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Vedettes de Pont Neuf cruise to see lighting of Eiffel Tower

We want to take a 1 hr Vedettes de Pont Neuf cruise on July 31st at sunset to see the first lighting of the Eiffel Tower for the evening. The Eiffel Tower website says the lighting occurs at dusk. I looked up the time of sunset that day; one website said 9:33, another said 9:30. However, the Vedettes de Post Neuf website said sunset will occur at 10:08 on July 31st and that night cruises begin at 10:15 pm Does that mean the first lighting for the evening won't occur until after that? We want to buy skip-the-line tickets ahead of time. What time will sunset really be on July 31st? Is that the same as dusk? What time should we take a cruise? (The Eiffel Tower is about halfway on the cruise, and the Vedettes website says all of the tours at night will see the lighting.) Thank you. This is all to figure out which cruise to take! (It's really important to me--I'll have my husband, my grown son, his wife, and my 2 teenage grandchildren, so I'd love for us to see this. I'll save a few $ buying online and we can buy skip the line tickets. https://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/cruises/ My friend, who went on a RS tour that included Paris, said they did this on the tour. I just can't figure out which cruise to take :)! Times are 8:45, 9:45, and 10:15 pm. I emailed the company (Vedettes de Pont Neuf), but did not hear back from them.

Posted by
386 posts

Sunset is 9:30 but it doesn’t get truly dark for roughly an hour after that. So the 10:15 cruise will be perfect. I’ve done the Vedettes cruise several times - you’ll have a lovely time!

Posted by
920 posts

Just took this ride a week ago….we did not go until 10:15…..turned around at the Eiffel Tower and sat and STILL the lights never came on…..somebody forgot! Our boat captain urged us to wait until after 10 as it does not get dark in Paris until then……we were glad we did though someone was asleep at the switch……our son and his wife went back a few nights later for a dinner cruise and at 10 and the lights did come on….said it was majestic……we saw it years ago and wanted to see it again……maybe next time!

Posted by
112 posts

Just have to say over the past 20 years I have taken all my friends and family on the Vedettes de Pont Neuf and everyone just adored it -- even the people who say they don't like tourist things. :)