Paris | Cruise Day 2
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Port Spotlight: Paris, France — Day Two on the Seine
Your second day in Paris trades the grand overview for something more intimate: seeing the city from the water itself. Boarding a modern river boat at the Port de la Bourdonnais, directly in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, you glide along one of the most storied stretches of urban river in the world.
At a Glance for Cruisers
The River Perspective: The Seine Cruise. From the water, the city reveals proportions you simply cannot appreciate from the pavement. The ornate stone bridges — there are thirty-seven of them within the city — frame each view like a painting. The Musee d'Orsay glides past on one bank, the facades of the Ile Saint-Louis on the other, and the towers of Notre Dame appear ahead through the arches.
The Active Option: Guided Bike Tour of Paris. For those who prefer two wheels to a boat deck, a guided bike tour through Paris is a genuinely excellent way to cover ground. The city has invested heavily in its cycling infrastructure, and a knowledgeable local guide takes the stress out of navigating traffic while making sure you see the neighborhoods between the landmarks, not just the landmarks themselves.
The Quiet Corners: The Ile Saint-Louis. Attached to the Ile de la Cite by a small bridge, the Ile Saint-Louis is one of the most peaceful pockets in central Paris. A single main street, a handful of beautiful 17th-century townhouses, independent ice cream shops, and almost no tourist infrastructure whatsoever.
Cruiser Tip: After any excursion, the hour before dinner on board is the ideal time to simply stand on deck. The afternoon light on the Seine is spectacular, and the city looks completely different from water level as the light shifts toward evening.
A Quick History
The Seine has defined Parisian life since the earliest settlements on its banks. It served as the city's primary trade route, its defensive moat, its source of drinking water, and eventually its great public promenade. Haussmann's 19th-century redesign of Paris deliberately oriented the city toward its riverbanks, creating the wide quays and tree-lined embankments that you are sailing through today. The Impressionists painted this exact stretch of river obsessively — Monet, Renoir, and Pissarro all found their subjects in the light on these particular waters. That visual tradition is exactly the thread this entire cruise is built around.
Port Info
Schedule
Start Time
Aug 15 12:00AM CEST