Paris St. Martin Canal Sightseeing Cruise with Live Commentary

Assembly Area

• Paris Canal cruise starts from Parc de la Villette in the 19th district. There’s a park nearby which is worth exploring, so I’d come an hour earlier to do so.
• Alternatively, you can embark at the Musée d’Orsay and sail up the St. Martin Canal. Booking this is possible on Viator, but not on GetYourguide.

Boarding

• There’s no major boarding infrastructure at Parc de la Villette, as this is quite a niche boat tour. It’s open air, but you can take shelter under nearby buildings if the weather is bad.

Getting There

• 🗺️ Meeting point: 211 Av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
• Note: It's possible to have this trip in reverse e.g. boarding on the Seine and disembarking on Parc de Villete (Canal St. Martin). Note that the ticket is one-way only.

During The Cruise

The Ship

• The ship is a large, no-frills and slightly dated double-decker with a 500-person capacity. As always, for the best views and comfortable seating, head to the upper deck.

The Lower Deck

• Most of this deck has indoor seating with feeble-looking yet surprisingly sturdy but uncomfortable front-facing seats with backrests. You can’t see much from here and forget about 360° panoramic views.

• The outdoor section at the back and front of the ship does have better views, but alas, there are only a few cold metal seats available.

• There is a clean toilet and a small bar serving hot drinks and snacks on this level. Additionally, there’s a staircase in the center that leads up to the Captain’s cabin.
  

The Top Deck

• The upper deck offers a 360° panoramic view of the St. Martin Canal and the surrounding cityscape. The only imperfection is that all of the seats are facing the sides instead of the front.

• There are three different types of seating options available.
• The first type is two rows of bench-style seating (on the sides), followed by two rows of mixed benches and ordinary chairs in a 50/50 ratio in the center.
• All of these were more comfortable than the seats downstairs.

• Bonus: There are a handful of seats available in the captain’s cabin, which is heated! I really appreciated this feature during the cold weather in November.

Cruise Itinerary & Views

• Unlike most other cruises, Paris Canal’s cruise takes place on the St. Martin Canal, starting from Parque de la Villette and concluding on the Seine by the Musée d’Orsay.

• You will experience several canal lock crossings and a mile-long tunnel.

• I found the cruise to be much more interesting than the Seine, and the surrounding cityscape was more charming, authentic and offbeat.‍
• However, there was considerable waiting at the canal locks, where you transition from one section of the canal to the next.

• Note: The itinerary doesn’t cover the Eiffel Tower.

Audio Guide

• Paris Canal’s cruises offer a live audio commentary in English and French, performed by an experienced guide who provides informative and interesting insights and is also available to answer questions.