The Seine

Running through the very heart of Paris, the Seine is the beating heart of the City of Light. Browse the bouquinistes along its banks or simply enjoy the views from its many beautiful bridges. The Seine is a 777-kilometer-long (483 mi) river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, 30 kilometers northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre. It is navigable by ocean-going vessels as far as Rouen, 120 kilometers from the sea. Over 60 percent of its length, as far as Burgundy, is negotiable by large barges and most tour boats, and nearly its whole length is available for recreational boating; excursion boats offer sightseeing tours of the river banks in the capital city, Paris.

The two banks of the Seine are referred to as La Rive Gauche (the Left Bank) and a La Rive Droite (the Right Bank). Both banks are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and they each offer their own distinct flavor of the Parisian experience.

Location: Paris, France