What are the highlights of the River Seine in Paris?
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the River Seine in Paris. The easiest and most obvious is to walk along its banks. Recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1991, both the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and Rive Droite (Right Bank) have their own unique and attractions. These include the Louvre Museum and Grand Palais on the Right and Musée d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower on the Left, with the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle on an island in the middle.
Among the bridges spanning the River Seine in Paris, Pont Neuf is the oldest (built in 1607) while Pont Alexandre III is considered the most ornate and beautiful. There are also several parks by the banks, such as Jardin des Tuileries, Jardins du Trocadéro and Jardin Tino Rossi. They’re great places to sit and take a break. In fact, some are popular picnic spots for Parisians and the riverbanks are generally quite lively on warm summer evenings.
With over 60% of its length being navigable by large boats – including the bit passing through Paris – one of the more popular ways to enjoy the river is, of course, on a tour cruise. There are plenty of companies offering cruises along the Seine, with various departure points to choose from. Just walk a little way along the bank anywhere on the river and you’ll find tours available before you’ve covered 1 km. While the tour is great at any time of day, it’s particularly picturesque and romantic to take a night cruise. It’ll show you exactly why Paris is known as the City of Lights.