Paris Seine River Cruise with Audio Guide (Bateaux Mouches)

Assembly Area

• Bateaux Mouches is located next to Pont‘d Alma (metro station Alma-Marceau), a 15-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower.
• The assembly area includes a ticket office, parking spots, an air-conditioned waiting lounge, and vending machines.

Boarding

• To board, head to the large building and get in line. There weren’t any security checks when I went. After validating your ticket, you’ll enter a covered waiting area equipped with vending machines and an air-conditioned waiting lounge.

Getting There

• 🗺️ Meeting point: Port de la Conférence, 75008 Paris, France

During The Cruise

The Ship

• The ship is a massive double-decker that has the capacity to accommodate over 1000 passengers on some ships. The upper deck provides better views, as usual.
• These boats can get crowded, but they have a large capacity to handle the crowd. Crowds are a common occurrence in Paris, it’s something we all have to accept.
• Bateux Mouches’s fleet comprises 6 sightseeing boats, so your experience may vary.

The Lower Deck

• The outdoor seating arrangement (on the sides of the ship) comprises two columns of chairs, each two chairs wide, with backrests facing the front. These have better views than the indoor seats, but they don’t offer 360° panoramic views like on the upper deck.

• The indoor seating arrangement has two columns of chairs, each three chairs wide, with backrests facing the front and a central aisle for walking. This area is great for warming up during winter, but it does not offer as much of a view.

• A nice touch I discovered is that they turn off the lights when it’s dark, allowing you to see outside without the glare.

The Top Deck

• The upper deck offers 360° panoramic views, which lets you enjoy the panorama of the city and take photos.
• The seating arrangement comprises two columns of chairs, each three chairs wide, with backrests facing the front and a central aisle for walking.

Cruise Itinerary & Views

• The cruise follows a standard itinerary, covering the area between the Eiffel Tower and the Austerlitz Bridge.

• Key landmarks along the route include the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Palais Bourbon, Musée d’Orsay, Institut de France, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Hall, the Conciergerie, the Louvre, the Obelisk, the Grand Palais.

Audio Guide

Audio Commentary (Broadcast Through Loudspeakers)

• The audio guide on Bateaux Mouches is broadcast in English only through loudspeakers. I found it informative, enjoyable, and high quality - both in terms of sound and content.