Tuesday, April 26, 2016

A-Z Challenge: V is for Vedettes

While there is no bad way to view Paris, one of the more unique experiences is to take a Seine River boat ride.

The most popular vendor is Bateaux Mouches. I think its convenient location, walking distance from the Eiffel Tower, contributes to its popularity.

I had planned to take the Bateaux Mouches later in the week, but while walking along the Seine after a long day of touring the Louvre, I happened upon another boating company: Vedettes du Pont-Neuf. I was ready to give my feet a break, and so I decided to try it.


This proved to be a great decision.

The line was manageable and moved quickly. However, I missed boarding by just five people. Some may consider this misfortune, but I was thrilled.

We waited less than twenty minutes for another boat to arrive and empty. I was one of the first ones on the boat, which meant I secured one of the coveted seats in the front. This allowed for great views and a few nice photos without the obnoxious back-of-the-head feature.

The ride itself lasts about an hour, give or take a few minutes. It cruises up the Seine, past Notre Dame, then back down the Seine around the Eiffel Tower, before returning to its home base.

Viewing the iconic monuments from this particular vantage point is worth the cost of admission. But I find the up-close-and-personal views of the unique bridges that cross the river of particular enjoyment.

Once we returned to "port", I disembarked the boat well-rested and ready to log a few more miles walking around the city.






13 comments:

  1. Great tip - wait for the next boat! Gotta love serendipity.

    Also btw I love your blog theme. Do you mind if I ask which it is, or did you have it custom made?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the compliment :)

      Actually, my blog background is a free option at Cutest Blog on the Block. I love the site and found the html code easy to copy and paste.

      Delete
  2. Great tip! Sure would love to see it one day! I blogged on Southern Food and Memories at
    Www.everyfamilyhasastorytotell,com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you can visit Paris some day too. While the food is quite different from our Southern food, it is definitely worth trying :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. My blog V post
    https://everyonehasafamilystorytotell.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-2016-u/comment-page-1/#comment-410

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like boat trip, espcially on city rivers. You're right, there's something magical about this kind of trips :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to be careful with boats though... I tried the Gondolas in Venice and got so sea-sick I missed an entire day of sight-seeing :(

      Delete
  5. Sometimes that's a good thing to miss a boat/bus etc. and then get prime seats on the next one. Looks like a great way to see the city.

    Cheers - Ellen | thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bet you have seen many cities/ports on your boating adventures!

      Delete
  6. I would much rather wait and get the best seats, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was definitely a good lesson learned. If I have the choice next time, I will opt to wait :)

      Delete
  7. What a great idea to get some rest while sight-seeing! I visited Paris way back in 1966 and hope to see it again, one day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I visited Paris in 1977 and then again in 2006. I was surprised how much had changed AND how much remained the same. I hope you have the opportunity to return again.

      Delete

Related Posts with Thumbnails