Directions: Paris Canal boats begin their 2½-hour cruise at either the Quay Anatole France below the Musée d'Orsay on the River Seine or the Parc de la Villette in northern Paris. Either direction is fine, so pick the departure time that works best with your schedule.

Departure times: The cruising season runs from late March until mid-November. Departure times vary by month, with one boat in each direction during the shoulder season and two boats in each direction during the summer. For a current timetable, visit the Paris Canal Web site (link below).

At the Villette end, you might want to allow time for a visit to the lovely Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (which was built in the 19th Century on the site of a gypsum quarry and execution ground) and the Boulangerie par Véronique Mauclerc, one of only two bakeries in Paris with wood-burning ovens (and one of the few bakeries in France that is owned and operated by a woman).

Prices: When this article was last updated in July, 2011, individual tickets cost €18 for adults over 25, €11 for children from 4-11, and €15 for young people from 12-25 or seniors over 60.

Web site: Reservations are required. Book ahead on the Paris Canal Web site, which also has current information on departure times and on the company's other itineraries.

Next page: St. Martin Canal photo tour

St. Martin Canal Cruises:
Introduction	Photo tour
Directions and tickets

Related articles:
Paris Sightseeing Boats	Paris Dinner Cruises

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