A day on the Seine in Normandy
When people think of a Seine river cruise outside Paris, they first picture the riverboat hotels that sail down to Normandy over a week. They exist, and we compare them on our Paris to Normandy river cruise page. But if you are already in Rouen or Honfleur, or spending a day there from Paris, there is something simpler: local boats that go out for an hour and a half and come back to the quay.
The two towns show you different Seines. In Rouen the river runs through a big port city, between redeveloped quays, warehouses and bridges; the trip is urban, almost industrial in places. In Honfleur you are at the mouth: the river widens into the estuary, the Pont de Normandie fills the horizon, and Le Havre and its terminals take shape on the far bank. They complement each other, and in our view Honfleur wins for scenery, Rouen for the story of the river.
One honest note before we go on: we do not sell the Rouen tourist office boats. For Honfleur, a sea outing can be booked through our partner, as can a canoe trip on the Seine at Vernon, near Giverny.
Rouen: the river trip aboard L'Escapade
Rouen's boat is called L'Escapade and it is sold by Rouen Tourisme, the city's tourist office. It is moored beside the Pont Flaubert, next to the Docks 76 shopping center: trams T1, T2 and T3 stop at the station of the same name. Older listings place it at Quai Ferdinand-de-Lesseps or at Hangar 9, so check the departure point on your ticket.
The basic option is a 90-minute sightseeing cruise, from €20 according to the tourist office. Commentary is in French only. Two treat options are available: a drink with a pastry, or a glass of champagne. The trip depends on a minimum number of passengers and on the weather, and an unused ticket is not refunded.
If you find €12 or €9 fares online, they date from an older boat and no longer apply. Departure dates and times are published through the season on the tourist office website; the département's events calendar also lists guided trips on Sunday late afternoons in spring and summer. Book before you travel from Paris, especially on a weekend.
Lunch or dinner cruise in Rouen
L'Escapade also serves meals under way. The lunch cruise and the dinner cruise start at around €104 per person; a second lunch option is listed higher, at about €144. The dinner lasts about three hours, with a pianist. It is Rouen's version of a Paris dinner cruise, on a smaller boat and with a less touristy feel.
The most unusual outing is the Lock lunch cruise: six and a half hours on the water, as far as the Poses-Amfreville lock, upstream of Rouen. It takes a full day, but it is the only simple way to watch a Seine lock from a boat without booking a multi-day cruise.
The calendar also includes holiday dates: a cruise on the evening of the Bastille Day fireworks, Christmas Eve dinners, lunches on December 25 and January 1, and a New Year outing. Prices and seats for those evenings go fast. To compare with what Paris offers, see our Seine dinner cruise page.
Honfleur boat trip under the Pont de Normandie
In Honfleur the most popular outing is aboard the Aventura: 90 minutes in the Seine estuary, passing the lock, the lifeboat station and the radar tower, then under the Pont de Normandie and along the nature reserve, with views of Le Havre and Port 2000. It leaves from 2 Quai des Passagers. Advertised times are 11:30 am, 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm, with a 6:30 pm departure on some days, depending on the weather and demand.
The fares published by the tourist office: €20 per adult, €12 for under-12s, free up to age 3. Commentary is in French and English, and the season runs from April to November.
The tourist office lists two other boats, with less reliable information: the Ville d'Honfleur, for an outing of about 90 minutes under the Pont de Normandie, and La Calypso, a former whaler, for a tour of the harbor basins of about 45 minutes, at around €10. Check prices and times locally. A boat trip is a good way to understand the town: Honfleur lives facing the estuary, and it is from the water that you take the measure of the bridge.
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Honfleur: Boat Trip and Tour of the Pont de Normandie
4.3 (36)
from €26Check dates
GetYourGuide1 hour
Canoeing and kayaking in Vernon, near Giverny: the River Seine and the old mill
5.0 (1)
from €22Check dates
See everything on GetYourGuide →See everything on Tiqets →See everything on Headout →Prices checked on October 17, 2026
Rouen and Honfleur on a multi-day river cruise
The two towns are also the main stops on river cruises from Paris. Rouen is on every itinerary: it is even the turning point for Viking and Avalon. Honfleur, on the other hand, is only reached by boat with Scenic, Emerald, CroisiEurope and Riviera Travel, which often moor there for two nights; AmaWaterways, nicko, A-ROSA and Tauck stop at Le Havre and reach Honfleur by coach.
A three-day Paris to Honfleur cruise is something travelers often ask about. We found no product in that format. The shortest one that goes as far as Honfleur is CroisiEurope's six-day, five-night itinerary, Paris – Les Andelys – Honfleur – Rouen – Paris, from about €900 in an autumn promotion; the same line's three-night stay remains in Paris.
In Rouen, the river cruise ships do not offer day trips to passers-by: you cannot board a Viking ship for an hour. The details of the lines are in our Viking and CroisiEurope reviews.
The Rouen Armada: dates and what it changes
The Armada is the great gathering of tall ships and naval vessels on the quays of Rouen. It returns every four to six years for about ten days and ends with the Seine parade: the ships sail down the river in line to Honfleur, Le Havre and the sea. The last edition, in 2023, drew more than five million visitors according to the organizers. The next one is announced for June 17–27, 2027.
For a boat trip in Rouen, that fortnight is both the best and the worst time: the quays are spectacular, but packed. CroisiEurope sells special five-night cruises with free evenings at the Armada. For the other lines, the berths in Rouen are taken by the sailing ships, so a regular June itinerary may skip Rouen or be changed; ask before you book. We have no official confirmation that access to the quays is free; check the Armada website before you go.
How to get to Rouen and Honfleur from Paris
Rouen is the easiest: trains leave the Gare Saint-Lazare about every half hour and arrive in about 1h30. By car, allow roughly the same for 139 km (86 miles). A day trip with the 90-minute L'Escapade cruise and a visit to the cathedral fits in comfortably.
Honfleur has no train station. From Paris, direct coaches take 2h40 to 3h20, for around €20 on average. By train, go as far as Le Havre (about 2h08 from Saint-Lazare), then cross the estuary by bus or taxi in about thirty minutes. By car, allow about 2 hours. It can be done as a day trip from Paris, but in our view Honfleur deserves a night.
Vernon, for Giverny and canoeing on the Seine, is under an hour from Saint-Lazare on the fastest trains. If you arrive in Le Havre on an ocean cruise ship, the from London or Le Havre page explains how to combine your port call with a cruise in Paris. And for the Seine in Paris, nothing beats the one-hour cruise.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Seine river cruise in Rouen?
The 90-minute trip on L'Escapade is listed from €20 by the Rouen tourist office; lunch and dinner cruises start at around €104. The €12 fares you may see online are out of date.
Where does the boat leave from in Rouen?
L'Escapade is moored beside the Pont Flaubert, by Docks 76, served by trams T1, T2 and T3. Check the exact point shown on your booking.
Can you go under the Pont de Normandie by boat?
Yes, from Honfleur: the Aventura leaves 2 Quai des Passagers for 90 minutes in the estuary, under the Pont de Normandie, at €20 per adult and €12 for under-12s, from April to November.
Is there a three-day cruise from Paris to Honfleur?
We have not found one. The shortest itinerary that reaches Honfleur is CroisiEurope's, six days and five nights round trip from Paris.
When is the Rouen Armada?
The next Armada is announced for June 17–27, 2027 on the quays of Rouen. Regular river cruises may change their Rouen stop during that period.
How do I get to Honfleur without a car?
By direct coach from Paris (2h40 to 3h20), or by train to Le Havre, then a bus or taxi across the estuary.
