Canauxrama pleasure boat cruises in Paris
Canauxrama provide pleasure boat cruises on the Canal Saint-Martin, the Canal de l’Ourcq and the River Seine, along with complete day cruise packages where you can stop at a restaurant for lunch, or you could also enjoy an evening cruise at certain times of the year.
About Canauxrama Cruises
Canauxrama first started providing cruises on the Canal de l’Ourcq back in 1983 and then started to provide different alternative routes and cruises on the Canal Saint-Martin and Canal Saint-Denis.
And throughout the years, the different journeys and cruise options has increased including a complete one day cruise that goes from the Canal Saint-Martin to the River Seine and on to the Canal Saint-Denis, which started in 1988 followed by cruises on the River Marne in 1993.
Yet it was not until 2008 that Canauxrama, started to provide evening cruises along the River Seine and the Saint-Martin Canal, and of course, as the company has expanded and gained popularity, the number of boats in their fleet has also increased.
You may also be pleased to know that there are guides on all of the Canauxrama cruises in Paris who will provide commentary in French and in English, but summaries are available in different languages such as German, Spanish, Japanese, etc on the Saint-Martin Canal cruises.
Access to Canauxrama Cruises
You will find the main office of Canauxrama located at the Bassin de la Villette, which is open daily from 9.15am through to 6pm except for 24th and 25th of December, the 31st December and 1st January.
There is also a ticket booth located at the Port de l’Arsenal Marina, yet this is only open during the months of May through to September on a Wednesday to Saturday from 9am to 2.30pm and then from5pm to 9pm. Yet on a Sunday and Tuesday this ticket booth only opens from 9am to 2.30pm and is closed on a Monday.
The cruise on the Canal Saint-Martin does run all year round except for the specific days mentioned above, however, all of the other Canauxrama cruises vary, such as the Atmosphere cruise is only during July and August, and the Canal de l’Ourcq cruises only operate between April and October.
But when you have decided what type of cruise you would like to experience depending upon the time of year you will be on holiday in Paris and on your budget, it is recommended that you make a booking at least one week in advance. Although, if you are looking at booking for a group, then you would need to contact Canauxrama and arrange this further in advance, plus we would like to point out that the months of May and June do get exceedingly busy.
There is the option of being able to purchase a ticket on the day, but this is subject to availability and must be done at least 90 minutes prior to departure, yet even if you already have your ticket, you are still advised to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the specified departure time.
Children are welcomed on all of the cruises and they even have a baby bottle warming service if required, but the company does not recommend that children go on the full day cruise due to the length of time on board.
And unfortunately, access to the boats for those in wheelchairs is very difficult, especially at the leisure port of the Port de l’Arsenal Marina and on the Marne River Cruise, due to having to negotiate steps. Plus, even on board the Canauxrama boats can be awkward as there are two decks, so only manual wheelchairs are allowed and the disabled person must have someone else with them.
Now when it comes to reaching the Canauxrama cruises, the Bassin de la Villette boarding is at 13 Quai de la Loire in the 19th Arrondissement, which is where there office is located, and the nearest Metro station is the Jaures stop via lines, 2, 5 and 7. Alternatively you could get to the dock by bus numbers 26 and 48.
However, if you are wishing to do a cruise going from the Port de l’Arsenal Marina, then the Canauxrama dock is located in front of the Boulevard Bastille within the leisure marina close to the Grand Bleu restaurant and the Jardin des Port de l’Arsenal. And the nearest Metro station is the Bastille stop at the Place de la Bastille via lines 1, 5 and 8, or alternatively the bus numbers 20, 29, 65, 86, 87 and 91 will get you close by as well.
Address and contact details
Canauxrama, Bassin de la Villette, 13 Quai de la Loire, 75019, Paris, Ile de France, France
Tel: +33 (0) 1 42 39 15 00
Related information
Canauxrama cruises
Canauxrama photos
Bassin de la Villette
Canal de l’Ourcq
Canal Saint-Martin
River Seine
Port de l’Arsenal
Transport options
Paris Metro lines 2, 5, 7b
Bus line 26
Bus line 48
Bus line 54
Night bus line N13
Night bus lines N41, N42, N45
Attractions close by
Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad
Rotonde de la Villette
Peniche Opera
Point Ephemere
Square Marcel Mouloudji
Peniche Antipode
Peniche Demoiselle
Cafezoide
Pont Levant de la Rue de Crimee
Belushi’s Bars
Bizz’Art Restaurant
Parc de la Villette
Geode Cinema
Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie
Grande Halle
Zenith de Paris
Trabendo concert