Paris City (France)

Paris is a Seine River cruise port (locode FRPAR) and France's capital city, located approx 370 km (230 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean (Biscay Bay). The city's seaport (Le Havre) is approx 211 km (131 mi) to the northwest. Paris is popular for its 100+ large museums and some of the world's greatest concentrations of art treasures, including Pompidou Centre, The Louvre, Picasso Museum (housing the artist's largest collection of paintings).

On cruise shore excursions (usually roundtrip bus tours) from Paris City can be visited Versailles (approx 19 km / 12 mi to the west) and its famous Chateau de Versailles/Palace, as well as Bayeux and Caen. Some bus excursions visit the Normandy Beaches sites (facing the English Channel) Colleville-sur-Mer (where is the Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial), also Omaha Beach, Longues-sur-Mer (artillery battery), Courseulles (WW2 museum), Arromanches-les-Bains (where the Mulberry Harbour was installed for the Normandy landings).

The most important older buildings include the cathedral of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite (1163), nearby 13th-century Gothic Sainte-Chapelle, the Invalides containing Napoleon's tomb, the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre once a royal palace. Other sights include Place d'etoile (today Place Charles de Gaulle), Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, built for Paris World's Fair of 1889 and completed in 1914. Other major buildings include Sacre Coeur Basilica, on Montmartre's summit, Palais Royal, Palais de Chaillot, Palais Bourbon, Palais de Justice, Palais de Elysee, and the Pantheon.

The original site of Paris was on Ile de la Cite and the adjacent south bank of the river. The Romans founded a regional capital here in the 1st century AD. However, Rome's control of Paris was ended by the invading Germanic tribes. Successive Frankish and Capetian kings ruled and made Paris capital of France. The city was rebuilt in the 10th century. Fortified in 15th century for the Hundred Years War with England, in the 17th century Bourbon kings brought peace and classical architecture to the city. Paris led the way in French Revolution in 1789. Under Napoleon, the dominance of the city over the rest of the country increased. In the 19th century, Paris was radically transformed with new parks and new wide boulevards.

Seine River cruises from Paris

River cruises from Paris are among Europe's top -and world's most popular ship travel destinations. Longer cruisetours from Paris are offered as packages combining travel in Normandy with Saone and Rhone river cruising in Provence and Burgundy (wine regions in Southwest France). Seine is not the only river travel option as this inland waterway is navigable also by ocean-going vessels as far as Rouen (located approx 120 km / 75 mi away from the ocean). Over 60% of river's length (as far as Burgundy) is passable by commercial vessels, including barges and riverboats.

The 776 km (480 mi) long River Seine is among France's most important commercial waterways, and one of the best known European rivers. Paris Basin starts at Source-Seine (Langres plateau / northwest of Dijon). The river flows through Paris City into the English Channel at Le Havre (contairnership and cruise port for Paris City), as well as at Honfleur (river's left bank).

• River Seine is only 24 m (79 ft) above sea level (446 km / 277 mi from its mouth), which makes it very slow flowing and easily navigable.
• River's average depth in Paris is 9,5 m (31 ft) and is nearly 100% available for recreational (leisure) boating.
• Until the 1930s, the towing system (using a chain on the river's bed) facilitated barges moving upstream.
• Dredging in the 1960s eliminated tidal bores on lower Seine.
• Paris has 37 bridges, which are among the best river cruising attractions here. Outside Paris, Pont de Normandie is currently one of world's longest cable-stayed bridges. It links Le Havre to Honfleur.

A curious fact is that tourists are often confused about the "right bank" and "left bank" of the river and spend hours trying to figure out which side of the river they're standing on. However, it is a very simple system, devised because Seine's curvy nature often makes orientation quite difficult. The trick is to remember that when you face downriver, the left riverbank is on your left, the right is on your right. Here are some interesting facts about the "Paris river":

Popular leisure cruising options are the city's cruise dinner and 1-night (party) deals, offered mostly by local tour boat operators. However, all major cruise lines on Seine River offer the night cruising experience on their ships leaving from Paris. This is a scenic evening voyage (usually at the end of the Normandy Beaches itinerary) when city lights and water merge to create a unique feeling of romance and tranquillity.

Next map shows a Paris river cruise itinerary combined with Provence and Burgundy (Southern France).

Paris City cruise terminal

Paris City tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Among the most popular river cruisetours from Paris are the Normandy Beaches (aka "D-Day Beaches").

Normandy Beaches

D-Day Beaches are located in Normandy, France. These are the historic site of the Allied invasion of western Europe during WWII, Operation Overlord.

Normandy features a 'maritime' climate with warm summers and mild winters. However, rain is a part of the climate year-round but it is not enough to spoil a cruise vacation. And it does have a benefit: Normandy Beaches' nature is incredibly green and lush.

Normandy is easy to reach from Paris, either by train (2 h from Paris Saint Lazare station to Caen central station) or by car (2-3 h drive). Alternatively, the ferry across the channel takes 6 h from Portsmouth to Ouistreham-Caen, with a good starting point the easternmost D-day target.

Local tourist information offices provide leaflets (in English) that list key visitor attractions. Details of 7 route itineraries are offered, signposted on the road network.

The Normandy coast is lined with beautiful seaside towns and lovely beaches. Behind the coast, one may find a farming landscape of grain fields, pastures and cattle, farmhouses and hedges. But the memories of D-Day and war are engrained in the landscape. There are the remains of gun emplacements and bunkers along the 50-mile invasion coast. War memorials and monuments mark the site where the allied forces landed.

Pegasus Bridge (target of the British 6th Airborne) was the site of the earliest Normandy landings. In 1994, the bridge was replaced by one similar in appearance. The original is housed on the grounds of nearby museum complex.

Parts of Mulberry harbour are visible at Omaha Beach. A memorial to honour the American National Guard was built at the location of former German strongpoint. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is in nearby Colleville-sur-Mer.