Paris Weekend Break

The river Seine

The river Seine, along with the bridges that traverse it and the monuments, shops and avenues that sit up on its banks, has become a major Paris tourist attraction.

The river takes its name from the Latin word “Sequana” meaning “sacred” and has always been the life blood of the city. It has been popular and inspirational to artists and musicians and today is a frequent reference point in movies set in France and Paris.

Several bridges cross the river Seine in the Paris district and amongst the best of these is the Ponte Alexandre III. This crossing was completed in 1900 for the Universal exposition and took four years to complete. It is highly decorated with cherubs and Art Nouveau street lamps and has an atmospheric fell at night time.

Another of Paris’ great bridges is the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city. This bridge dates back to the late sixteenth century and was built during the reigns of Kings Henry III and Henry IV.

At the time the bridge was notable for an absence of buildings on it. In those time bridges were treated like streets and were usually covered in houses and shops.

Tourist information

The Seine provides a great way to witness Paris and its riverside sights by taking a sightseeing tour on an open topped boat like a "Bateaux Mouches".

Typically the Bateaux Mouches are flat wide boats that have a roofless section and a glass covered section and they can seat several hundred passengers at a time. Some have a lower deck that is fully enclosed and there are sliding roofs in the event of inclement weather.

Most boat tours include a live or recorded commentary and lunch or dinner will be included (at additional charge) dependant upon the time of day. These cruises can be particularly spectacular at night time when both city and boat are illuminated.

Sights seen on these boat tours include Notre Dame cathedral, the Louvre museum and the Eiffel tower. The boats are regular during all times of year and offer views of both banks of the river Seine. Some of the river boats are quite futuristic to look at.

For details of Seine river boat cruises, take a look at the links in the blue boxes on this page.