Guide · From the water

A Seine sightseeing cruise, bridge by bridge

A Seine sightseeing cruise threads 37 bridges, two islands and the great museums of Paris into one hour. Here is what you pass, in the order you meet it, and what to look for.

Check availabilityfrom $21 · free cancellation possible

Editorial team, champagnecruiseparis.comUpdated October 26, 2026Read time: 6 min34 sources

Paris: 1-Hour Seine Cruise departing from the Eiffel Tower Bookable here: the tour Paris: 1-Hour Seine Cruise departing from the Eiffel Tower 4.4 (88,509 reviews) 1 hour from$21per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

Quick answer, from the deck

01The stretch
Most loops stay in the UNESCO reach between the Pont d'Iéna and the Pont de Sully.1
02The bridges
Paris has 37 over 13 km of river; the listed reach holds 23.21
03Oldest bridge
The Pont Neuf, begun on 31 May 1578.3
04Classic loop
1 hour from the Eiffel Tower, commentary in 14 languages, from $21.
05From Notre-Dame
The Batobus stops at 21 Quai de Montebello, opposite the cathedral.4

One river, two islands, 37 bridges

A Seine sightseeing cruise compresses Paris into a line. Only 13 km of the Seine's 777 run through the city, and 37 bridges cross that stretch, so a 1-hour loop from the Eiffel Tower to the islands and back passes more landmarks than most walking days.52 In 1991 UNESCO listed the banks between the Pont d'Iéna and the Pont de Sully, 365 hectares that include 23 of the bridges and the Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité.1

The order below follows the river upstream from the west, the way the private cruise and the Eiffel Tower boats travel: from the Liberty statue on the Île aux Cygnes past the tower, the grand bridges built for the great exhibitions, the museums, the old Pont Neuf and the islands with Notre-Dame. Most boats turn around the islands and come back, so you see each bank twice.

Commentary helps, because names attached to buildings make them easier to remember. The most booked loop has audio in 14 languages, and the tourist office describes it as commentary broadcast with music on the theme of Paris.6 On a private boat no commentary is promised, though guests say the hosts point out the sights. Seeing the bridges of Paris from a Seine cruise is half the pleasure, and knowing their stories doubles it, which is where a page like this one earns its place in your pocket.

Upstream, west to east

The bridges in the order you meet them

  1. Île aux Cygnes

    Pont de Bir-Hakeim

    Two levels, the metro on top.7

  2. Eiffel Tower

    Pont d'Iéna

    The western edge of the UNESCO reach.1

  3. Right bank

    Pont de l'Alma

    Built for the 1855 exhibition; the Zouave marks floods.8

  4. Grand Palais

    Pont Alexandre III

    First stone laid on 7 October 1896.9

  5. Louvre

    Pont des Arts

    The first metal bridge of Paris.10

  6. Île de la Cité

    Pont Neuf

    The oldest bridge, begun in 1578.3

The western reach: Liberty, Bir-Hakeim and the tower

Downstream of the Eiffel Tower, the narrow Île aux Cygnes splits the river, and at its tip stands a replica of the Statue of Liberty. The private Champagne cruise boards on the bank opposite it, at Port de Javel Haut, so it is the first sight of that trip. Further downstream, the Pont Mirabeau is the bridge Guillaume Apollinaire made famous in his poem of 1913.11

The Pont de Bir-Hakeim crosses the island on two levels: the elevated metro runs on top, cars, walkers and bikes below.7 Ville de Paris calls it the most filmed bridge in the city for advertising, television and cinema, and from the water you see why, with the iron arches framing the tower.12

Then comes the Eiffel Tower, a remnant of the Universal Exhibition of 1889.13 Its piers sit below it, Port de la Bourdonnais for the big glass boats and Port de Suffren, by the Pont d'Iéna, for the electric fleet.14 The Pont d'Iéna marks the western edge of the UNESCO-listed stretch.1 After dusk, the tower sparkles for 5 minutes at the start of each hour.15

Five centuries of bridges

When the bridges you pass were begun

year
Pont Neuf: 1578 1578 Pont NeufPont de la Concorde: 1787 1787 Pont de la ConcordePont de l'Alma: 1855 1855 Pont de l'AlmaPont Alexandre III: 1896 1896 Pont Alexandre IIIPont des Arts, rebuilt: 1984 1984 Pont des Arts, rebuiltSimone-de-Beauvoir: 2006 2006 Simone-de-Beauvoir
Years as Ville de Paris states them: first stone, start of building, the exhibition built for, or opening.316891718

Bridge facts

The bridges you pass, and what to look for

BridgeBuilt or begunLook for
Pont Neuf1578384 carved masks, Henri IV statue
Pont de la Concorde1787 to 1791Stones from the Bastille
Pont de l'Alma1855The Zouave flood marker
Pont Alexandre III1896Gilded Pegasus statues
Pont des ArtsRebuilt 1984Seven arches, Louvre to Institut
Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir2006The 37th bridge, steel and wood

Dates and details as Ville de Paris gives them for each bridge.31916891718

Three ways to see the sights

A commented loop, a hop-on boat or an evening from the Pont Neuf

Paris: 1-Hour Seine Cruise departing from the Eiffel Tower Most booked

Commented loop

From the Eiffel Tower

Length
1 hr
Audio
14 languages
Price
from $21
See the routes
Paris: Hop-On Hop-Off Seine Cruise Pass with 9 Stops 9 stops

Hop-on boat pass

Stop at Notre-Dame

Valid
1 or 2 days
Starts
At first boarding
Price
from $27
See the routes
Paris: Seine River Sightseeing Evening Cruise with Champagne From the center

Pont Neuf evening

One drink included

Length
1 hr
Stop
10 min, Eiffel Tower
Price
from $44
See the routes

Decision helper

Which sightseeing cruise suits you?

Pick the line that matches how you like to sightsee.

The commented loop

Audio in 14 languages for 1 hour.

The hop-on pass

9 stops, including the Louvre and Orsay.

The Batobus

Its stop is at 21 Quai de Montebello.4

A guided shared cruise

1.5 hours from Quai François Mitterrand.

The private boat

1.5 hours, priced per boat for up to 8.

Paris cruises offer the opportunity to explore iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre-Dame Cathedral while cruising along the Seine.

Paris je t'aime - Office de Tourisme de ParisSource 20

The grand bridges: Alma, Alexandre III and Concorde

The Pont de l'Alma was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1855, and the Zouave statue on its pier still shows how high the Seine floods; in 1910 the water reached his shoulders.821 That flood peaked on 28 January 1910 at 8.62 metres, while in normal times the gauge reads only 1 to 2 metres.2223 Bateaux Mouches boards here, on the right bank.24

Next comes the showpiece among the bridges, the Pont Alexandre III. Tsar Nicholas II laid its first stone on 7 October 1896 with President Félix Faure present, it was built with the Universal Exhibition of 1900 in view, and gilded bronze Pegasus statues crown its pylons.92526 From it you look toward the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides and the Grand Palais and Petit Palais.27

The Pont de la Concorde was built between 1787 and 1791, partly from the stones of the demolished Bastille prison, and links the Place de la Concorde to the Assemblée nationale.16 As you pass beneath it, the city shifts from the grand avenues and exhibition palaces behind you to the older heart of Paris ahead. As you clear the arches, look for the columns of the Assemblée nationale facing the obelisk across the river, a view laid out to line up over the water.

Map

The Seine in Paris, from the Liberty statue to Notre-Dame

First the western reach where the private boats and the Eiffel Tower piers are, then the historic centre with its oldest bridges and the islands.

Map of the Seine in western Paris with the Liberty statue on the Île aux Cygnes, the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, the Eiffel Tower, Port de Suffren, the Pont d'Iéna and the Pont de l'Alma 1Liberty statue2Pont de Bir-Hakeim3Eiffel Tower4Port de Suffren5Pont d'Iéna6Pont de l'Alma
West: the Eiffel Tower reach
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Map of central Paris along the Seine with the Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, the Pont de la Concorde, the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre, the Pont des Arts, the Pont Neuf, Notre-Dame, the Pont de l'Archevêché and the Pont de Sully 7Pont Alexandre III8Grand Palais9Pont de la Concorde10Musée d'Orsay11Louvre12Pont des Arts13Pont Neuf14Notre-Dame15Pont de l'Archevêché16Pont de Sully
Centre: bridges and islands
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
  1. 1
    Liberty statue

    The private Champagne cruise meets on the bank opposite, at Port de Javel Haut, and its first sight is this statue on the Île aux Cygnes.

    In Google Maps ↗
  2. 2
    Pont de Bir-Hakeim

    Two levels, with the elevated metro on top, either side of the Île aux Cygnes; the city calls it its most filmed bridge.712

    In Google Maps ↗
  3. 3
    Eiffel Tower

    Built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889; after dusk it sparkles for 5 minutes at the start of each hour.1315

    In Google Maps ↗
  4. 4
    Port de Suffren

    One company boards here at the foot of the tower, on a fully electric fleet.1428

    In Google Maps ↗
  5. 5
    Pont d'Iéna

    The western end of the river stretch listed by UNESCO in 1991.1

    In Google Maps ↗
  6. 6
    Pont de l'Alma

    Another fleet boards beside this bridge; its Zouave statue still marks how high the floods rise.248

    In Google Maps ↗
  7. 7
    Pont Alexandre III

    Its first stone was laid on 7 October 1896; gilded bronze Pegasus statues crown its pylons.926

    In Google Maps ↗
  8. 8
    Grand Palais

    The Pont Alexandre III points straight at it and at the Petit Palais.26

    In Google Maps ↗
  9. 9
    Pont de la Concorde

    Built between 1787 and 1791, partly from the stones of the Bastille.16

    In Google Maps ↗
  10. 10
    Musée d'Orsay

    Named both by the private cruise and by the 1-hour cruise from the Eiffel Tower.

    In Google Maps ↗
  11. 11
    Louvre

    Linked to the Institut de France across the river by the Pont des Arts.10

    In Google Maps ↗
  12. 12
    Pont des Arts

    The first metal bridge in Paris; its love padlocks came off in 2015.10

    In Google Maps ↗
  13. 13
    Pont Neuf

    The oldest bridge in the city despite its name; its first stone went in on 31 May 1578.293

    In Google Maps ↗
  14. 14
    Notre-Dame

    Building began in 1163.13

    In Google Maps ↗
  15. 15
    Pont de l'Archevêché

    The narrowest bridge in Paris, looking straight onto Notre-Dame.30

    In Google Maps ↗
  16. 16
    Pont de Sully

    The eastern end of the UNESCO stretch: 365 hectares holding 23 of the 37 bridges.1

    In Google Maps ↗
Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

For a sightseeing hour on the Seine

01

Before boarding

  • This page, saved for a boat with no commentary
  • Headphones for an app audio guide
  • Daylight for detail, dusk for color
02

On board

  • The upper deck between the Louvre and the Pont Neuf
  • Watch for the turn around the islands
  • A layer for the wind on deck

Price check

What a sightseeing cruise costs your group

Choose a cruise and the number of guests.

People 2

Total from$42

per traveler from $21

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Totals take each cruise's lowest starting fare on GetYourGuide or Viator times your head count, turned into your currency with the ECB daily rate; a boat priced per boat costs the same however many sail, so trust its checkout.

Video

The stories behind the bridges of Paris

The player loads on your tap, not before.

Museum mile: Orsay, the Louvre and the Pont des Arts

On the left bank, the Musée d'Orsay, a former railway station with its great clocks, faces the Tuileries across the water; both the private cruise and the busiest sightseeing loop name it. On the right bank the Louvre's facade runs for what seems like the whole length of the reach.

Between them, the Pont des Arts was the first metal bridge of Paris and links the Louvre to the Institut de France with its dome.10 It collapsed in 1979 and was rebuilt in 1984 with seven arches instead of nine, and the love padlocks that once covered it were removed in 2015.1710

This is the best reach for photos of both banks at once, with the Institut on one side and the Louvre on the other. If your boat has an open upper deck, this is the moment to be on it; the glassed lower deck makes the bridges feel close but flattens the view of the facades.

The Pont Neuf and the islands

The Pont Neuf is, despite its name, the oldest bridge in Paris. Henri III laid its first stone on 31 May 1578, it was the only bridge of its day built without houses on it, and it carries turrets, an equestrian statue of Henri IV and 384 carved masks along its cornices.32919 At the tip of the Île de la Cité it continues into the square du Vert-Galant, a favorite meeting place for couples.31

Beyond it the boat enters the narrow arm around the Île de la Cité, past the towers of the Conciergerie and on to Notre-Dame, whose construction began in 1163.13 The Pont de l'Archevêché, the narrowest bridge in Paris, joins the eastern tip of the island to the quai de Montebello with a direct view of the cathedral.30 Ville de Paris recommends the nearby Pont d'Arcole for its sunsets.32

Here the river is at its narrowest: about 30 metres at the quai Montebello, against 200 metres at the Pont de Grenelle downstream.33 Past the Île Saint-Louis, the Pont de Sully marks the eastern edge of the UNESCO reach, and most boats turn for home.1

Starting from Notre-Dame or the center

You do not have to begin at the Eiffel Tower. For a Seine cruise from Notre-Dame, the Batobus stops at 21 Quai de Montebello, opposite the cathedral, and its pass, valid 1 or 2 days, links 9 stops from the Jardin des Plantes to the Eiffel Tower.4 It is a shuttle rather than a guided loop, but it lets you hop off at the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay.

From the Pont Neuf, an evening cruise boards at the Square du Vert-Galant, includes one drink, with Champagne among the choices, and makes a 10-minute photo stop at the Eiffel Tower. Near the Louvre, a shared 1.5-hour cruise with a live guide boards at 14 Quai François Mitterrand, from $110.

Further east, the passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir, opened in 2006 and designed by Dietmar Feichtinger, is the 37th and newest bridge of Paris, beyond the usual cruise routes.18 It is a reminder that the 37 bridges span centuries, from the stone arches of 1578 to a steel and wood footbridge of this century.23

Your own boat

A boat, a glass and the lights of Paris.

Private for up to 8, Champagne included, priced per boat, free cancellation up to 24 hours.

Check datesfrom $457 · free cancellation possible 5.0 · 1,838 reviews, verified

You ask,we answer.

What do you see on a Seine sightseeing cruise?

The main landmarks along the river. The busiest loop names Les Invalides, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame, the Hôtel de Ville, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais.

How many bridges are there in Paris?

37. They span 13 km of the Seine; the UNESCO-listed reach holds 23 of them.21

Which is the oldest bridge in Paris?

The Pont Neuf. Its first stone was laid on 31 May 1578, despite the name meaning new bridge.329

Can I start a Seine cruise at Notre-Dame?

Yes, with the Batobus. It stops at 21 Quai de Montebello, opposite the cathedral.4

Is the Seine in Paris a World Heritage site?

Yes, since 1991. The listing covers the banks between the Pont d'Iéna and the Pont de Sully.1

Is there commentary on the sightseeing boats?

On most of them. The busiest loop has audio in 14 languages; some boats have live guides in French and English.34

Sources

The sources for this guide

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    Paris je t'aime - Office de Tourisme de ParisCruises on the River Seine (Paris je t'aime ticket shop)
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    Paris je t'aime - Office de Tourisme de ParisBateaux Mouches sightseeing cruise (Paris je t'aime ticket shop)
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