River Limousine Luxury boat parisThe Seine River, which snakes through the heart of Paris, is one of Europe’s most iconic rivers. Over the course of the centuries many of the city’s major historic sites, like Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, have been built along its graceful banks. Therefore, one of the best ways to admire these monuments and take in the magic of the City of Light is by boat, but not just any boat. From private Venetian water taxis to exclusive dinner cruises, here are the top omega replica companies for touring the Seine.

River Limousine Paris luxury boat interior

Couples and Small Group Luxury Private Tours

Since 2007 Joseph Anticevic and his friendly crew at River Limousine have been arranging private tours on the Seine for hollywood stars and Saudi princes abroad their custom-built luxury Venetian water taxis (first and second photos above). The sleek wooden boats can fit up to six passengers. Each craft has a covered salon fitted with an elegant white leather-covered banquette, tinted windows and a convertible roof which can be opened on warm sunny days. They are about to add another boat to their fleet and they will soon be opening a waterside private terrace lounge for their guests.

Their cruises generally last an hour and a half with the possibility of stopping along the way for photos or short breaks to enjoy certain monuments. Each tour comes with a complimentary bottle of swiss replica watches champagne or soft drinks and they can also arrange breakfast cruises, picnics and other associated services.

Yacht de Paris

Mid-sized Group Private Tours & Meal Cruises

For groups larger than six or for a sit-down meal, the Yachts de Paris have a fleet of eight luxury yachts which are excellent for diverse functions. The Cachemire, a 24-metre 1982 De Vries yacht inaugurated in June 2007 by its “Godfather” John Travolta, is the perfect boat for a small group of up to 12 who would like a more spacious boat for touring or lunch or a group cocktail along the Seine. It has an outside deck for sightseeing and a covered lounge which features elegant velvet upholstery by Pierre Frey, fine china by Raynaud and Baccarat crystal glassware. Their other boats increase in size up which could be suitable for professional cocktails, weddings, family reunions and other events for up to 800 people.

Yacht de Paris Don Juan II

Elegant Shared Dinner Cruises

The most elegant shared dinner cruise on the Seine is also aboard a Yachts de Paris craft: the Don Juan II. Built in 1931 and refurbished in 2007, the classy yacht has an upper deck ideal for enjoying a glass of pre-dinner champagne before descending into its art Art Deco dining room. You will join no more than a total of 39 other diners, much fewer compared to 100+ on the other dinner boat cruises. Their refined menu includes a pre-starter, starter, main course, cheese, dessert, miniature pastries and is designed by chef Guy Krenzer, a laureate of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France award. Their 2.5 hour dinner cruises departs nightly at 8:30 pm.

vedettes de paris boat

Champagne Group Cruises

While this experience isn’t as luxurious as the others above, the Vedettes de Paris offer a different option to the standard “bateaux mouches” large cruising boats that tour the Seine. Join a small group of fellow cruisers for a sightseeing tour along the river accompanied by a champagne tasting led by Parisian wine tasting experts O-Chateau. You’ll sample three champagnes, a brut, a demi-sec and a rosé, as your drift past the city’s most emblematic monuments. An alternative and sparkling way to discover the city and learn about one of the country’s most famous beverages. These run Monday to Saturdays at 6pm from May through the end of August 31st and the rest of the year every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6pm.

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Gastronomy is certainly a highlight of any trip to France, that said, navigating the French Riviera’s often touristy dining scene can be as difficult as navigating the area’s winding, congested roads. If you would like to stay clear of the packed, celebrated restaurants of la Cote d’Azur, such as Le Moulin de Mougins and La Chevre d’Or, but still have an excellent, authentic meal, grab a table at one of these insider suggestions from our France villa experts. (more…)

This year the month of May is a special one for our France experts at Just France as the company is celebrating 25 years in business. A pioneer in villa rentals in France, we hear from its director Annie Flogaus on how the company began.

Annie Flogaus Just France

JUST FRANCE pre-dates the Internet. We mark the years by the stories from our property inspection trips to France, when we crisscross the countryside visiting new properties and reviewing existing ones. We were hustling down tiny chemins and making frantic calls at Cabine Telephoniques with Telecartes in the days when luxury meant that clients didn’t have to bring their own linens and wi-fi connections did not even exist. The Michelin maps were well creased, and we had adventures on back roads that will appear in a book one day.

Annie Flogaus joined Just France in 1996, fresh from Duke University with a French major and business minor in hand, and her devotion to France was evident from her first meeting with Founder Cecil Jones, an attorney and lifelong Francophile who started the company in 1991 in Philadelphia.  As their collection and client base grew over the years, the notion of renting a villa in France went from unheard of, and certainly preposterous, to a reality discovered by thousands, many of whom come back year after year. Annie took over the company in 2005 and still gets the question from non-travelers – you mean there is a company that only rents vacation properties in France? The answer is a resounding yes. Annie and her colleagues treasure the opportunity of assisting people in finding a lovingly tended home amid visually stunning surroundings with the best of food, art and history at the doorstep. Just France was a pioneer in creating this niche, and we continue to figure out how to carve it the best way possible.

La Tourelle Just France 2

From the beginning, we have insisted on inspecting each property we offer for rent and strive to connect our clients with the property that will work best for their group. We provide detailed arrival information and professional client service. We have a small staff with decades of experience that share a deep understanding of and affection for the country of France. Our enthusiasm for sharing the wonders of the area with our clients is unbounded, and on each trip we discover a new historical site that we can’t wait to share with our clients. We have an excellent network of service providers in France and work closely with them to design activities that will enrich interested groups. We listen to what our prospective renters want and strive to deliver on and preferably exceed their expectations, from start to finish.”

As part of their 25th anniversary celebrations Just France is receiving the Grand Prize winners of their special anniversary contest which included a free stay at one of Just France’s best properties, La Tourelle, a beautifully renovated 18th-century 6-bedroom Provençal farmhouse. Their private chef is preparing a delicious menu of French specialities, they will spend a half-day on a custom wine tour of the area, in addition to having many other cultural discoveries of Provence.

Just France Anniversary logo