Bateaux Mouches
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Bateaux Mouches (French pronunciation: [bato ˈmuʃ]) are open excursion boats that provide visitors to Paris, France, with a view of the city from along the river Seine.[1] They also operate on Parisian canals such as Canal Saint-Martin which is partially subterranean.
The term is a registered trademark of the Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches, the most widely known operator of the boats in Paris, founded by Jean Bruel (1917–2003);[2] however, the phrase, because of the success of the company, is used generically to refer to all such boats operating on the river within the city. Bateaux Mouches translates literally as "fly boats" ("fly" meaning the insect); however, the name arose because they were originally manufactured in boatyards situated in the Mouche area of Lyon.
These boats are popular tourist attractions in Paris. They started with steamers at an
Since the Seine is centrally situated in Paris, a
Boat tours in Paris have flourished since World War II, and today the Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches (still the oldest company operating boat tours) has significant competition. On busy days during high season, boats constantly move up and down the river.
In Canada
A Canadian company runs a tour of the
Kingston 1000 Island Cruises, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada operates "Le Bateau Mouche II" for lunch and dinner cruises of the 1000 Islands. The vessel is referred to unofficially for marketing purposes as the "Island Star".
References
- ^ "Bateaux-Mouches — Seine River — Paris, France". Discoverfrance.net.
- ^ "Et que vogue le Jean Bruel !", Jean-Pierre Thiollet, France-Soir, 8 November 2010.
- ^ "Le Bateau-Mouche au Vieux-Port de Montréal - Canada". Bateaumouche.ca.