Lydia

Can someone please tell me which company I can contact in connection with a night trip on the Seine. How can we avoid waiting in endless lines for the Eiffel Tower. I've searched the web for info, but couldn't find any. <BR>THANKS

Donna

There are at least five companies with boats that tour the Seine at night. Unless you are planning a dinner cruise (most folks advise dining elsewhere), yo do not need to book in advance. You'll find the Bateaux Mouches (huge and touristy, consider any of the others) at Pont de l'Alma, Bateaux Parisiens and Vedetttes Tour Eiffel at Pont d'Iena, Vedettes del Paris at Pont Bir Hakeim, and Vedettes du Pont Neuf at Pont Neuf. The fares are within a dollar or two of each other. There is no way to avoid waiting in line if you want to go to the top of the Tour Eiffel on your own. Cityrama and Paris Vision (both have websites) which offer combination Seine Cruise/Tour Eiffel visits. At most attractions, the tour companies have "appointments" and there's no waiting, or just a short wait. Reservations at Jules Verne (very expensive) for dinner will get you to the second level on an exclusive elevator. We stayed near the Tour Eiffel and walked by several times a day. The lines seemed to be long throughout the day - especially when the tour buses were lined up, but almost non-existent late at night.

Martha B

We waited in line less than 10 minutes at the Eiffel Tower in August, because we made sure we were there at 9:00 am when it opened. It was strange, looking down on that long line which wasn't there when we arrived.

Lydia

Donna & Martha <BR>Thank you ever so much for sharing your experiences with us - seems as if we'll make it after all, as long as we're early risers! I'll try the suggested webs, thanks.

Vincent

Just a little political correctness in the choice of your bateaux-mouches company : the biggest one, Bateaux du Pont de l'Alma, is a big financial contributor to Le Pen's Front national (extreme-right, racist, xenophobic, party). So, please, choose any of their competitors, but not them ! France's remaining democrats will be very thankful !

daniel lee

Hey Lydia: <BR> <BR>If you want to avoid the long lines at almost any time of day, opt for climbing the stairs at the Eiffel tower. When you get there, only ONE of the four corners have stairway access (I think it's the south or east one) so find that one. It costs less and the view from the 2nd level is still pretty damn high. <BR>The only caveat is that on the way down you can only take the elevator in the evenings. It is so frustrating waiting for the elevator to take you down, because there are always people in there already. <BR> <BR>Daniel Lee

Bill Irving

Lydia, I did not see that you had started a new subject. I responded to your question, with my information, in the topic on information for Paris. <BR>

Lydia

Daniel Thanks a stack - I appreciate your input. Bill, I discovered your advice under the other topic, thanks

Bill Irving

Lydia, found the information I was looking for - the Bateaux Parisiens at the Pont D'Iena is the 1 near the base of the Eiffel Tower. Bateaux Mouches is located across the river & down at the Pont de l'Alma. The Bateaux Mouches was the 1 I preferred with alittle more leg room & taking the longer 1hr15min tour. On the literature I have, it says there are frequent depatures, about every 30 minutes. I am not sure what time they start in the day, but the 1 we took at night ended about 10:30pm & there were still boats leaving after that. Shows that the lunch boat leaves at 12:15pm & the diner cruise leaves at 7:15pm (19:45 - schedule times in most of Europe, if not all, use 24hour time.) <BR>

Lydia

Thanx, Bill - we'll definitely go for the one with the more leg room

mary

hi lydia, <BR>just got back from Paris. we had no line at eiffel tower but this was 9 pm. great view of nighttime Paris. for our daytime view we went to the top of Samaritaine, a dept. store, and went out on the roof. it's free and has this neat short winding stairway to the roof. also the arc de triomphe view is super. have fun!!

Lydia

Mary - thanx! The Eiffel is like one of the BIG FIVE - one simply can't say one's been to Paris without having been up there. Later at night or early in the morning sounds like the answer. <BR>

Monica

Hi Bill, <BR> <BR>How long is the Seine boat ride on the Bateaux Parisiens? Is there a big price difference? Since I purchased the French rail passes, we have a 50% off coupon for B.P. <BR> <BR>

Maria

We went to Paris last September and booked through ParisVision (a tour company in Paris - they have a website. they offered many choices and we were very pleased. We picked dinner at the Eiffel Tower (which was very good, including 2 different wines) and the show at Moulin Rouge. We met them at their office next to the Louvre and then they took us to the door of our hotel (it was past 2 am). I had checked out the prices going without the tour and there was no difference.