Skip to main content

Side-car Paris Visit with a River Cruise

Badge of Excellence
Paris, France
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6
·
· eyeslana ·
May 2025
This was a great tour. Raphael was a very knowledgeable and personable guide. He gave interesting information and made the tour fun. His English was very good. We also enjoyed the hour and a half boat tour on the Seine. It was a nice way to spend our last afternoon in Paris!
· Amy_E ·
Jun 2025
This tour was great for our group of 6 adults. The archeological crypt tour was very interesting and our guide was super informative. We as really loved the cruise on the Seine. I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about the history of Notre Dame and what lies beneath it.

Overview

Uncover Paris’s ancient foundations with this archaeological crypt tour and river cruise package. Led by an archaeologist, guests explore the crypt underneath Notre-Dame Cathedral before taking a one-hour cruise on the River Seine. See Paris’s historical and cultural landmarks from the water and continue to learn about the city’s extensive history. This tour is ideal for history buffs and visitors who like to explore a new city in unique style.
  • Enjoy a personal experience with a small tour group
  • Beat line overwhelm with pre-booked admission to Notre Dame’s archaeological crypts
  • See multiple Parisian landmarks in a tight timeframe
  • Relax in comfortable private transport between the crypt and the boat launch

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This archaeologist-led tour guarantees in-depth commentary, perfect for lovers of ancient history.

What's Included

  • Ticket for the Seine cruise
  • Sidecar driver
  • Helmet and gloves
  • Hotel pick-up

    Meeting and Pickup

    Pickup points

    Select a pickup point

    Pickup details

    I’ll meet you at your address :)

    Itinerary

    1

    Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    2

    Eiffel Tower

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    3

    Musee d'Orsay

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    Arc de Triomphe (Pass By)

    4

    Conciergerie

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    5

    Pont des Arts

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    6

    Musee de l’Armee des Invalides

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    7

    Palais de Chaillot

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    8

    Grand Palais

    4 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    9

    Place de la Concorde

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    10

    Louvre Museum

    5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    11

    Ile Saint-Louis

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    12

    Hotel de Ville

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    13

    Pont Alexandre III

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    14

    Arc de Triomphe

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    15

    Sainte-Chapelle

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    16

    Pont des Invalides

    3 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

    17

    Ile de la Cite

    5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.6
    based on 47 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    Wished for better planning & timing

    Megan_D, Sep 2025
    this would have been a GREAT tour if our tour guide had taken more of a stance with his personal life. Our tour guide cancelled our tour at 8 AM for a 2 PM tour because his partner was giving birth. which is totally fine but why was there no back up?? why was there no plan b ?? he asked if we could reschedule to 10/3 — that’s more than a week after! While we understand that things happen, it just was quite unfortunate that we didn’t have any time to book anything else due to the literal last minute cancellation & missed out on seeing things we had planned for :(

    Response from Host, Dec 2025

    Thank you for your feedback, and I truly understand your frustration. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the last-minute cancellation. Unfortunately, my partner went into labor unexpectedly that morning, which was also a surprise for me. I completely understand that, from your perspective, this disrupted your plans and left you without enough time to arrange an alternative activity. That was never my intention, and I am very sorry that this caused you to miss out on experiences you were looking forward to. I appreciate your understanding that emergencies do happen, even though that doesn’t lessen the impact on your trip. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and I truly regret the inconvenience this caused.

    Wonderful Experience!

    Jennifer_B, Jul 2025
    Our guide, Rafael, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. His outgoing and friendly personality really made it fun. We learned a lot about the history of the island underneath the grounds of Notre Dame Cathedral. Rafael explained the ruins and showed us what it was like in different periods of time. I’m smarter because of it! After this tour, we simply got in line to tour the Cathedral and that line went fast! I highly recommend this tour.

    Despite the interesting...

    Scott_B, Jun 2025
    Despite the interesting info the host presented, we thought because of the pictures on the website this involved seeing the catacombs. So a disappointment.

    Response from Host, Jun 2025

    Hello, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry for the confusion, but the listing clearly states that this is a tour of the Archaeological Crypt beneath Notre-Dame—not the Catacombs. Best regards, Raphael

    Crypt tour

    Anil_G, Jun 2025
    Good tour would definitely recommend. Lots of good information. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.

    Dig site

    melody_a, Jun 2025
    This tour was very interesting. The dig site walls allowed easy visualization of long ago scenes of history. Our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable!

    Great tour and cruise on the Seine

    Amy_E, Jun 2025
    This tour was great for our group of 6 adults. The archeological crypt tour was very interesting and our guide was super informative. We as really loved the cruise on the Seine. I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about the history of Notre Dame and what lies beneath it.

    Tales from the Crypt.

    eyeslana, May 2025
    This was a great tour. Raphael was a very knowledgeable and personable guide. He gave interesting information and made the tour fun. His English was very good. We also enjoyed the hour and a half boat tour on the Seine. It was a nice way to spend our last afternoon in Paris!

    Great time was had by all

    MarionS_H, May 2025
    Our guide Raphael was fabulous very knowledgeable about the crypt and the city. We learned things about Paris and Notre Dame that we never knew.

    Rafael was great

    Gary_P, May 2025
    We are giving a 5 star review because we loved Rafael and he made our experience a nice one even though a bomb threat at Notre Dame caused an evacuation 15 minutes into our tour and lasted too long to return to the experience. Rafael drove us to the river cruise and answered questions along the way, keeping us entertained.

    Our guide was very...

    Lindsey_M, Apr 2025
    Our guide was very knowledgeable and we were able to learn so much in a short period of time. He guided us in a way that helped immerse ourselves into the world of the past! Our guide made it a very fun experience with lots of laughs and smiles!

    Interesting and Unique!

    Anna_P, Mar 2025
    Utterly fascinating tour that pairs wonderfully with a visit to The Catacombs. Our guide, Raphael, was delightful, informative, and hilarious. This is not specific to the tour, but we opted for the Seine boat tour as an add-on, and it is absolutely worth it! Finding out that we were going to be conveyed from Notre Dame to the embarkation point which is well over a mile away from it was such a relief. It made the combined experience effortless and excellent. Thank you!

    An underexplored gem!

    Will_R, Mar 2025
    Our guide (Maleziux, I think), was excellent. Funny and informative, and drove a cool motorcycle to the cruise. My wife and I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the crypt, as well as about the history of Paris. We’ve visited the city a few times, and still learned more here than perhaps anywhere else.

    Crypt Visit

    TR_G, Feb 2025
    Raphael was awesome! The experience was one on one with a lot of history. Walking was not bad at all and even though our cab dropped us off late he was waiting. Great experience!

    Hidden gem!

    Stephanie_B, Feb 2025
    Raphael was incredibly knowledgeable and made everything very interesting! Must do for history buffs

    Really fun

    Dan_O, Dec 2024
    Great guide, very knowledgeable and fun. Only thing we would have liked is to spend more Ike at the exhibits

    Great Tour with Raphael

    jane_S, Dec 2024
    I had a fantastic time visiting the Archaeological Crypt beneath Notre-Dame, and our guide, Raphael, made the experience even better. His deep knowledge of Paris' history and his engaging storytelling brought the ancient ruins and artifacts to life. The crypt offers a fascinating look at the city's Roman and medieval past, and Raphael's insightful commentary helped us appreciate the significance of each find. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history or archaeology!

    Multigenerational knowledge of Paris with an archeologist perspective.

    Brooke_O, Nov 2024
    Excellent knowledge of the history of Paris from a lifelong and generational Parisian. Archeological explanations of Notre Dame and the incredible crypts below. Most would miss this incredible part of Île-de-cite but Raphael gave it life! Also enjoyed our really special transportation to the cruise.

    Great experience

    Alyssa_S, Oct 2024
    We had a great experience. Raphael was our guide and he was amazing! He definitely knew his stuff and we learned a lot. He was great at keeping our interests and just overall was very nice. The crypts are very neat to see. Thank you so much

    Great Tour, Strongly Recommend

    James_B, Oct 2024
    Claire is an excellent and friendly guide. Absolutely worth the money and the wireless speaker you get with the earbud included works well. The pace is fine, anybody who can walk normally for a decent amount of time can do this tour, but much of Paris (and also Europe as a whole) is not wheelchair friendly, you need to be able to walk for a while at a typical pace, just be advised. Excellent tour and can't recommend this one enough.

    Great historical perspective.

    Mark_B, Oct 2024
    Very knowledgeable and pleasant guide. In depth Historical details of crypt presented. Guide was fluent in English.

    Awesome Tour!

    David_C, Sep 2024
    I had the unforgettable experience of taking a guided tour that combined the Crypt at Notre Dame, a deep dive into the history of Notre Dame itself, and a journey into the Paris Catacombs, and it was nothing short of incredible. The tour began in the Crypt, where our guide revealed key details often overlooked by casual visitors. We learned about the ancient Roman bathhouse that once stood on the very spot, and how the crypt preserves layers of Parisian history from Roman times through the Middle Ages. Our guide’s knowledge was impressive, and they skillfully connected the remnants of the Roman occupation with the rise of medieval Paris, adding a rich historical backdrop to the experience. The guide also brought to light fascinating details, such as the beehives maintained on the rooftops of Notre Dame—a quiet homage to nature in the midst of Parisian history. Next, we delved into the majestic history of Notre Dame itself, where the guide pointed out often-missed details, such as the statues of the 28 Kings of Judah that adorn the facade—mistakenly beheaded during the French Revolution when revolutionaries thought they were French kings. Our guide was an excellent storyteller, weaving these historic events together in a way that made Notre Dame’s cultural and historical significance stand out even more. We entered the Paris Catacombs. Our guide’s knowledge of the underground labyrinth and its role throughout history, from its creation to its role in times of plague and revolution, was eye-opening. The tour left no stone unturned, and I left with a deeper appreciation for the layers of history beneath Paris.

    10/10 would do again!!!

    Julia_K, Sep 2024
    Our group was small and intimate, the tour guide was amazing! I absolutely loved this whole tour. The guide was friendly and so helpful. Rafael I believe was his name. We asked him after for cuisine recommendations and he had us eat at the most beautiful and delicious Italian restaurant. So friendly, so in depth, answered any questions we had, really went above and beyond. I will definitely be back to Paris and would absolutely text him in the future for recommendations! Best tour we had in Paris!

    Response from Host, Sep 2024

    Thank you so much for your kind words! It was a pleasure to have you on the tour, and I’m glad you enjoyed the experience. I’m happy you loved the restaurant recommendation as well ! If you ever return to Paris, don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d be more than happy to help with any recommendations or to guide you again. Thank you for making the tour memorable for me as well, and I look forward to seeing you in Paris again !

    Thoroughly enjoyable and informative visit

    Winthrop_W, Jul 2024
    Raphael provided a very warm, engaging and informative visit. He provided a lot of insights during our visit through the Crypt and effortlessly brought us to the Catacombs

    Raphael is a fantastic guide!

    Harry_H, Jul 2024
    Raphael is a fantastic guide! His English is fluent and easy to understand, he’s extremely knowledgeable, and super friendly. Highly recommended!

    Not worth the money - audio tour of Catacombs

    Kim_W, Jun 2024
    Our tour guide was great, such a nice guy and even reached out to make sure we knew where to meet up ect. However, for our family of 3 the cost was $592, in my opinion not worth it. Notre Dame is closed obviously, so there was a little history given outside and then we went down into the Crypt, which might have been a 45 minute tour. From there we went to the Catacombs and were just given the headset audio tour. If I were to do it again, I would have just gone to the Catacombs on our own. I thought when booking the tour - it was going to be a live guided tour through the Catacombs, which it was not. So we essentially paid $592 for maybe an hour of a tour of the Crypt and the short talk outside Notre Dame. In comparison we booked a tour of Versailles for $713 which included transportation to and from the palace (an hour's drive to and from) and a 2.5 hour live guided tour.

    Response from Host, Jun 2024

    Dear Customer, Thank you for sharing your detailed review of your visit to the Catacombs of Paris and the Archeological Crypt. We appreciate your kind words about our guide and his helpfulness. We are sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations in terms of value for money. Your feedback is valuable and helps us improve our services. We understand that you expected a live guided tour of the Catacombs and regret the misunderstanding. We take your comments on the duration and content of the tours included in the package seriously. Rest assured, we will review our offer description to ensure it accurately reflects the experience to avoid any future disappointments. Once again, thank you for your feedback, and we hope you will give us another chance during your next visit to Paris. Sincerely

    Fantastic Tour and Tour guide Raphael

    Diane_P, Jun 2024
    We enjoyed learning about the history of the Crypt as well as the catacombs. Raphael our guide, was extremely knowledgeable. He answered all our questions and had a great sense of humor! He interacted well with everyone in our group. I highly recommend taking this tour with Raphael. This was the best tour out of all tours we experienced here in Paris! Thank you Raphael for making this a wonderful experience!

    Highly recommend. Rafael was great!

    Lisa_C, Jun 2024
    Rafael was extremely helpful, informative, and kind. He went over and above anything expected. Highly recommend.

    Great combo tour

    Irene_B, Jun 2024
    Our tour guide, Raphael, has tremendous knowledge of the history of Notre Dame, the tragic fire, and the development of the city of Paris. He provided thorough explanations about Notre Dame and was kind and conscientious about all the members of our Group who had varying levels physical ability. After we explored Notre Dame underground and learned so much from Raphael, he had a van transport us to the Catacombs. He stayed with us during the Catacombs tour providing supplementary information to the audio tour and he took many photographs of the members of our group - an added bonus. I liked that we saw the catacombs during the day. It was a fascinating tour but a bit creepy being among all the bones and skills. I would recommend this tour especially since it combines Notre Dame and the Paris Catacombs. The reason for one star off is that the price is a bit high.

    Raphael is excellent guide

    Natalie_S, May 2024
    Raphael was an excellent tour guide. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and highly recommend. The catacombs are a must see.

    Memorable experience

    Cristobal_S, May 2024
    Was fantastic. Very informative and even gave insight into other things around paris. Very punctual and explained the process very thoroughly. would definitely do it again

    From $179.00

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 35 days in advance.

    Compare Similar Experiences

    1 / 3
    Current
    Side-car Paris Visit with a River Cruise


    1 hour 30 minutes
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $179.00
    Retro Side-Car Tour in Paris and River Cruise


    3 hours
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $179.00
    Paris Seine River Champagne Tasting Cruise


    1 hour 15 minutes
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $92.86
    Paris Private Tour with Seine River Cruise


    2 hours
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $329.11

    Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought