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Bateaux-Mouches vs Vedettes du Pont du Neuf
We want to take a Paris cruise at dusk and would appreciate opinions on the Bateaux-Mouches versus Les Vedettes du Pont du Neuf.
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We prefer the Vedettes du Pont Neuf because the boats are smaller, and don't seem like the lights from the boats are so bright.
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Thanks everyone. I have gone on-line and purchased two tickets for Vedettes. I'm presuming I can use them at any time as they don't indicate a time or date. They say valid until 21/09/2009
Are there line-ups for these trips and if so, how far in advance should we arrive if we wanted to get the 20:00 cruise? By taking the 20:00 cruise at the end of September, I would think we would get sundown and evening views? Is this correct? |
Yes, those tickets are good for any day/time. We did the prepurchase as well on our last trip and it worked great. There was quite a line to buy tickets, and we were able to bypass that. After that there is a line to board the boat. I don't remember how early we arrived, but I think it wasn't more than maybe 15 or 20 minutes before sailing. We went in the summer, just before sunset, and really enjoyed it!
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bookmarking - headed to Paris in a couple of weeks.
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bookmarking too
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Sunset is at 7:36 on September 28. If you take the cruise starting on the half hour you should be in front of the Eiffel Tower at the top of the hour to see it sparkle (if it's dark).
http://sunrisesunset.com/ |
That is if you are taking the Vedettes.
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My one complaint about Vedettes is when they make the turn to head back to the pier they do not go as far as the mini Statute of Liberty....I'm pretty sure Bateau Mouches pass it. Also note that Vedettes does not take credit cards or hasn't in the past.
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The Bateaux Mouches make a considerably longer trip. Another advantage of them is due to their size -- you can walk around on them and get different perspectives, not to mention being able to get away from annoying people.
The view from the top deck of a bateau mouche is much better than being hunkered down at water level on one of the vedettes. |
The Vedettes have a top deck that is open so you're not limited to staying at water level and they are large enough to walk around and move your seats. If you go on the top deck dress warmly as it will be cold when the boat is moving. I found the commentary on the Vedettes is a bit more understandable as it is from a person rather than a recording. Although neither boats have commentary that is really understandable. When you go to the ticket counter grab a brochure that shows the major buildings en route in case you have trouble understanding what the speaker is saying.
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As has been said, you can move around on the Vedettes also, and there is a top deck.
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But they don't go to the Statue of Liberty or as far as the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir.
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I've taken Bateaux Mouches and Bateaux Parisiens and they were both enjoyable. The latter is a much small boat and I did that one at night. I don't remember if it went around the little Statue of Liberty as I'd already seen that anyway, and it is not why you'd take a night tour. I enjoyed seeing the illuminated buildings. Bateaux Parisiens had both lower and upper levels, you could sit anywhere you chose, but if you are near the front of the line, you can get some prime viewing seats on the deck.
Bateaux Parisiens has a dock on the Left Bank, right across from Notre Dame. I don't know how Vedettes works, but both of the others I was on clearly limited the passengers (they have to), and cut off tickets sales at a certain time when they were full. So I don't know how Vedettes du Pont Neuf can work if they give out tickets with no date and time requirement and don't keep track of that. I'd find out if that means you really have to trade in that ticket you bought for a real one at a certain time when you get there. Although I guess somewhere else says you bypass the line that way, but I just don't see how they can operate that way. Unless that means some people in line do not get on if it is busy. |
I don't think it is a "ticket" as such. It is a discount coupon that you exchange when you buy the real ticket.
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Gretchen--There are both, tickets and coupons, that you can do via their website. We had tickets, and so bypassed the line. We showed an employee our printout ticket and he waved us on to head down to the boat to line up there.
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Re: Vedettes - If you can buy a ticket online for anytime, does the same thing go for the actual ticket office? I'm thinking that if I happen to go by there during the day and the line is short, I could buy a ticket for a ride later that night??
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well, I don't see how they operate then if they let people go to the front any time they show up with a ticket, and others are already in line.
As far as I know, you can always buy a ticket in advance from any of these companies for use later. You definitely can for the ones who do specify a time, so don't see why you couldn't for the V du Pont Neuf (whether a certain time or not). |
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