Part of our France guide.
Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Sightseeing Cruise lines vary by season and time of day; expect waits of 20–40 minutes during peak summer afternoons. Off-peak mornings or evenings can cut that to under 10 minutes.
Related travel guides: Hidden Gems In France.
Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Sightseeing Cruise: How Long Is The Line?
Queues form at the Bateaux Parisiens boarding point near the Eiffel Tower. On a sunny Saturday in July, the line stretches to 40 minutes by 2 p.m. On a Tuesday in November at 10 a.m., you may walk straight on. The cruise itself lasts one hour, passing the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and Musée d'Orsay. Tickets cost €15–€18 for adults, €7–€9 for children aged 3–12, and are free for under-3s. Booking online in advance skips the ticket queue but not the boarding line. The company runs departures every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer, reducing to hourly in winter. Our Paris travel guide covers accommodation, dining, and transport options.
A Weekend In Northern France Itinerary + Ferry Guide
Ferries from Dover to Calais run hourly, with crossing times of 90 minutes. P&O Ferries and DFDS offer single fares from £30–£50 for a car and driver, depending on booking lead time. A weekend itinerary: Day 1 – drive to Lille (1 hour from Calais) for the Grand Place and Palais des Beaux-Arts. Day 2 – head to the Opal Coast, visiting Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez, then back to Calais for the evening ferry. For ferry bookings, compare P&O, DFDS, and Brittany Ferries; the latter serves Dunkirk from Dover in two hours. Parking at Dover Eastern Docks costs £15–£25 per day.
How Long Is The Ferry Ride From Nice To Bastia
The ferry from Nice to Bastia takes 5 hours 30 minutes on the Corsica Ferries direct route. A single ticket for a foot passenger starts at €35 in low season, rising to €80 in August. For a car, add €60–€120. Departures are daily in summer (June–September) and 3–4 times weekly in spring and autumn. The ferry arrives at Bastia's Vieux Port, a 10-minute walk from the town centre. Bastia's citadel and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church are within walking distance. Corsica Ferries also runs a Nice–Calvi route (4 hours 45 minutes) and a Toulon–Bastia route (6 hours). Our travel guide in France includes itineraries for Corsica's interior and coastal trails.
Exploring Briancon And Montgenevre, France (By Train)
The train from Paris to Briançon takes 5 hours 30 minutes on the TGV to Oulx (Italy) then a regional TER to Briançon. Alternatively, a direct night train (Intercités de Nuit) runs from Paris Austerlitz to Briançon, departing at 9 p.m. and arriving at 6:30 a.m., with couchette fares from €29. From Briançon, a local bus (line 4) runs to Montgenèvre in 25 minutes, costing €2. The bus runs hourly until 7 p.m. In winter, the free ski shuttle connects Briançon's Grande Gare to Montgenèvre's slopes. Montgenèvre's ski area (linked to Via Lattea) offers 400 km of pistes. Summer activities include hiking the GR5 and mountain biking. For packing advice, check our guide on what to pack for a trip to France in winter or summer.
A Day Trip On The Ferry To France
A day trip on the ferry to France works best from Dover to Calais: depart at 7 a.m., arrive at 8:30 a.m., then drive 30 minutes to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Visit Nausicaá aquarium (€25 adults, €18 children) and the old town. Return ferry at 6 p.m. gives you 8.5 hours on the ground. Foot passengers can use the free shuttle from Calais ferry terminal to the town centre. For a longer day, take the Dover–Dunkirk ferry (2 hours) and visit the Dunkirk War Museum. If you want to get a reservation at Girafe Paris, book two weeks ahead for dinner; the restaurant is not near the ferry ports, so plan it as part of a separate Paris trip. For a coastal alternative, you can get to Mont Saint Michel on a cruise that stops at Saint-Malo, then take a 45-minute shuttle bus to the island.
