River Seine
The Seine River flows from Dijon in the Alps, through Paris, joining the sea at Le Havre on the French coast. Paris lies 277 miles (445 km) from the river mouth and the slow-moving river is navigable up to 348 miles (560 km) inland from Le Havre, to Paris and beyond. This made it a lucrative trading route and Paris a prosperous city even back in the days of the Roman Empire.
In Paris, many bridges cross the Seine, the oldest being the Pont Neuf dating from 1607 and the newest the Pont Charles de Gaulle completed in 1996. The river forks in central Paris creating two islands: the Ile de la Cité which is one of the most expensive districts to live, and the Ile Saint-Louis. Many of Paris's famous landmarks are beside the Seine: Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d'Orsay.
Latest Reviews
Review by Paul W, April 2013
Doing what: Paris City Tour, Seine River Cruise and Eiffel Tower
Coach tour was great and not too long (about 1.5 hours) - a great introduction for those who have never visited Paris before. A separate audio was provided for the children which we thought was an excellent idea.
We were able to go straight to the front of the queue for the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the wonderful views of Paris from the 2nd level.
We decided to come back later on the same day to take the river cruise along the Seine and see Paris at night - again a great audio was provided.
We felt the tour was great value for money and was suited to those people on a first time trip to Paris.
Review by Simon T, March 2013
Doing what: Versailles, Paris City Tour and Seine River Cruise Day Trip
Versailles is amazing. Our tour guide gave us great, in depth information into it's history. Unfortunately we went in February when the gardens are at their minimal, would love to go in the warmer months. Still very worthwhile!
The Seine River cruise was basic, relaxing and a good way to end the day.
Our tour included the lunch...this was not good! We went to an Irish pub and had 'authentic' French food cooked by 'Indian' chefs. There are so many beautiful cafes/restaurants in Paris, avoid paying for the tour which includes the lunch. We hope the tour company changes it's choice of venue!
Review by Gabriel Benitez, USA, December 2012
Doing what: Eiffel Tower, Paris Moulin Rouge Show and Seine River Cruise
I took this tour the first day I got to Paris and it was excellent. It was easy to find the starting point of the tour, then they took us to these attractions. I loved the tour eiffel tour, but the Seine river cruise at night was one of the best experiences of my life. Mouling Rouge was ok.
Practical Info
The Seine flows through the heart of Paris and is hard to miss. You can cruise it on either tours boats or the hop on hop off boats, or walk along either the left or right bank. Closest metro stations are Pont Neuf on line 7, Cite on line 4 and Musée d'Orsay on RER C.
