3-Course Lunch, Yule Log

Christmas Day lunch cruise on the Seine with Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches, running 1 hour 45 minutes.

Overview

Boarding starts at Port de la Conférence, the Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches pier by the Pont de l'Alma, for a 13:00 departure. The cruise runs 1 hour 45 minutes along the Seine and finishes back at the same pier, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Once on board, the format is simple: a table in the dining cabin, a three-course French lunch, and the city drifting past the windows. Dessert is a home-made French Yule log, each pair of diners gets a bottle of wine, and bottled water, coffee and tea are part of the service. Live music plays throughout, and more than one review names the music as a highlight. A commemorative card comes home with every guest.

The route passes the Eiffel Tower, the Statue de la Liberté, the Musée d'Orsay, the Conciergerie, the Hôtel de Ville, Île Saint-Louis, Notre-Dame, Pont Alexandre III and Pont Neuf, all without a single stop, which suits travellers who would rather see Paris from the water than walk it on Christmas Day. The boat is wheelchair accessible, infant seats are available, and vegetarians are catered for when they say so at booking. A single reservation covers at most 14 people, with separate bookings needed for bigger groups.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Port de la ConférenceCheck in at the Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches pier by the Pont de l'Alma. The nearest metro is Alma-Marceau on Line 9, and departure is at 13:00.
2. Casting off on the SeineThe boat leaves the pier and settles onto the river. The full run lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, and nothing along the way stops the boat.
3. Eiffel Tower pass byThe tower comes into view from the water. Like every sight on this route, it is a pass by with no stop.
4. Statue de la Liberté, Musée d'OrsayThe cruise passes the Statue de la Liberté and then the Musée d'Orsay, both seen from the water with no stop.
5. Conciergerie and Hôtel de VilleTwo more landmarks slide past in sequence as the boat keeps moving along the river.
6. Île Saint-Louis and Notre-DameThe boat passes Île Saint-Louis and then the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, again without stopping.
7. Pont Alexandre III, Pont NeufThe last two named sights on the route are these bridges, each passed on the water with no stop.
8. Back to Port de la ConférenceThe cruise ends where it began, at the same pier by the Pont de l'Alma.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points, from cabin temperature to how the wine is poured, shape the day more than the menu does. Here is what to know before booking.

• Getting there. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so the trip starts and ends at Port de la Conférence by the Pont de l'Alma. The nearest metro is Alma-Marceau on Line 9, and the pier sits close to public transport generally. Boarding is for the 13:00 departure.
• Dress and layers. The dress code is smart casual. Two reviewers separately described a dining cabin kept far too hot, with the heating left on despite cool weather outside, so a layer that can come off at the table makes sense.
• Food and drink. The three courses finish with the home-made Yule log, and each pair of diners shares one bottle of wine, with bottled water, coffee and tea also included. A vegetarian option exists but must be requested when booking. Infant meals are not included, so plan ahead for the smallest guests.
• Group size. The boat takes up to 100 travellers, which makes this a large dining cruise rather than an intimate one. A single reservation covers at most 14 people. Larger parties need several bookings plus a message to the operator asking to be seated together, otherwise the group may be split.
• Music and decorations. Live music plays during the meal, and more than one review names the music as a highlight. One reviewer also described the boat as beautifully decorated for the occasion.
• Photos and keepsakes. Souvenir photos are available to purchase on board, the one extra the listing flags. The commemorative card, by contrast, is handed to every guest. All sightseeing is pass by, so photos are taken from the boat as it moves.

Common issues. The strongest pattern in the reviews is heat: two travellers described an overheated dining cabin, with heating left on in mild weather, and one of them said complaints to staff changed nothing. Departure punctuality also drew comment, with one reviewer held up while the boat waited for late guests and another reporting a late start. Food divided opinion, mostly positive, though one reviewer found it disappointing for the cost. The practical limits from the listing: no hotel transfer, up to 100 travellers on board, souvenir photos sold separately, and no refund where a late cruise ship arrival makes passengers miss the departure.

Choosing Your Christmas Tour