Paris: Cruise on The Canal Saint Martin and The Seine River
Description
Discover two faces of Paris in a single relaxing cruise. Board near the iconic Hôtel du Nord by Place de la République and follow the leafy Canal Saint-Martin, with its picturesque locks, romantic footbridges and mysterious Bastille tunnel. Then glide out onto the Seine and watch Paris open up in front of you: Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower and the UNESCO-listed riverbanks that hosted the Paris 2024 Olympic celebrations. With live commentary in English and French and a cosy bar on board, this cruise lets you experience both the “secret” and the iconic Paris in total comfort, without ever leaving your seat. -Experience locks, swing bridges and a 2-km tunnel beneath the Bastille area -Admire UNESCO-listed riverbanks and legendary monuments -Take a moment to unwind on board with indoor and outdoor seating and a bar where you can buy snacks and drinks -Enjoy a relaxed, family-friendly experience, ideal for first-time visitors and Paris lovers alike
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your journey along Canal Saint-Martin, a historic waterway lined with trees, iron footbridges and popular cafés. As you cruise past the famous Hôtel du Nord and the lively waterside terraces, your guide explains how the canal was created to bring fresh water to Paris and how this district became one of the city’s trendiest neighbourhoods.
Experience the unique feeling of passing through several locks, watching the water level rise and fall around the boat while the gates slowly open and close. This is the best moment to observe everyday canal life: locals on the quays, walkers crossing the iron footbridges and the contrast between old industrial buildings and today’s cafés and boutiques. Continue towards the swing bridge, another distinctive feature of Canal Saint-Martin. As road traffic briefly stops to let the boat pass, your guide shares anecdotes about how the canal operates and its role in Parisian logistics and leisure.
Then enter the long underground tunnel beneath the Bastille area, a vaulted passage punctuated by shafts of daylight from above. The change of atmosphere is striking: the city noise disappears and you sail in near-silence under the historic streets of Paris. This hidden stretch of the canal is often one of the most surprising parts of the cruise.
Emerging from the tunnel, the boat reaches the Port de l’Arsenal, a marina linking Canal Saint-Martin to the Seine. Here you can see houseboats and pleasure craft moored in the basin while your guide explains how this former commercial port has been transformed into a pleasant harbour and garden.
Joining the Seine River, the scenery opens up to postcard views. Sail alongside Île Saint-Louis, with its elegant 17th-century façades, and enjoy a first glimpse of Île de la Cité, the historic heart of Paris. From the water you can fully appreciate the curve of the river and the city’s famous bridges.
As the boat continues along the UNESCO-listed riverbanks, your guide points out many of Paris’s most iconic monuments: Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Conciergerie, the Louvre museum, the Tuileries gardens, the Orsay Museum and the Eiffel Tower. From the open deck you can take unobstructed photos of these landmarks and hear stories about their history, architecture and role in the life of the city.
You will pass the ornate Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the lively riverside promenades. Here you really feel local life along the Seine, with people strolling, chatting and enjoying the evening by the water.
Further west, the immense façade of the Louvre Museum stretches along the river, facing the domed Institut de France on the Left Bank. Between them, the Pont des Arts footbridge offers one of the best viewpoints in Paris – from the boat you can see all three in a single glance.
You then pass under Pont Alexandre III, one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris with its golden statues and Art Nouveau lamps. Nearby you’ll see the glass roof of the Grand Palais and, on the Left Bank, the golden dome of Les Invalides, where Napoleon is buried.
The Eiffel Tower comes into full view, rising above the Trocadéro and the Champ de Mars. In the evening she is lit up, and if you’re there at the right time, you’ll see her sparkling – the moment everyone waits for, with Champagne glasses raised and cameras ready.
The cruise ends at Quai de l’Horloge, on Île de la Cité near Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. From here you are perfectly placed to continue exploring on foot: wander through the Latin Quarter, cross to the Right Bank, visit Sainte-Chapelle or simply enjoy a drink on a nearby terrace before heading back to your hotel.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Duration of the cruise: approximately 2 hour
Reviews(226)
It is very informative in French and English. It gives you a good sense of how many of the important landmarks are laid out in the city. It would have felt a little long if we had not been exhausted from our overnight plane ride. Thus it was the perfect first day activity. The host/guide was fantastique!
This was an absolutely brilliant trip! Compared to other Seine river trips, this was cheaper BUT had the added experience of travelling along the Canal Saint Martin, through the locks and along the underground tunnel system. Our guide was great and gave really interesting facts about what we journeying UNDER as well as the history of the canal itself, before emerging onto the Seine and sailing alongside the usual attractions: Eiffel, Louvre, Notre Dame, and others (no spoilers here!) The meeting point was easy to find, the boat was really pleasant, staff professional and friendly, and the bar well-stocked with refreshments and espresso! We (51, 45, 14, 10) loved spending the afternoon on this trip and would highly recommend
Staff were amazing, boat was nice. Get there early to get good seats. Great info about different parts of Paris. First part is going under the tunnel from the canal to the Seine, so not a lot of canal cruise.
We really enjoyed our experience. I think if we were to do it again, we would just book the river only. It took quite a while to get through the various locks on the canal but it was very interesting.
Amazing and beautiful trip. The boat was comfortable and the ride was sublime. The guide was great and didn’t speak too much letting us enjoy the magic of the city.
Nice way to see the city. Tour guide was good and provided a lot of interesting information. Wear sunscreen and a hat if you sit outside.
This was a fun experience that was well worth the money. You get to see quite a few of the famous sites and attractions. They drop you off at a convenient location close to lots of fun things to do.
Original cruise with the lock passages and the underground canal section. The end of the route is more classic, on the Seine, between the Île de la Cité and the Eiffel Tower. Special mention to the guide, dynamic and full of humor, who knows how to captivate her audience and provide amusing anecdotes about all the places presented throughout the cruise. We just had an issue regarding the pickup location, which was not the right one (the fault of Tripadvisor, which had not informed us of the change in pickup location).
Very nice and original cruise, especially the Canal Saint-Martin part. The guide was really very good.
The drop-off and pick-up locations for this tour are a significant distance from one another, which is something travelers should be aware of when booking. We unfortunately did not realize this, and the departure point ended up being about 30 minutes from our hotel. As a result, we missed our boat, although we did call to let the operator know. We fully acknowledge that missing the departure was our mistake. We asked to be rebooked, and the only option the tour operator offered was the exact same trip on a different day. We initially accepted, but once we realized the timing would not work because we needed to leave for the airport, we contacted them again. At that point, they were unwilling to move us to any other available tour, provide a credit, or offer even a partial refund. I understand that tour companies have cancellation policies and that they were under no obligation to refund us for missing the original departure. My disappointment is with the complete lack of flexibility or willingness to find another solution. When people are traveling in an unfamiliar city, things happen. I would have appreciated some effort to work with us, particularly given the price of the tour. Instead, we walked away feeling that the company was more interested in keeping our money than helping a customer salvage the experience. It was an expensive lesson and unfortunately put a damper on an otherwise wonderful trip. I would encourage others to pay very close attention to the departure and return locations before booking.
