This trip was absolutely beautiful. We were cruising the river just as the sun was setting, and the city lights were beginning to shine. We saw Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, the Louvre, La Sarbonne University, Invalides, and many other historical buildings. The inside of the boat was heated and had large windows while the outside was subjected to the chilly air as the boat moved along the river. Despite the chilly air, I spent much of the cruise outside with my video camera filming the sights. I highly recommend seeing Paris this way.

We departed from the dock and headed east and went around the island where Notre Dame is built. After going around to the back side of Notre Dame, then we went over to the west to view some of the famous sights of Paris.

As we traveled down the river, a taped recording described in English and French what we were looking at on either side. The boat was covered so we could be inside where it was warm and dry, but I was also able to go outside to take pictures.

This tour took us past the Musee du Louve, Orsay, and L'Orangery, Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Assemblee Nationale, Hotel des Invalides (Napolean's Tomb), and Tour Eiffel. We went at a leisurely pace and felt very relaxed as we floated down the river. It was a change from the fast paced Metro or walking around the city dodging cars as we crossed the street.

Although this is a "touristy" thing to do, we thought it was very worthwhile and would recommend it as an alternative to other transportation in order to see many sights at one time.

The cruise we took began at the ultimate in Paris’ sights, La Tour Eiffel itself. A quick glance up at the tower (which we’d already had a look at), and we were ushered onto the boat, a large one with wooden benches (peeling paint and all, but with a quaintness about it which was quite beguiling). It was a wonderfully sunny day, and the hour-long cruise remains one of my best memories of Paris.

The cruise took us along very interesting territory - we saw, on either side of the river, the Eiffel Tower , the Palais Royale and the Louvre ; the golden statue of the flame (a replica of the flame held by the Statue of Liberty - to commemorate French-US friendship); L’ Hôtel des Invalides , L’ Obelisque Egyptienne, Saints-Chapelle, Nôtre Dame, the Musée d’Orsay , and more. Name a Parisian attraction, and chances are you’ll be able to see it from the boat you’re on.

The view’s gorgeous, with even the bridges being works of art. One of the most ornate bridges is Pont Alexandre III , inaugurated by the Tsar Nicholas II. It’s heavily carved, with huge human figures in the center, and a fair amount of gilt. The oldest is Pont Neuf (strangely enough; `neuf’ means `new’!), and the most romantic, or so they say, is Pont Marie . It’s said that if, when passing under it for the first time, you close your eyes and make a wish, it’ll come true. I wished that the camera I’d lost the day before would reappear by magic - but it didn’t, so there!

Near Pont Sully , the boat rounded the curve of an island and headed back. At the turn is a house which used to be once inhabited by Chopin, Mozart and Goethe (presumably at different times?). Further on, at Pont de L’Alma (built to commemorate a French victory over the Russians during the Crimean War), a soldier, called the Zouave, has been carved on one side of the river. The Zouave is generally used as a watermark - the highest the water has been is up to his chin.

On the whole, it's a neat way of seeing Paris - historic, interesting, and worth every franc you spend on it.