Boat trips · SIGHTSEEING CRUISES IN FRANCE
Good sightseeing cruises in France fill up weeks ahead and the calm mornings go first. Below: the 12 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review the Bateaux Parisiens Seine dinner cruise, with Paris night views, menus, live music, pricing, seating tips, and practical advice.
“Great experience and ambience! Food could have been better but there was lots of wine and really good french music!”
See Paris by open-top Big Bus, with flexible stops, audio commentary, WiFi, optional Seine cruise, and Arc de Triomphe entry.
“The female driver was on her phone the entire time she was driving. She did not have both hands on the wheel as she was holding her phone. She should not be driving for the company. She was screaming at whoever she was talking to. She was so loud that even with my volume high, it was hard to hear the commentary on the ear phones. It was raining so we didn’t want to get off at a random stop. Our plan was to ride and see what sites we would like to come back to. About 3/4, through the route another male driver came on snd then it was…”
Review of Paris Batobus, a 24 or 48-hour Seine pass with nine stops near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame, and more.
“The Batobus 48 hour ticket was an excellent way to enjoy getting around Paris, especially in the hot weather! Make sure you check the direction of the journey and get familiar with which side of the river you need to be to get to where you need to go, but once you sort that, it is all good and a great way to view the sights through this incredible city!”
Review of the Bateaux Mouches Seine cruise in Paris, with route details, timing tips, costs, views, audio guide, and advice for choosing the best departure.
“The cruise itself was pleasant, but the audio system with the automatic guide was very poor, and it was difficult to understand anything that was being said. Additionally, large groups of Asian tourists should be restricted from constantly moving around the boat. They were stepping near my seat and even under my feet to take photos, pushing their way from place to place. Moreover, they were standing all around and blocking the view of all the landmarks, while others were sitting politely in their seats, which made the experience very uncomfortable.”
Batobus Paris review covering stops, value, schedules, app, luggage rules, and tips for using a 24 or 48-hour Seine pass.
“This is a great way to know Paris very well coordinated and stop in a lot of good places. Great Experience.”
Cruise Lyon’s Saône River for one hour, seeing Vieux Lyon, modern architecture, and 2,000 years of history for $17.
“Very pleasant and a great introduction to the city”
Review of Paris Tootbus hop-on hop-off tour, with route details, Seine cruise advice, value tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Good overall view of major tourist sights in Paris. Liked audio feature in many languages. Slow because traffic in Paris is very busy”
Review of Paris Hop-on Hop-off Bus and Seine Cruise: routes, stops, value, timing, audio guides, and practical tips.
“It was very informative. Very easy to use. We will definitely use it again”
Cruise from Nice to Villefranche Bay, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and the Baie des Anges with bilingual commentary for $33.
“Beautiful and clean boat. Helpful and informative crew. Stunning sights.”
Review the Bateaux Parisiens gourmet lunch cruise, with Paris landmarks, French cuisine, wine, seating choices, price, and practical tips.
“One of our favorite experiences in Paris! We loved seeing the sights while wining and dining. Food, service and wine selection were magnificent.”
Cruise beneath Paris bridges past Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower with flexible departures, audio commentary, and budget-friendly pricing.
“Couldn't actually go on the river cruise as when we arrived and hour before the end of the queue could not be seen. A member of staff advised us we could wait in the queue but it would not be unlikely at that stage that they could accommodate anymore people even on the last timing. So couldn't use voucher as it was our last night and don't plan to return in the near future. Friends has been a few weeks prior and there was only a small queue”
Cruise from Nice along the Baie des Anges, Villefranche, and Cap Ferrat for sunny views, coastal history, and strong value in one hour.
“Very enjoyable trip, clean and tidy boat. Polite crew that worked very hard to attend to all the passengers, serve drinks and give a commentary on the scenery. Their customers service was just as great on the 5pm ferry as it was on the 9am trip, despite the hard work and the heat. The ticket office staff were knowledgeable and we ended up booking a second trip for later in the week. Our first trip was the 1 hour cruise, we booked it for our first morning to help us get to know the area. It was more than enough time and gave us several ideas for things to do.…”
River hour, cave run, whale ground or a deck with lunch on it.
