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Paris Tours
Seine River Cruise and Paris Canals Tour
4

Seine River Cruise and Paris Canals Tour

By Paris Canal
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See the Seine River—and then explore the lesser-visited Canal Saint-Martin—on this two-in-one Paris boat tour. Cover more of the city in less time, and take the stress out of your sightseeing when you see Paris from the water. As you go, admire top attractions, including Notre-Dame and the Louvre; cruise under bridges and through locks; and listen to your guide's live, on-board commentary for historical context.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 90 per group
Duration: 2h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, French
More

Highlights
  • Admire top Paris attractions like the Louvre from the Seine River
  • See a new side of Paris when you tour the Canal Saint-Martin
  • Live, on-board commentary from your guide is included
  • See more of the city in less time on this seamless boat tour

  • Cruise
  • Live onboard commentary
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
  • Food and drinks, unless specified

Hop aboard your sightseeing boat near the Musée d'Orsay or Villette Basin (depending on departure time selected). Then, take a seat on the outdoor viewing deck or inside the cabin as you begin your cruise. With live, on-board commentary, admire top Paris attractions including Île Saint-Louis, the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Notre-Dame. From your vantage point on the water, enjoy clearer views than from the city streets. Next, cruise onward along the Canal Saint-Martin, and explore narrow waterways constructed by Napoleon in the early 19th century. Pass through a dimly lit tunnel beneath the Place de la Bastille, and see sides of the French capital many visitors miss. When your canal cruise comes to an end, alight back at the Musée d'Orsay or Villette Basin to conclude your tour.

Start:Multiple meeting point options.
  • Option 1
    12 Port de Solférino, 75007 Paris, France
    DEPARTURE AT 10.00AM from Port de Solférino/Quai Anatole France. The closest metro is Solférino (line 12) As soon as you exit the metro, join the Orsay museum. When you have the Orsay museum on your back, go downstairs at the level of the Seine, and walk on the left. White and blue boat Paris Canal
  • Option 2
    Paris Canal Parc de la Villette, 211 Av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
    DEPARTURE AT 02.30PM from Parc de la Villette. METRO is Porte de Pantin (line 5) As soon as you exit the metro, walk straight on through the park, past Grande Halle de la Villette, until you get to the canal. The departure will be on the left, opposite the restaurant 211. White and blue boat
End:
  • Option 1
    Paris Canal Parc de la Villette, 211 Av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
    If you start the cruise at 10am from the Musée d'Orsay you arrived at 12.30pm to the Parc de la Villette
  • Option 2
    12 Port de Solférino, 75007 Paris, France
    If you start the cruise at 2.30pm from the Parc de la Villette you arrived at 5.00pm to the Musée d'Orsay

  • Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3001CRUISE

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 90 travelers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3001CRUISE

From
$24.74
per adult
Select date and travelers

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • Pass by
    Musee d'Orsay
    Place de la Bastille
    Canal Saint-Martin
    Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris
    Louvre Museum
    Parc de la Villette
    Seine River
    Cite des sciences et de l'industrie
    Ile Saint-Louis
    La Geode
    Paris Canal
    Bassin de la Villette
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Paris Canal
    1,365
    France
    Joined in February 2011
  • GolfladyUk
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Musee D'Orsay to La Villette
    We went on the 2 1/2 hour trip from Musee D'Orsay to La Villette via the Sant Martin Canal. It was a brilliant trip - seeing a completely different part of Paris, with the history, the locks and the views. Would recommend highly.
    Written July 30, 2023
  • simm12162023
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant, scenic cruise
    Lovely cruise from the Musée d'Orsay up the Canal St. Martin to Parc de la Villette. Some of the trip was underground but the guide still had interesting info to share with us. Very informative and great to end up in such a beautiful location. In the summer there is a lido in la Villette, which might be worth exploring in the heat.
    Written July 6, 2023
  • andyY1935SY
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent cruise up the Canal St. Martin
    We really enjoyed our little cruise from the Musée d'Orsay up to La Villette through the Canal St. Martin with Paris Canal. It's a great way to see the city (and the tunnel the ships pass through is fascinating, too). The guide gave us a lot of info in English and French. Since the ship has to pass nine locks, you need to have the patience for waiting in the locks for quite a while.
    Written June 14, 2023
  • philippeo368
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous day
    I took a group of 35 people on a 6-hour Seine and Marne rivers. It was flawless. The lunch was delicious, the bilingual commentator perfect, even the weather was cooperating. Gorgeous day, congratulations.
    Written October 1, 2021
  • vivianasarmiento2020
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing boat tour
    circuit was from Musee de l´Orangerie, and finishes in la Villete. Departure was on time, good explanation of every place, organized and nice crew. Thanks Paris Canal we had a really good time
    Written September 5, 2020
  • hendrikwille
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great!
    Staff of the ship was competent (good explanations in French and English) and friendly! We will recommend this sight seeing event!
    Written August 18, 2020
  • grayham75
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lot of canal, not much river
    This was a 2.5 hour cruise, entitled River Seine Cruise. We were expecting to see a lot of the city from the river but in reality the first 2 hours 15 minutes was negotiating canal locks! We saw Notre Dame but that was all.....
    Written August 11, 2020
  • moeon
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    winter season Pari view
    I could enjoy one of beautiful Pari view in high winter season.It was slow and good time on cruise!!
    Written February 25, 2020
  • gudrun870
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mal etwas anderes
    we had a very nice trip on a cold day! It was very interesting to listen the famous guide on the boat.
    Written November 27, 2019
  • 645lenka_
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Super experience
    Paris in another view, beautiful, funny. Guide was perfect, possibility to drink wine while you look around.
    Written November 13, 2019
  • Livia T
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Too long not enough commentary
    It’s a long trip in cold damp weather and we needed more and better commentary and history. The poor quality of the sound system and our guide’s very heavy accent made it harder to understand. His French commentary was much more interesting to the extent I could follow it. Fascinating ride but should be a better experience
    Written October 29, 2019
  • MCikka
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It was very nice
    The cruise was very interested but we would have appreciated if there was coffee service while on cruise. Thanks
    Written October 27, 2019
  • RobinA_13
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Another way to view the Seine
    I was happy to discover that we could explore another way to enjoy a Paris boat ride. Leaving from Parc du Viliette, gave us the opportunity to see another neighborhood. Using 9 locks on the canal we made our way to the Seine, around the Bastille ending at Musée D’Orsay. During the Pictureseque ride we had lively commentary from one of the boat crew which truly enhanced the experience . I would not hesitate to try this different approach to the Seine, it was a great way to see another part of Paris.
    Written October 21, 2019
  • Biz957
    0 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quite boring
    We don’t recommend this trip. It seemed like a long 2 1/2 hours. There were two overall problems. First, the guide’s English was very hard to understand. We caught the meaning of about 25% of it, so we really comprehended very little of the commentary. Learning about the history of the canal and its history would likely be interesting. Then, it was simply a rather boring trip. The majority of our time was spent inside the very high number of locks. It was interesting the first time or two to see and feel the water flowing in and raising the boat, but it was really slow going and monotonous after the first 40 minutes or so. Others on our trip were also unhappy with the experience....
    Written October 21, 2019
  • rkava6
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Paris Canal
    The tour was outstanding! Unlike any other river tour that simply runs up and down the Seine River in town. This tour starts n the original part of Paris and then runs through a series of locks as you view the older sections and original waterway of Paris and ultimately takes into and around the Eiffel Tower. Very creative and historical tour!
    Written October 21, 2019
See all 1,365 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles222 reviews
Excellent
109
Very good
44
Average
29
Poor
11
Terrible
29

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alinkapora
London, UK84 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
This was a great way to see areas of Paris that are off the regular tourist trail. We took the tour from the Parc de la Villette to the Musee d'Orsay. The canal locks do take a while, but it was nice just to relax after lots of walking in Paris. Bruno was an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable and able to fill time when we were sitting in the locks. It was a bit hard to hear him on the top deck, but that is normal - if you want to hear the commentary, I recommend sitting below deck. The tunnel through the Bastille is particularly cool. Near the end of the tunnel, make sure you get on the top deck and look behind you and up, and you'll actually see a window inside of a building overhead!
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thomas M
Littleton, NH5,072 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
The Paris Canal Tour of the St. Martin Canal was excellent. We took the 2:30 tour from the pier in Villette, that ended at the Musée d'Orsay. Our trip took a little longer than normal; but since we had no other commitments, it was fine with us. When we started there were only a few of us on the boat. Four folks came running just after we got underway and the captain pulled over to let them onboard. After a lock or two we pulled over again. Everyone was trying to speculate why. The answer came about 10 or 15 minutes later when what appeared to be about two or more busloads of people (who were obviously part of a contracted tour) were allowed to board. We continued on to our final destination. The tour guide was very informative and spoke several languages. I picked up on the French, English and German - but believe he may have also used 1 or 2 others. It was a sunny day, perfect for this tour. Cruising through the tunnels was very interesting and of course once we neared the Seine the yachts and power boats tied up along the quays were impressive. We considered this tour well worth the fare. If you're in Paris and have the time this tour is well worthwhile.
Written October 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephanie B
Lake Oswego, OR33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
The cruise was fabulous! Who knew there were canals in Paris?! Really good instructions were given on our tickets for exactly where to go to board the boat. Our guide was terrific as he pointed out sites on the Seine and gave historical details about the city and the Saint Martin Canal. The cruise is long (be prepared for 2.5 hours) and goes through a series of 9 locks on the canal. Also note that you end in a completely different part of the city than where you begin and will be need to plan your return to the heart of the city. The vistas were lovely along the canal. I was so glad we did it to see a part of Paris that would have otherwise gone unseen and undiscovered. If you're interested in a Seine River cruise and staying in the historic old town, this is not the cruise you want: you don't spend a whole lot of time on the river before you get to the canal. I would also recommend reading abou the the Sainte Martin Canal before you go.
Written May 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The whole team thanks you for your message. We are delighted to know that you appreciate the quality of our services .Do not hesitate to recommend us. Good luck.
Written June 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

rosco1957
Toronto, Canada179 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We were looking for something different to see in Paris and found the Paris canal and river tour. The amount of time (2.5 hours) seemed about right so we decided to try it.

It was a great introduction to canals that we had no idea existed in Paris!

Bruno our tour guide kept up an amazing running commentary in French and English providing lots of interesting history.

The views of Paris from the canal boat were very different especially going under part of the city on the canal!

This tour is well worth the time if you aren't familiar with the Paris canals and are looking for something different to see!
Written May 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Saurabh R.
20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
This is a beautiful trip down the Seine river and then on to the Saint Martin Canal through the 9 locks. It was fascinating to see how the locks work to transport the boat more than 25 meters from the water level on the Seine River to the water level at the final drop off point. The canal also takes you through a 2 KM long tunnel and then to a part of the city that not a lot of tourists happen to visit. There is a tour guide who keeps pointing out and explaining the various landmarks along the river and the canal (both in French and in English). Had we not taken this tour, we would have never seen this part of Paris. It drops you off at a different part of the city, so plan to take a cab or the Metro/Subway back. The description clearly states that and so it was not a surprise for us.
Written June 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Sir, we wanted to thank you for the positive feedback you took care to share on tripadvisor . The entire team thanks you for your message. It’s great to know that you appreciate our services! Do not hesitate to recommend us. good continuation
Written June 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sue H
12 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
The cruise starts off well at Musee d’Orsay but becomes very boring as you have to go through 9 locks which takes a long time. It is interesting for the first couple of locks but after that it is very slow and boring. Also the sound system was very poor so you couldn’t understand what the guide was saying.
Written July 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Putnam B
Seattle, WA90 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We took the cruise from Parc de la Villette along the canals and through the tunnel to the Seine. There was a bilingual narrator on board, who pointed out interesting things along the way and also explained the interesting bridges and the locks as we passed. Most dramatic was the long tunnel that ends just after passing under the Place de la Bastille. All in all a pleasant way to get a different view of the city.

One note: The embarkation point is a long walk from any of the Metro stops that serve the park. It's important to leave enough time to walk there. The boat departs from in front of a restaurant called 211 on the bank of the Canal Ourcq.
Written October 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GrandTour672376
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Couples
Booked the 14:30 departure from Parc de la Villette going to Musee d’Orsay. Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Wonderful guide explaining in both French and English all the history and sights. Bar (and toilet) on board. Booked the trip direct with the company “Paris Canal” - a reduction given to the over 60’s. Would highly recommend this trip.
Written September 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Petra B
15 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
Very nice tour of the canal and the Seine. On the canal section you pass many locks and swing bridges and you can discover many little things on the banks, the canal is just not as wide and does not have the pompous buildings as the Seine. You also travel a fair distance in a tunnel. Unfortunately, the English of the (actually French-speaking) guide was a little difficult to understand for us German-speaking tourists (I don't know how it was for a native English speaker). Otherwise, definitely recommendable!
Google
Written November 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephanie J
12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
The first part of the cruise was lovely. However, going the locks took so much time and there was little guidance from the guide. We were at the last lock sitting for almost 45 minutes. THat was very disappointing. I would have preferred just the Seine cruise.
Written September 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Seine River Cruise and Paris Canals Tour provided by Paris Canal

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