Paris Seine River Dinner Cruises

[Anubi]

Has anyone done a dinner cruise on the River Seine and if so, can you give me any pointers? DH and I are staying in Paris for a pre-cruise visit and we are thinking of doing this.

 

If you had a bad time I'd also like to know. Our time in Paris is short and we don't want to waste any of it. ;)

 

Thanks.

[TLCOhio]

Has anyone done a dinner cruise on the River Seine and if so, can you give me any pointers? DH and I are staying in Paris for a pre-cruise visit and we are thinking of doing this. If you had a bad time I'd also like to know. Our time in Paris is short and we don't want to waste any of it. Thanks.

 

Whatever you do in Paris can be nice and wonderful. Lots of super great options there!!! You can board these boats at Pont Neuf near Notre Dame and at other locations along the river. You will get great views of famous Paris sights, especially at night as major buildings are lighted. From this website (www. vedettesdupontneuf.com), you can get more detailed information on one of the companies offering these trips.

 

Is it worth it? From most of what I have heard, the food quality is only OK or so-so. Maybe that is good enough for you. Maybe not. How long do you want to spend doing that along the river? Personally, I would do the tour, but maybe not spend that much money and time for the dinner tour. Your choice. There are so many other, much better dining options in Paris, that I would urge you to be a little cautious.

 

Tell us more on what you seek and need in Paris, if you've been there before, personal travel style, etc. Below are a few visual samples for what you can enjoy in Paris. Here also are some areas that might be worth seeing that don't get the big attention given to the Eiffel Tower, etc.

 

LE MARAIS Area, NE of Hotel de Ville/City Hall, has Musee Picasso (structure built in 1659, opened in 1985 to settle his estate, open Wednesday-Monday 9:15 5:15) and Musee Carnavalet (built in 1540, two adjoining mansions with decorative arts from the various periods in Paris history), older area starting around metro St Paul station, has Jewish section in area with special foods and historic areas. It has the super great park and architecture of the Place des Vogue area. The Place des Vosges was the prototype for the residential squares of European cities that were to come. What was new about the Place Royale in 1612 was that the house fronts were all built to the same design, of red brick with strips of stone over vaulted arcades that stand on square pillars. Cardinal Richelieu had an equestrian bronze of Louis XIII placed in the center of this charming park. Nearby is Brasserie Bofinger, one of the oldest and classiest places to dine (http://www.bofingerparis.com). It has a gorgeous domed stained-glass ceiling over the main dining room.

 

MUSEE RODIN, has nice scale in both the interior exhibit area as an old mansion, plus the gardens with the outdoor sculpture, at Varenne Metro stop next to Hotel des Invaldes, has third largest private garden in Paris, originally built in 1730, Rodin used as his studio from 1908 until his death in 1917, open Tuesday Sunday 10-5:45.

 

ILE SAINT LOUIS is one of the most charming little areas in all of Paris. So nice to stroll up its main street as you walk towards Notre Dame and other key highlights. Famed Berthillon ice cream: The only true Berthillon can be found at 31, rue St Louis-en-l'Ile, where it was born. This delicious ice cream has rich colors and equally intense flavors. It comes in myriad flavors, but the rum raisin, dark chocolate (chocolat noir) and mango (mangue) flavors are incredible. This is divine dessert territory. Lots of Boutique shopping and dining places line this street in the heart of Paris. Try Brasserie Ile St-Louis, 55 quai de Bourbon, 1er (tel. 01/43/54-02-59), that Frommers calls the last independent brasserie in Paris. They note: “Far from the polished restaurants that masquerade as true brasseries, this one has as its heart old Paris.”

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

In Paris, along the Seine, this is a view of the Louvre from the d’Orsay Museum:

 

 

 

The famed 1860’s Opera House has recently restored its spectacular reception hall:

 

 

 

In the Marais, this covered walkway is a part of the Place des Vosges that was the prototype for the residential squares of European cities that were to come. These brick designs date to 1612.:

 

 

 

Dinner at Bofiner in the Marais area with its unique ceiling and charming interior:

 

 

 

At the d’Orsay Museum, this was the grand dining room of the hotel that was part of the previous train station. Now, dining at lunch here breaks up the day during a long day of standing and walking:

 

 

 

Here is more from the small and charming Rodin Museum that features his studio/home and the grounds that are filled with his sculpture:

 

[alexandra cruiser]

somewhere else.Agree with Terry, and thanks for MORE great photos....many lovely restaurants to chose from...we took last cruise in PM and was lovely....but we had friends that took the dinner cruise and said food is just so so...

We also loved the Rodin museum,,but we ve been to the other big ones before...I d suggest a good guidebook, and google Paris tourism, to get some idea of what to see if time is short..:D

[cruisemom42]

Whatever you do in Paris can be nice and wonderful. Lots of super great options there!!! You can board these boats at Pont Neuf near Notre Dame and at other locations along the river. You will get great views of famous Paris sights, especially at night as major buildings are lighted. From this website (www. vedettesdupontneuf.com), you can get more detailed information on one of the companies offering these trips.

 

Is it worth it? From most of what I have heard, the food quality is only OK or so-so. Maybe that is good enough for you. Maybe not. How long do you want to spend doing that along the river? Personally, I would do the tour, but maybe not spend that much money and time for the dinner tour. Your choice. There are so many other, much better dining options in Paris, that I would urge you to be a little cautious.

 

Tell us more on what you seek and need in Paris, if you've been there before, personal travel style, etc. Below are a few visual samples for what you can enjoy in Paris. Here also are some areas that might be worth seeing that don't get the big attention given to the Eiffel Tower, etc.

 

LE MARAIS Area, NE of Hotel de Ville/City Hall, has Musee Picasso (structure built in 1659, opened in 1985 to settle his estate, open Wednesday-Monday 9:15 5:15) and Musee Carnavalet (built in 1540, two adjoining mansions with decorative arts from the various periods in Paris history), older area starting around metro St Paul station, has Jewish section in area with special foods and historic areas. It has the super great park and architecture of the Place des Vogue area. The Place des Vosges was the prototype for the residential squares of European cities that were to come. What was new about the Place Royale in 1612 was that the house fronts were all built to the same design, of red brick with strips of stone over vaulted arcades that stand on square pillars. Cardinal Richelieu had an equestrian bronze of Louis XIII placed in the center of this charming park. Nearby is Brasserie Bofinger, one of the oldest and classiest places to dine (www.bofingerparis.com). It has a gorgeous domed stained-glass ceiling over the main dining room.

 

MUSEE RODIN, has nice scale in both the interior exhibit area as an old mansion, plus the gardens with the outdoor sculpture, at Varenne Metro stop next to Hotel des Invaldes, has third largest private garden in Paris, originally built in 1730, Rodin used as his studio from 1908 until his death in 1917, open Tuesday Sunday 10-5:45.

 

ILE SAINT LOUIS is one of the most charming little areas in all of Paris. So nice to stroll up its main street as you walk towards Notre Dame and other key highlights. Famed Berthillon ice cream: The only true Berthillon can be found at 31, rue St Louis-en-l'Ile, where it was born. This delicious ice cream has rich colors and equally intense flavors. It comes in myriad flavors, but the rum raisin, dark chocolate (chocolat noir) and mango (mangue) flavors are incredible. This is divine dessert territory. Lots of Boutique shopping and dining places line this street in the heart of Paris. Try Brasserie Ile St-Louis, 55 quai de Bourbon, 1er (tel. 01/43/54-02-59), that Frommers calls the last independent brasserie in Paris. They note: “Far from the polished restaurants that masquerade as true brasseries, this one has as its heart old Paris.”

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

In Paris, along the Seine, this is a view of the Louvre from the d’Orsay Museum:

 

 

 

The famed 1860’s Opera House has recently restored its spectacular reception hall:

 

 

 

In the Marais, this covered walkway is a part of the Place des Vosges that was the prototype for the residential squares of European cities that were to come. These brick designs date to 1612.:

 

 

 

Dinner at Bofiner in the Marais area with its unique ceiling and charming interior:

 

 

 

At the d’Orsay Museum, this was the grand dining room of the hotel that was part of the previous train station. Now, dining at lunch here breaks up the day during a long day of standing and walking:

 

 

 

Here is more from the small and charming Rodin Museum that features his studio/home and the grounds that are filled with his sculpture:

 

 

 

Gosh, Terry, your photos make me want to hop the next plane back to Paris!! I love the Marais area -- great area of Paris to stay (and eat)!

[TLCOhio]

Gosh, Terry, your photos make me want to hop the next plane back to Paris!! I love the Marais area -- great area of Paris to stay (and eat)!

 

THANKS, Cynthia, for the kind comments on the pictures! We love the Marais. Stayed there for a week in 2007 in a apartment from the late 1700's near the Place des Vogue. Hop on that airplane and go for it! Things are looking challenging for Athens this year. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[cruisemom42]

THANKS, Cynthia, for the kind comments on the pictures! We love the Marais. Stayed there for a week in 2007 in a apartment from the late 1700's near the Place des Vogue. Hop on that airplane and go for it! Things are looking challenging for Athens this year. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

I may have a chance to spend a few days there following a business trip in the fall......fingers crossed.

 

My final payment on the cruise that departs and returns via Athens is coming up shortly......but I'm committed to going unless something seriously bad happens in the interim.

[TLCOhio]

I may have a chance to spend a few days there following a business trip in the fall......fingers crossed. My final payment on the cruise that departs and returns via Athens is coming up shortly......but I'm committed to going unless something seriously bad happens in the interim.

 

Good luck on both trips. Interesting choice on finalizing that Athens cruise trip after all that has happened in the past couple of months.. My guess is that many will scrub on trips to there. You have more "courage" in going there and I'm sure it will work out fine. Hope your business trip to Paris works.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio