Paris: Seine River Sightseeing Evening Cruise with Champagne

Start your evening at Vert-Galant Square, the tiny park at the tip of the Île de la Cité, just under Pont Neuf. From the statue of Henri IV in the middle of the bridge, walk down the stairs to the riverbank where your boat is waiting.

As you leave Pont Neuf, you circle Île de la Cité, where Paris was born. From the water you can see the medieval towers of the Conciergerie, the Courthouse and the elegant riverfront façades – like sailing around an open-air history book.

Gliding along the south bank of the island, you’ll enjoy a clear, unobstructed view of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Even under restoration, its flying buttresses and towers are one of the most powerful symbols of Paris, and the river is the perfect place for photos away from the crowds.

The cruise continues past Île Saint-Louis, lined with 17th-century mansions and calm quays. This is one of the most romantic corners of Paris: warm apartment windows, tiny balconies and reflections of the façades in the Seine.

Sailing back towards the Right Bank, you 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 stretches along the river, facing the domed French Institute 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.

On one side of the boat you’ll see the former railway station that is now the Orsay Museum; on the other, the gardens of the Tuileries and the obelisk of Place de la Concorde in the distance. This stretch feels like cruising through a postcard, especially at sunset when the sky turns pink behind the monuments.

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.

As the boat heads further west, 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.

Near the western end of your cruise, you’ll glimpse Paris’s own Statue of Liberty, a smaller sister of the New York icon, standing on the Île aux Cygnes. From the boat you enjoy a perfect view of this unexpected landmark, with the Eiffel Tower often visible in the background – a fun photo stop that surprises many first-time visitors.

On the way back, enjoy a final drink and a last look at Paris’s bridges and monuments reflected in the water. The cruise ends back at du Vert-Galant Square , just a short walk from the lively cafés and restaurants of the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain, perfect to continue your evening.