Le Kiosque Flottant is a barge moored on the Seine at quai de la Gare in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, rented for events of up to 80 guests. It is let on a dry-hire basis, which the official site presents as a way to give organizers freedom. The site lists weddings, birthdays and company evenings as typical uses.
Seminars and company events
The venue describes itself as a human-sized room for a company evening. It suits a team party, a client cocktail or an afterwork. The site does not present a meeting-room layout, so day seminars with a projector are not described. The boat can be hired with extras: a bartender with glasses, a hostess or maître d' who handles the buffet and service, and a DJ.
Weddings and receptions
The venue lists weddings on a barge as one of its main uses. Guests have a 360-degree view of the Seine from the upper deck through glass walls, with an outside balcony. The site describes the design as inspired by the lagoon stations built in the 1920s for the vaporetti in Venice.
Rooms and capacities
The maximum capacity is 80 people. The upper deck covers 70 m² on the plan, and the site also mentions an area of nearly 100 m² for the upper deck in its introduction. The lower level covers 40 m². A kitchen with a reheating oven is on board. A downloadable boat plan is available on the site.
Catering
The boat is hired dry. No caterer or corkage is imposed, and you may bring drinks. The site states that a partner caterer is required for certain periods of the year, and the team puts you in touch with the caterer used to the boat. Rental includes access to the boat two hours before the event, furniture, an equipped bar, a kitchen corner, party sound and lighting, WiFi, cleaning and a security agent present from 7 p.m. until the end.
History and setting
The kiosk was designed and placed on the Seine for events. It is moored facing the Truffaut store, near the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand area on the left bank.
Getting there
By metro, take line 6 to Quai de la Gare. From line 14, get off at Bercy, cross the Pont de Bercy following the overhead metro and take the stairs to the quay on your left. By car, leave the ring road at Porte de Bercy and enter 85 quai de la Gare in your GPS. Public car parks are nearby: Bords de Seine Freyssinet, 200 meters away, and Très Grande Bibliothèque, 400 meters away. Entry to the Freyssinet car park closes at 9 p.m.
