La Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches is the most known boat excursions operator in Paris. It offers sightseeing tours and lunch or dinner cruises on the Seine.

Many guided bus or minibus Paris tours from different tour companies include a boat cruise, and usually Bateaux-Mouches is their first choice because of their fleet of large excursion and restaurant boats that are extremely popular among tourists. The company is supposed to have the most modern and biggest riverboats in Paris, as some can seat even 1400 passengers. However, if you want to discover the Seine at your own pace you can purchase a ticket and go on your own cruise.

The cheapest option is the 1 hour and 15 minutes ride for 8 euros (4 euros for children) on one of the 9 sightseeing boats. The tour allows you to get acquainted with the main landmarks of the city (the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Pont Neuf, Orsay Museum, the Louvre Museum) and the comments available in 6 languages are very helpful for people who are for the first time in Paris. The boats leave every 30 minutes from 10 am to 11 pm in the summer. In the winter they are less frequent (45 minutes apart), departing as early as 11 am and as late as 9 pm. All cruises are boarderd at Pont de l'Alma, on the right bank.

On the other hand, the most expensive option is the dinner tour of the illuminated sights of Paris on the most luxurious boat of the 5 reserved for dinner cruises. "La nef des fous" menu available for 125 euros, prepaired by a famous French chef, is the perfect example of gourmet dining. In order for the night to be perfect, a small orchestra plays during the cruise. You can enjoy a less expensive "Tradition" menu on the other 4 boats for 95 euros. Children menus for dinner are not available. The dinner cruise departs at 8:30 pm (with boarding between 7:30 pm and 8:15 pm) and the return time is 10:45 pm. You will definitely need to book your cruise in advance and formal attire is recommended.

Lunch cruises are available every Saturday and Sunday and on holidays. Menus with fancy names like "Au fil de l'eau" or "Gigot du dimanche" (only on Sundays) cost 50 euros each and a "Les p'tits bateaux" children menu is 25 euros. The boats sail at 1 pm and return at 2:45 pm.

Port de la Conférence, Pont de l'Alma, 75008, Paris
Tel: 01-42-25-96-10 or 01-40-76-99-99
Fax: 01-42-25-02-28
Email: info@bateaux-mouches.fr
http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr