Answer: One of the more unique experiences here in Paris is a cruise on the Canal Saint-Martin. This special type of cruise is offered only by certain companies, such as Paris Canal and a few others. Unlike a regular cruise on the Seine River, a Canal Saint-Martin cruise takes you to different and less familiar places, offering a fascinating and unique way to discover Paris.

What is the Canal Saint-Martin?

The Canal Saint-Martin is a man-made canal dug in the 19th century to improve water supply and transportation. It connects the Seine River in the south to the Canal Saint-Denis in the north, passing through local neighborhoods, bridges, locks, and a long underground tunnel.

The most popular cruise on the Canal Saint-Martin is this cruise offered by Paris Canal, which actually combines the canal route with part of a regular Seine River cruise. The trip begins at Parc de la Villette in Paris, on the Canal de l’Ourcq (behind the restaurant “211,”) and continues through the Bassin de la Villette before passing under the Rue de Crimée lift bridge, which opens specially for the boat. From there, the cruise enters the Canal Saint-Martin, where you will go through 9 locks that gradually raise or lower the water level.

Next, the cruise continues into a 2-kilometer underground tunnel beneath Place de la Bastille. From there, it flows into the Seine River, passing by the islands Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité, home to the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. You will also pass the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, and finish at the well-known Musée d’Orsay.

Note: This is a one-way trip, not a round trip, and it lasts about 2.5 hours. The ticket price is around €24 and can be booked here.