We'll be in Paris for our first time - alas, only 3 nights at the end of our long trip. I've heard that taking a river cruise on the Seine around sunset, which includes seeing the Eiffel Tower beautifully illuminated, is a wonderful thing to do. Does anyone have a suggestion for cruise company?

On the recommendation of others here we are doing just that on www.vedettesdupontneuf.com I purchased tickets online which are open ended for one year and not specific for one particular date/time. Not sure what the advantage of buying online is except for the small savings. We leave next week for Paris so I can report back in about 10 days.

Patsy:
We did (in 2009) the Vedettes du Pont Neuf tour; very good,as you take the tour the day and hour you want.If you buy your ticket via web,you save some 4 or 5 euro each,and you skip the usually longer line of people that intends to buy the ticket and go aboard.Remember,you seat where you like,and there is a special window where you must show your printed web ticket to obtain the real one(but no lines at this window).
Enjoy your trip!!!

I like to take the 9:30 pm Vedettes cruise, which usually brings you to the ET at 10:00 when it is twinkling.
Buying ticket online saves about 4 euro/person and also avoids the long line to get tickets just before the cruise.

There is also a nice little park where you board the boat (Square du Vert Galant) that has very nice views and a n place to sit and relax.

As Michel said, this is a lovely park,plus a historic site as well,as J.de Molay; the last Master of the Templars was executed here, by fire,after years of torture to obtain a "confession".
The place is really peaceful and most charming.

I also like hanging around the bridges over the Seine at night. Pont des Art is a good one, the ones between Ile de la Cite and the Right Bank also good.

For Eiffel, could also spend a few minutes at the area in front of the Palais Chaillot, Right Bank, Trocadero Metro stop, day or night.

If day, I would go there first, as my first view of the Eiffel, before crossing over the bridge to go up.

We did a dinner cruise on our final night in Grand Circle trip p the Seine from Normandy. Very nice with lights twinkling above...and a full moon. We did see a number of boats and some party groups. Most spectacular was the Eiffel Tower lit up and for five minutes on the hour it does twinkle. By the way anyone, what is the name of the bridge with gold gilded figures and what are they?

Bill in Boston

I prefer the Bâteaux-Mouches from Pont de l'Alma. http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/

When will you be in Paris, Patsy? Soon the sun will be setting after 9pm.

Ozarkbill It is Pont Alexandre III.The figures are the Fames

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Tour Eiffel starts twinkling at sunset...maybe soon after, but I don't think it's illuminated until it gets quite dark (which in summer of course is quite late).

I think the summer twinking starts at 10pm even though it is far from dark at that time.

I think the summer twinking starts at 10pm even though it is far from dark at that time.

We took the 9:30 vedettesdupontneuf two weeks ago and it got us to the Eiffel Tower 10 minutes before the 10pm twinkling. We only got a glimpse of the twinkling as we headed back to the pont Neuf. I was disappointed.

Thanks for reporting back.

I disagree! I took the ride during Easter this year.It was acattle car-full of noisy tourists,couldn't see muc unlees you snag the seats in the front! I dozed off -the headsets are not in sync w/the buildins.............!
A much beter option is to go up the Ac de Triomphe-use the elevator-it's supposed to be for the handicapped but no one cares! What a view! Fabulous because all the important buildings are lit up beustifully! Then at 10PM the Eiffel tower twinkles-what a photo op-it was also a full moon when we went!