The 8 best night cruises on the Seine in Paris

Contemplating the illumination of the "City of Light" from a night cruise on the Seine is a unique experience not to be missed. Here are the best options

María Cano

María Cano

8 min read

The 8 best night cruises on the Seine in Paris

Night on the Seine River | ©Rudy Chiarello

One of the plans that you can not miss on your trip to Paris is a night cruise, a unique way to see the City of Light. From a bateaux that will travel along the Seine River you will have a spectacular image of some of the most emblematic monuments of the city.

Here are some of the main options. Paris by night is a unique city.

1. The best plan to end the day, cruise on the Seine with gourmet dinner.

On the Diamant Bleu cruise by night| ©ukubaby
On the Diamant Bleu cruise by night| ©ukubaby

What better way to end a long day of sightseeing than with a cruise on the Seine and gourmet dinner while listening to live music. A magical and romantic evening you will never forget.

Throughout the tour you will be able to contemplate the beautiful illumination of emblematic monuments such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Île de la Cité, the Alexander III Bridge, the Bourbon Palace, La Conciergerie, the National Library of France and other sites of this city declared World Heritage Site. In addition, you will be treated to a glass of champagne, and the tasting menu of three, four or five courses will be accompanied by French wine and mineral water.

  • Price... From 70-120€. This amount will be increased depending on the number of courses, as well as the time of the cruise.
  • Duration... From 2 hours to 3:30 hours. It starts around 8:30-9:30 pm.
  • What's included... Cruise on the Seine and gourmet dinner from three courses with wine pairing and glass of champagne.
  • Languages... Available in English, French and Spanish.

Book a cruise on the Seine with gourmet dinner

2. The most demanded option, night tour to the Eiffel Tower and Seine River cruise

One of the favorite proposals of travelers is a night cruise on the Seine and tickets to the Eiffel Tower, which combines the two most demanded experiences in Paris. Undoubtedly, two of the best ways to glimpse all the beauty of the city from the sunset in which, little by little, a spectacular lighting is opening its way.

The Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Notre-Dame Cathedral or the Eiffel Tower are some of the most characteristic monuments that you can see on this cruise in which a guide will accompany you and will offer you all kinds of details along the way. In addition, on the cruise you will have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of champagne. The tour will end at the Eiffel monument which you can access comfortably and without queues.

If you want more information about this combined tour, read the post Eiffel Tower plus Seine cruise.

  • Price... From 85€.
  • Duration... 2:30 h. The cruise lasts approximately one hour and the visit to the Eiffel Tower another hour, so the whole experience lasts up to two and a half hours.
  • What's included... Cruise on the Seine, visit to the Eiffel Tower, glass of champagne.

Book a cruise on the Seine and tickets to the Eiffel Tower

3. The sweetest option, cruise on the Seine and crepes tasting

Cruise on the Seine by night| ©Bateaux
Cruise on the Seine by night| ©Bateaux

And for those with a sweet tooth, there is an unbeatable plan: a cruise on the Seine plus a tasting of a delicious crepe with chocolate, lemon, sugar, whipped cream or jam. A way to delve into the history of this beautiful city and see some of its most emblematic monuments such as the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre Museum, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, while enjoying one of the most popular sweets of French gastronomy.

In this option you will be provided with an audio guide. Regarding the capacity, it will be a total of 15 passengers and is also one of the most economical options with a price from 20 €. And if you still have the itch to delve into the prohibitive world of crepes, visit the post the best creperies Paris. You'll love it!

  • Price... From 20€.
  • Duration... 75 minutes (60 minutes cruise on the Seine).
  • What's included... Seine river cruise and crepe tasting.

Book a crepe cruise in Paris

4. The most romantic option, cruise with dinner on Valentine's Day

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than in the "City of Love". February 14 is the date chosen for this highly demanded proposal that includes a cruise on the Seine with a delicious five-course dinner prepared by the chefs of the bateaux parisiens while listening to live music.

Throughout the tour you will see the most emblematic monuments of the city such as the Eiffel Tower, the Alexander III Bridge, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, the Orsay Museum...

  • Price... From 170€.
  • Duration... 3:30 hours.
  • What's included... Cruise on the Seine and five-course dinner on Valentine's Day.

Book a cruise in Paris

5. A unique option, New Year's Eve sightseeing cruise on the Seine River

What better way to start New Year's Eve and welcome the New Year than with a sightseeing cruise on the Seine River. This experience starts at 10 p.m. and you will have the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant cruise on a glass boat from which you will have a unique view of Paris and you will be given a festive box including half a bottle, festive items and four macaroons.

A tour in which you will see various places such as the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Musée d'Orsay, the Institut de France, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the City Hall, La Conciergerie, the Louvre Museum, the Obelisk, the Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower.

  • Price... From 75€.
  • Duration... 2 hours.
  • What's included... Seine river cruise and festive box.

Book a cruise in Paris

6. The option for wine lovers, cruise on the Seine with a sommelier

Cruise with La Marina de Paris| ©Bateau
Cruise with La Marina de Paris| ©Bateau

And if you are a champagne lover, you have the option to take a cruise of about an hour with a tasting of three types of champagne with a sommelier who will give you all kinds of details in English of the three tastings and will tell you about the different French wineries, the types of champagne ...

All this while enjoying a beautiful tour in which you will see key monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Grand Palais de Paris or the Musée d'Orsay. This tour has a capacity for approximately 20 travelers.

  • Price... From 65€.
  • Duration... 1 hour.
  • What's included... Cruise on the Seine with a sommelier and three champagne tastings.

Book a cruise in Paris

7. A dream experience, a cruise on the Seine River and a show at the Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge| ©Vadin Sadovski
Moulin Rouge| ©Vadin Sadovski

And the star experience, is a combined ticket to enjoy a cruise on the Seine River and attend a show at the Moulin Rouge. Yes, just as you are reading. The plan will start with a tour of the Seine, lasting about an hour, where you will be provided with an audio guide and you will be able to see emblematic monuments such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, the National Assembly, the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d'Orsay.

Once the cruise ends, comes the other highlight of the tour, you will have the chance to attend a two-hour cabaret show while enjoying a glass of champagne. Under the title 'Féerie', the show brings on stage a hundred artists, 60 of them are the Doriss Girls. Do not hesitate to read the post about the show at the Moulin Rouge in Paris and learn all the details.

  • Price... From 170€.
  • Duration... 5 hours.
  • What's included... Cruise on the Seine together and cabaret show at Mouling Rouge.

Book a cruise in Paris

8. The economic option, 70 minutes cruise on the Seine with sparkling wine tasting

Seine river cruise through the Ile de France| ©Joe deSousa
Seine river cruise through the Ile de France| ©Joe deSousa

An economical option is a 70-minute cruise on the Seine with a sparkling wine tasting with a multilingual guide who will show you the most important places of the city.

Although shorter, this cruise will take you past the main sites along the banks of the Seine and you will have the opportunity to enjoy views of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Île de la Cité. In addition, one of the advantages of this tour is its availability, as it departs every 30-45 minutes, so you will have no inconvenience when booking it. Regarding the capacity, it is for 14 people.

  • Price... From 25€.
  • Duration... 70 minutes.
  • What's included... Seine river cruise and sparkling wine tasting.

Book a cruise in Paris

How much does a night cruise in Paris cost?

Family Cruise| ©Davequ
Family Cruise| ©Davequ

A night cruise on the Seine River in Paris costs from 20€ to 170€ depending on whether it includes dinner, glass of champagne, wine tasting or crepe, whether it is sold in a combined ticket next to the Eiffel Tower or a Moulin Rouge show, or whether it takes place on a special date such as Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve. There are various options to suit all tastes and budgets.

In the case of the standard cruise, the price difference between the day and evening cruise is minimal, as before sunset it can be done from €18 and beyond for €20.

What are the must-see attractions on a night cruise in Paris?

Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens| ©Jainbow
Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens| ©Jainbow

When you take your night cruise on the Seine River in Paris, you have to be very attentive because you will have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular illumination of emblematic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Île de la Cité, the Pont Alexandre III, the Palais Bourbon, the Conciergerie and the National Library of France, among others.

Why is it advisable to take a night cruise in Paris?

Alexander III Bridge, Paris| ©Léonard Cotte
Alexander III Bridge, Paris| ©Léonard Cotte

Taking a night cruise on the Seine River in Paris is one of the most recommended experiences during your visit to the City of Light. The beauty of Paris at night is incomparable: its main monuments and most special places are illuminated and you will have the feeling of seeing a different city than the one you have visited during the day, especially if you have the opportunity to see it from one of the bateaux parisiens. A unique sight!

If after this night cruise on the Seine you feel like doing a daytime cruise do not hesitate to read the post cruises on the Seine where you will find the best options. On the other hand, I also recommend the posts what to see and do in Paris and the 10 best excursions to know other alternatives for your trip. And for you to enjoy your trip to the fullest and without mishaps, it is very important that you know how to move around Paris.

Differences between a day cruise and a night cruise in Paris

The main difference between a daytime cruise and a night cruise on the Seine is that it is more impressive to enjoy this experience from sunset onwards, as the image of the city of Paris from the banks of the Seine as night falls and the lights of the city open up is truly unique. On the other hand, the night cruise option usually includes an additional service such as a glass of champagne.

Of course, the price is lower in the daytime cruise, although the difference is minimal, since it can be booked from 18 €, while the cheapest option in the case of the night cruise is from 20 €. Regarding the route, there are no differences between the day cruise and the night cruise.