The Seine River is 777 kilometers long and flows through Paris before reaching the English Channel. It is deep enough to hold ocean-going vessels, but these days, mostly large cargo barges and tour boats sail on it.
During the 1900 Summer Olympics, the river was used for the rowing, swimming, and water polo events, but in last year’s Olympic Games, some athletes fell ill after swimming in the river, so water sports are no longer allowed there.
However, that didn’t bother me because I had another activity planned for this Paris visit—cruising on the Seine while enjoying the sights along the riverbank. So, when my friends and I found some free time, we booked ourselves on the one-and-a-half-hour river cruise. It gave us a unique way to see the city’s important landmarks from a relaxing and scenic vantage point.
Since the cruise starts right in front of the Eiffel Tower, we had all the time to take photos from almost every angle of this iconic and gigantic structural masterpiece. This 330-meter-high landmark, the tallest in Paris, dominates the city’s skyline and is such a magnificent sight, especially at night when its lights give it a magical glow. It was built as a Welcome Arch for the 1900 World’s Fair.
Sailing along the river, we could only see about three-fourths of the façade of the Notre Dame Cathedral. This 680-year-old masterpiece of Gothic architecture is the main church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Five years ago, fire destroyed its centuries-old wooden spire, roof, and upper walls. A good thing is that its altar, pipe organs, and beautiful rose windows were not damaged at all. After a rebuilding effort at a cost of 840 million euros collected from donations, the cathedral reopened in time for Christmas last year.
Next in sight was the Louvre Museum, one of the most famous, aside from being the biggest in the world. It is home to some of the most popular works of art of the Western world—Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo carved by Alexandros of Antioch, and the headless statue of Winged Victory (of the goddess Nike) sculpted by Pythokritos. If one were to walk throughout the entire 360,000 square meters of museum space, which is the size of 280 tennis courts, it would take a day and a half.
YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE
IN THE FRONT YARD
OF A FUNERAL HOME:
Drive Carefully. We’ll wait.
The Musée d’Orsay is another landmark along the riverbanks. This museum houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist works of art by such world-renowned artists as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, Monet, and others. This 126-year-old building, which used to be a Beaux-Arts railway station, also exhibits French sculptures, furniture, and photography.
The Pont Alexandre III is the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the whole of Paris. This 124-year-old span is named after Tsar Alexandre III of Russia, who had concluded the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. Built in time for the 1900 World’s Fair, together with the Eiffel Tower, the bridge’s design reflects that of the Grand Palais Exhibition Hall and Museum, to which its direction leads.
We also sailed in front of the National Assembly building, where the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament holds sessions. The legislators who work here are the elected representatives, or députés, and there are 577 of them. The building is also known as The Bourbon Palace, as it was originally built for the Duchess of Bourbon, daughter of Louis XIV.
Throughout our cruise, I could see, docked along the riverbanks, many floating restaurants of various categories, ranging from the simple ones to those with ornate and luxurious designs.
I promised myself that the next time I get a chance to take this relaxing river cruise, I’ll go on the one that offers dinner. I’m sure it would be the best treat I could give myself—partaking of delightful French cuisine and admiring the beautiful city lights and landmarks while La Vie En Rose is played in the background. The thought of that alone is enough to soothe frayed nerves.
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