Articles
Row, row, row your boat gently down the Seine...
8 April 2010
Tammy Thiebaud
Guest author
STC France
Eighty attendees and speakers will be joining members of the STC France and TransAlpine Chapters for a Seine river boat cruise on Thursday, April 15th, just one of the many highlights of the Content Strategy Forum 2010 conference. If you’re one of the lucky ones signed up for this fun, social networking event, read on to learn what’s in store. If you are not one of the lucky ones joining us (the event is sold out), read on anyway for a glimpse of what you’ll be missing!
The organizers of Content Strategy Forum 2010 look forward to having you join them (and I’ll be there too), for an exceptional evening; indulging in French cuisine and enjoying the sublime illuminations of historic Paris attractions. It will be a pilgrimage of sorts, but in style!
Whilst savoring a bistro-style dinner, we’ll take in spectacular views of Paris as we vogue up and down the Seine. Our boat, aptly named Paris en Scène, has a large glassed interior decked out with comfortable leather club armchairs.
Tables are cozily nested along the bay glass windows for pleasant mingling and socializing while enjoying the views. We also have a special area at the front of the boat reserved exclusively for our group – just to make sure nobody misses any of the sights!
The General Plan
There will be two tours. You can stay on both or debark after the first.
Boarding Time
Boarding starts at 7.30pm, so you should aim to be at the landing stage beside the Pont Saint Michel on the Ile de la Cité (see directions below) no later than 7.15pm. The boat departs at 8pm sharp, so don’t be late – and don’t forget your camera!
Menu Offerings
We’ll be welcomed onboard with an aperitif – a kir crémant (sparkling wine with blackcurrent/blackberry liqueur) or a cocktail with or without alcohol – together with a selection of salted crisps, peanuts, and olives.
Dinner will be served as the cruise gets underway. For the main course, you’ll have to make the difficult choice between:
- gigolette de volaille, sauce forestière (roast chicken with a mushroom and cream sauce)
- pavé de saumon, sauce aux poireaux (salmon steak with a leek sauce)
Both are served with basmati rice and crunchy vegetables and accompanied by 2 glasses of wine and/or mineral water.
There will also be a vegetarian option for those who indicated that need.
Don’t forget dessert and coffee, a French expectation!
Tours
We return to the landing stage at St Michel at 9.00pm. Those who wish to get an early night can disembark after the first part of the cruise, though we strongly encourage you stay on board for a second one-hour circuit down the river, departing at 9.30pm.
The second half of the cruise would be a great time to benefit from the area specially reserved for our group at the front of the boat to snap some great photos. Or grab a complementary glass of champagne (or a cocktail with or without alcohol) and head to the upper deck to mingle and network with your fellow conference-goers as Paris glides by before your eyes.
The Seine
Paris has been a river city since the third century B.C., when the Celts founded the village of Lutétia on the Ile de la Cité. Today, the city’s northern and southern portions are still described as the “Right Bank” and “Left Bank” (“Rive Droite” and “Rive Gauche”, respectively), and the Seine probably carries more river traffic now than at any other time in its history. The right bank is north of the Seine and the left bank is south, as the river flows from east to west, spilling into the English Channel.
But the Seine River doesn’t just flow through the heart of Paris — it is the heart of Paris, having supplied water, transportation, and food to the locals since Celtic fishermen of the Parisii tribe built a village on what is now the Ile St-Louis more than 2,200 years ago. This means that a dinner cruise on the Seine might be viewed as a kind of historic pilgrimage, but in the luxury and comfort of 21st century amenities. Commentary is available during the cruise in 4 languages (French – English – Spanish – Italian) via individual headsets.
The Seine is lined with age-old cobblestone quays and crossed by many antiquated bridges. The oldest one, the Pont-Neuf (“New Bridge”), was built in 1607, and the romantic pedestrian foot bridge, the Passerelle des Arts, was built in 1802 and renovated as recently in 1984.
A good number of Paris’ most famous edifices line the Seine river banks, including Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel tower. At night, these monuments are lit up like bright jewels in their dark velvety case.
Practical Details
If you have any questions, please contact the conference committee at conference[at] stcfrance[dot]org.
Boarding Times
- Plan to arrive at the landing stage no later than 7.15pm.
- Priority boarding begins at 7.30pm.
- First departure at 8.00pm sharp, returning at 9.00pm.
- Second departure at 9.30pm, returning at 10.30pm.
Getting There
If you are starting from the FIAP, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the landing stage (see Google map). You might be able tag along with someone who knows the way, but here is what to do just in case:
- Walk to Place Denfert Rochereau (or take line 6 metro from the Saint Jacques station on the Boulevard Saint Jacques in the direction of Charles de Gaulle Etoile and go one stop to Denfert Rochereau station).
- Take the RER B line at Denfert Rochereau in the direction of Aeroport Charles de Gaulle or Mitry-Claye and get off at the St Michel-Notre Dame stop.
- Take the Place St Michel exit and head towards the Seine, crossing the Pont Saint Michel to the Ile de la Cité. Look for the boat “Paris en Scène” moored at the landing stage beside the bridge. Conference volunteers will be there to greet you and check you in.
Depending on where you’ll be coming from, you may find it more convenient to take metro line 4 or RER line C, both of which stop at St Michel, or bus lines 21, 38, 85, 96 (Cité/Palais de justice stop), bus line 24 (Pont Saint-Michel/Quai des Orfèvres stop) or bus line 27 (Pont Neuf/Quai des Orfèvres stop).
What to Wear
This is an informal networking event, so dress code is casual – though if you want to get all dressed up and fancy for this uniquely Parisian experience, don’t let us stop you! As the spring weather in Paris tends toward the eccentric and unpredictable, plan on dressing in layers to avoid being too warm indoors or too cold outdoors where it can get very chilly and windy on deck. Sensible footwear is also advisable as the deck area may be slippery when wet.
Tammy, this is a great job. Looking forward to seeing you — and you too, David!
David Farbey · 8 April 2010, 20:44
Thanks Tammy, I’m looking forward to joining you and everyone for the dinner cruise,
David