris?
For a classic Seine loop, Bateaux Mouches or Bateaux Parisiens. For something slower and different, the canal trips by Canauxrama or Paris Canal - Port Solférino through the Canal Saint-Martin locks.
How many boat tours are there in Paris?
Num's directory maps 22 boat tour departures and operators in Paris, including several Batobus stops.
Is the Batobus a boat tour?
It is a river shuttle with a day ticket, stopping at landmarks such as Musée d'Orsay and Jardin des Plantes. You can hop off and back on, but there is no guided commentary as on the cruises.
Ask Num which Paris boat tour suits your afternoon
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