A sunset Seine river cruise – the most spectacular way to see Paris?
Close your eyes: Imagine you’re on a boat in Paris, France. Your partner by your side. Your friends and family around you. You unwind to the gentle rocking of the boat. You sip your champagne with the sun low on the horizon. All around you, Paris comes alive. You sit back and marvel at the iconic monuments of the city, the evening sky a riot of red, pink, and orange.
A sunset Seine river cruise is an experience to try at least once in your life. Whether as a romantic outing with your other half. As a way to discover a whole other side of Paris. Or just as a relaxing treat with friends and family. Either way, a cruise down the Seine is an unmissable experience.
Here’s our guide to the cruise options and the best picks for your sunset boat tour in Paris. But be quick! They’re hoisting the anchor. Hop on board for a journey down the Seine you’ll never forget!
You literally can’t go wrong with a sunset Seine river cruise
Do you know what’s great about twilight tours in Paris? They’re such a simple idea—yet they suit every occasion. Facing the biggest moment of your life as you pop the question? Sunset river cruise. Looking for a laid-back setting for a date, a birthday party, or just to lounge about and sip champagne with friends? Yep, you guessed it! Sunset river cruise.
If you want to make a river cruise at sundown really special, pick the right extras. Say you plan on going down on one knee—wouldn’t a meal and roses be the perfect accompaniment? Organizing an event like a bachelor/ette party? Check you can bring dinner and champagne on board. Or maybe you’d just like to wow a friend visiting Paris for the first time? Then a dusk sailing on the river is just the thing as the sun sets over the city and the night-lit monuments come to life.
Twilight cruises—it’s whatever tickles your fancy
It doesn’t matter if you’re out for a romantic date, a party, or a quiet time. There are great cruises and boats to match. Hop on board any of the “vedettes,” or cabin cruisers, for a sightseeing tour over a glass of bubbly and the perfect background music. Or grab a spot on one of the “péniches,” Paris’s famous river barges. These have an open rooftop for music and dancing against the night-lit backdrops of the City of Light.
You can even fully personalize your experience with a private sunset cruise—our specialty at MyParis River. You can request a live-guided tour from our friendly skipper, soak up the atmosphere with friends, enjoy dinner on board, sip a glass of champagne, or dance to your favorite playlist. We do the boat. You do the atmosphere. (And you do the dancing, just so we’re clear.)
Picking the best cruise itinerary and duration
Want epic pics of world-famous Parisian monuments basking in the colors of sunset? Who wouldn’t! Just make sure the sights you bank on seeing are included in your cruise. It’s easy to do—just compare the departure points and itineraries of the tour companies.
Let’s say you want to stick to the main sights of the city. In this case, book a cruise departing from Pont d’Issy Bridge. This lets you tour the west of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, Orsay Museum, and Louvre Museum. Also, keep an eye out for the Statue of Liberty. (Yes, yes, you read that right.)
Or maybe you’d prefer a full tour from the west to the east of the city? Sure thing. Just pick cruises also include the city’s islands—Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis—as well as the Pont des Arts, Pont Neuf, Place du Châtelet, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Hôtel de Ville, and Palais de la Conciergerie. You then travel into the eastern neighborhoods of the city, to the Cité de la Mode et du Design, Accor Arena, and Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
You can also choose how long your twilight river outing needs to be. A 1-hour cruise is perfect if you want to leave time for a meal in a restaurant or a trip to a museum. Try the 1.5-hour or 2-hour options if you feel like dinner on board—or just kicking back and enjoying the best panoramic views.
Most companies, from My Paris River to the large vedettes, operate tours that cover the most famous sights of the city, especially the Eiffel Tower and Pont Neuf. But if you have specific sights you want to visit, make sure to check each company’s itinerary before you book.
Our hot tip for choosing the absolute best twilight tours of the Seine?
Not sure which tour company to go for? Then have a peek at their customer reviews. Compare cruise durations, departure points, itineraries, boats, prices, and more. There’s no better way to get value for money as well as trustworthy advice from customers who’ve faced the same choices as you.
To check customer reviews, go to each tour company’s Google reviews or look at their website and social media pages. Want to know what past customers think of My Paris River? Here are our testimonials.
Pair your tour with a special meal
So you’re gliding by Notre-Dame Cathedral, Pont Neuf, and the Louvre, counting down the minutes until, just as day turns to night, the Eiffel Tower bursts into life as its sparkling lights illuminate the sky. Reckon there’s no way you can top this?
Think again! With a finger-food dinner on board of your choice or courtesy of our caterers, you can transform this special moment into an impromptu family meal or a dainty romantic dinner for 2 with a glass of sparkling champagne.
As you watch the crowded vedettes waddle by, aren’t you glad you get to lounge about and savor an informal dinner right on your very own private tour?
For more information about adding dinner to tours in the evenings, fill in our contact form and we’ll talk you through the preparations. And to explore your options for sailing through the heart of the French capital, explore our tours.
Book your tour in a few clicks
It’s easy to book river tours in the evenings. Simply compare cruise packages, choose one that suits, and book your tickets directly on the company’s website. When making your booking, check the postponement and cancellation policy of the company in case the weather is not cooperating and you need to rearrange your outing.
To book with My Paris River, fill out this contact form. Be sure to specify dates, times, hop-on and hop-off points, number of passengers, and added extras you’d like such as drinks, a bouquet of red roses, or a photographer. We’ll get right back to you to confirm your booking.
You don’t even have to stick to the cruises on our dedicated web page. We are happy to fully personalize your service package, including the sights, itinerary, duration, pick-up and drop-off points. So, what do you say? All aboard with My Paris River?
