Seine River

The Seine River (pronounced seyn River) is the long river winding through Paris, dividing the city into two sections, the “Left Bank” to the south and the “Right Bank” to the north. The full river runs 483 miles (777 km) long through France.

A Celtic tribe settled along this river in the 3rd century BC and named their village, Lutetia, “boatyard on a river.”

There are so many beautiful bridges crossing the Seine. Pont Alexandre III is the fanciest (runs from Champs-Élysées to Hôtel des Invalides). Pont Neuf is the oldest surviving bridge in Paris and a pedestrian bridge (even though it’s name means ‘new bridge’ in French).

Our favorite way to enjoy the Seine River is on a river cruise. It is a fun way to see and learn about many of the famous sites of the city.

Our favorite time is around sunset. At the end of Île de la Cité (isle with Notre Dame) is Pont Neuf where you can catch a variety of tour boats for a one hour ride along the Seine. Check sunset time for the evening and schedule your boat trip accordingly. You can get there early to grab snacks from the vendor before you board (for the adults, they also have bottles of wine) and grab a seat outside for best viewing. Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf and Bateaux Parisiens are great boat options we’ve used.

And, how fun is this? For a month each summer, sand is brought in to line 1.7 miles (2.8Km) of the walkways along the Seine River to turn it into a city beach, Paris Plage!