Paris at Night-Vedettes du Pont Neuf

Seine river cruise at night

During our March visit to Paris, we decided to take a Seine river cruise after dinner one night to see all the monuments and buildings lit at night.  There are several boats that leave from various points along the river, but we chose the Vedettes du Pont Neuf as it was in walking distance from the hotel.  This was a very touristy activity, however, it was so much fun!  A narrator pointed out the sights in French and English as we went up and down the Seine.

The Vedettes du Pont Neuf leave from under the Pont Neuf on the Île de la Cité.  There are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction as you cross the bridge.  You head down some stairs towards the water, then join a line to buy tickets.  You can also buy them ahead, but we wanted to buy them the day of so we could be certain of clear weather.  It was chilly in March, but with proper clothing, it was not at all unpleasant.  We passed all the sights along the Seine, including Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Conciergerie, and several beautifully lit bridges.  We also got an interesting view of some of the gorgeous apartments along the river.  

The boats had an inside seating area, and upstairs, an open air seating area.  The view is much better from the outdoor deck, so we opted for that.  You do want to be near the front of the line to board in order to have a good choice of seats.  Drinks were available from a little bar downstairs.  On a warmer night, a nice glass of wine would have been lovely, but it was too chilly!

The attacks on the Brussels airport and metro stations had just occurred, so the Eiffel Tower was lit in the colors of the Belgian flag.  Having endured their own terrorist attacks in November, Parisians felt a sense of solidarity with the Belgian people, and lit the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of their support.

More information:
goparis.about.com/od/paristours/ss/Best-Boat-Tours-of-Paris-Cruise-Options-and-Companies.htm#step1
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vedettesdupontneuf.com/home/