At first glance, the Seine River in Paris may seem like a simple river running through Paris, but it turns out to be much more than that, as it has become a major tourist attraction and landmark with many fantastic bridges, two islands within it. and much more.
The Seine River has always been an important and prominent river even before the city was born. It dates back to when the first Parisii tribes established their fishing villages near the river, as well as when the Roman Empire took over the river because it had become a highly valued commercial waterway.
Surprisingly though, the river is only about 24 meters above sea level and in some places only 8 meters deep, making it a slow-flowing river that is also easy to navigate, and even up to the today provides water to Paris.
The river divides the city in two; known as the typical left and right. Settlers first stayed on the Right Bank, but it wasn’t until the time of the Roman Empire that Paris began to grow and eventually spread to the Left Bank as well.
To identify the different sides, you can look downstream on the river to see that the left bank side is the left and the same for the right, so it’s easy to understand no matter which part of the city you are on. this reason.
Where the river forks into Paris, it has a couple of islands in the middle, which are known as Ile Saint Louis and the other is Ile de la Cite, which is also known as the central point of the city of Paris.
On the left side of the river, you can find many famous and frequently visited places of interest in Paris, including the Musee d’Orsay located in an old train station and the famous Eiffel Tower along with other places of interest such as Les Invalides with the Napoleon’s tomb. .
Across the Seine River you can see the most famous of all Paris museums, which was a former palace called The Louvre, as well as the incredible Champs-Elysées avenue, the Sacre Coeur basilica in the distance, and more.
Although, there are many impressive monuments in Paris that are located right next to the river, including on the Ile de Cite island, where you can find La Conciergerie, which was a palace that was later turned into a prison during the French Revolution, as well as on the incredible Notre Dame Cathedral on the same island.
In fact, despite the river, you can easily cross it with 32 bridges that span the Seine to access the other side and the monuments, whether on bus tours like the Open Tour or on foot on a bridge like the Étang des Arts or by the oldest bridge called Pont Neuf, which can also be seen in various movies over the years.
The piers along the riverfront are also easy to find and get to, with boardwalks and bike lanes, as well as picnic areas and the chance to sunbathe on a nice day where you can find plenty of great spots. Or if you prefer, you can jump on a canal trip or river boat ride.
As you can see, there are many things to do along the Seine river, not forgetting that there is also a Batobus, which is a bus that stops by the water at various docks so that you can find some of the main tourist attractions in Paris right next to you. the water. .
Cruises along the water route are also a favorite tourist attraction, and one tour company that happens to be one of the oldest, Bateaux Mouches, can offer dinner cruises on traditional boats and others that can offer different river tours. in Paris ranging from gourmet French cuisine or even longer trips that can be from Paris to Le Havre and traveling on the Eurostar to return to Paris.
A couple of places you can visit on the River Seine include the Chinese junk called the Lady of Canton, formally known as Cabaret Pirate, which hosts shows and concerts for all ages, as well as another venue for nightly entertainment and DJs in an old lighthouse. ship called Batofar.
Or for something different, you can take the opportunity to go swimming. Not on the river but on it where you can find a barge moored next to where Piscine Josephine Baker is, which allows you to swim all year round and has a cover for the days that are not so nice.
The Paris Plage was the original reason the pool was made, and the Paris Plages themselves are a major highlight during August, where a portion of the banks turn into beaches with tons of sand, palm trees, numerous activities, sun loungers and more. Ideal for any age to go relax, let the kids build sand castles, play sports or maybe get a tan and they have become another of the great tourist attractions in Paris for both residents and vacationers of Paris.
Now for something a little different, as here are some unusual facts about the Seine River that you may not have known.
The river begins outside of Dijon within the Burgundy region and then travels northwest through Troyes, eventually reaching Paris.
The river is, in fact, the second longest river in France with a total length of 776 km, with the river’s mouth in the English Channel between Haute Normandie and Basse Normandie, where the river ends.
Many ocean-worthy ships can travel across the Seine River from the English Channel directly to Rouen. Although commercial river boats can go further, approximately 560 km from the mouth.
Originally, the water level of the Seine used to fluctuate quite a bit, but since the 1800s locks were installed in order to combat this problem and since then the water levels have been closely monitored to try to prevent major flooding as in the past.
Between Rouen and the mouth of the River Oise there are four locks to help, with an additional two locks at Suresnes that lift trading ships and other vessels up to the water level of Paris.
As stated before, trade across the river was very popular, so it was also connected by canals to the Loire River, Rhône River, and Rhine River, which helped make trade even more prolific.
But these are just a few of the amazing little touches you can find on the Seine River, which means it’s a great way to relax and enjoy yourself if you decide to go on holiday to Paris.