Christmas Day Lunch, 3 Hours

A festive Christmas Day lunch cruise on the Seine with Bateaux Parisiens. Three hours on the water, rated 4.7 across 45 reviews.

Overview

Christmas Day lunch on the Seine pairs a seated meal with a slow cruise through central Paris. You check in at midday at the Bateaux Parisiens pier on Port de la Bourdonnais, right at the Eiffel Tower, and at 12.45 pm the glass canopy boat pushes off with a glass of Champagne Jacquart poured for every guest. From there the afternoon belongs to the river: three hours drifting past Pont Neuf, the Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame and the Marais, with live music playing while the city goes by.

The meal is the other half of the draw. A chef cooks the Christmas menu on board, five courses running from appetizer and starter to a main built on seasonal produce, then cheese, dessert, and a plate of macarons and chocolates. Red and white wine are poured through lunch at one bottle per four guests, a second glass of champagne arrives with dessert, and mineral water and coffee close the service.

It suits travellers who want Christmas Day organised rather than improvised. One reviewer who enjoyed the cruise with family called the food and paired wines exceptional, another compared the meal and wine to any top restaurant, and one person travelling alone said the staff made them feel welcome. Dress is smart casual, there is no hotel pickup, and the boat returns to the same pier with service ending at 3 pm.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Board at the Eiffel Tower pierCheck in at 12 pm at the Bateaux Parisiens dock on Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris. The boat departs at 12.45 pm.
2. Cruise the SeineTwo hours on the water aboard the glass canopy boat, with lunch service and live music running throughout.
3. Pass Pont NeufFor 10 minutes the boat drifts past and beneath the arches of the oldest bridge still standing in Paris.
4. Pass the Île de la CitéThe cruise spends 10 minutes gliding by the island at the heart of the city.
5. Pass Notre-Dame CathedralThe Gothic cathedral comes into view from the water for about 10 minutes.
6. Pass Le MaraisThe boat spends 10 minutes running along the edge of the Marais district.
7. Pass the Eiffel TowerThe tower dominates the final 15 minutes of river before the turn back toward the dock.
8. Return to portThe boat ties up at the same Bateaux Parisiens pier, with service ending at 3 pm.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical details decide how the day goes, from the midday check-in to how the wine is poured.

• Dress code. Smart casual is the stated dress code, so a jacket or a dress fits the occasion. The boat is a glass canopy vessel. No formal wear is called for.
• Arrival timing. Check-in opens at 12 pm and the boat leaves at 12.45 pm, so aim to be at the pier before midday. Service ends at 3 pm, making this a full three-hour seated lunch. Plan the rest of Christmas Day around the late finish.
• Getting there. Hotel pickup is not included. The meeting point is the Bateaux Parisiens dock at Port de la Bourdonnais, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and every traveller makes their own way there on Christmas morning.
• Food and drink. The menu is fixed and cooked on board: appetizer, starter, main course, cheese, dessert, then macarons and chocolates. Champagne comes twice, once with the appetizer and once with dessert, and wine is served at one bottle per four guests, with mineral water and coffee included.
• Bags and pets. Oversize luggage and large bags are not allowed on board, and pets cannot come either, with assistance dogs the exception. A small day bag is the practical choice for a boat lunch.
• Group feel. This is a shared dining boat with live music rather than a quiet dinner. Reviewers regularly single out the musicians and the waiting staff for praise, and one traveller dining alone said the staff kept them feeling welcome, with a glass that was never empty.

Common issues. There is no hotel pickup, so reaching Port de la Bourdonnais by 12 pm on Christmas Day is on you. Souvenir photos taken on board by the photographer are not part of the ticket. The route also depends on the river: one reviewer reported the cruise covered less than the full circuit because the water was too high that day. Oversize luggage, large bags and pets are all refused at boarding, assistance dogs excepted.

Choosing Your Christmas Tour