Sam
We visited Paris in April 2016 on a family holiday, though I had previously explored the city with a friend before having kids. Given its rich history, stunning landmarks, and family-friendly attractions, I knew Paris would be a fantastic place to explore with my boys while we were in France.
In this mini travel guide, I’ll share the places we visited as a family, along with recommendations for other attractions that might interest families traveling with children. Whether you’re looking for iconic sights, kid-friendly activities, or hidden gems, there’s something in Paris for everyone.
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Guide to Visiting Paris with Kids
Contents
How To Get To Paris
From the UK the best airport to get to Paris is the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. It is roughly 14 miles North East of the city centre and it is easy to reach the city from the airport. If you are already in France then the trains have good connections to all the train stations in Paris (I think there are 8 in total). You can also reach Paris city centre on the bus.
Getting Around Paris With Children
Paris has plenty of transport options, but some are more family-friendly than others. The metro is a convenient way to get around, but if you’re traveling with a pram, be prepared for a challenge—there are lots of stairs and very few elevators, meaning you’ll often need to carry or fold the pram.
Buses and taxis are available, but if you’re looking for a fun and practical way to explore the city, I highly recommend the Batobus (water taxi). A day ticket offers great value, allowing you to hop on and off at major attractions while giving you a unique perspective of Paris from the Seine.
Walking is another option, and while we did this for a full day, it was exhausting—especially with kids in tow! If you want to save energy and keep the experience enjoyable, mixing walking with the Batobus or other transport options is a great way to go.
Where To Stay in Paris With Kids
We stayed for about an hour and a half away in La Croix du Vieux Pont which is a great place to stay. However, there are many places in Paris which suit all range of budgets. If you are staying overnight in Paris I also know of a few families that have stayed in Airbnb accommodation within the city.
Where To Eat In Paris With Kids
Paris offers an incredible variety of dining options, from elegant restaurants to casual takeaways. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a sit-down meal, you’ll have plenty of choices.
During our trip, we grabbed a Subway lunch near Notre Dame and later had dinner at a restaurant close to the train station. While there are international options, I highly recommend trying some classic French treats—a visit to a crêperie is a must, and no trip to Paris is complete without stopping at a bakery for a pain au chocolat. These delicious pastries are a hit with kids (and adults too!).
If you’re travelling with little ones, many restaurants offer kid-friendly menus, and bakeries are a great place to pick up snacks on the go. Whatever your family’s tastes, you’ll find something delicious in Paris!
Things To Do In Paris With Kids
There are plenty of things to do in Paris as Paris is a city that never stops. Kids will find plenty of things to do here, from visiting the city’s top attractions to shopping at local markets and running through the city’s many parks.
When planning a trip to Paris with kids, it is important to consider what interests them. There are plenty of activities and attractions that will keep them entertained throughout the trip. Here are some of our favourite kid-friendly activities in Paris:
Sacré-Cœur
This is an iconic Basilica which sits on a hill above Paris. This was our first stop on our day trip to Paris. If you walk up you will have steps to climb. Coming up behind the church you will come face to face with lots of steps. If you come up from the front then the steps are easier to get up but still tough going with a stroller. It can be pretty busy but there is a beautiful carousel at the bottom which I’m sure most children would love. You can go inside, however, you have to be quiet and no pictures or videos are allowed. With my two noisy boys, I opted out of going inside.
Notre Dame
This Catholic church is pretty famous worldwide, I think everyone has heard of it. I wanted to head inside however my boys were getting hungry so decided to look for food instead of going inside. I have been inside previously and it is a very beautiful church. It is free to go inside but you have to pay extra to go up to the roof. I did this on a previous trip and it has some great views and some great close-ups of the gargoyles. Outside can get very crowded with tourists etc, however, on my previous trip we went for a walk around Notre Dame (trying to get pictures from all angles!) and there was a quiet park area around the back. It may not be quiet at all times but certainly was when I visited!
Eiffel Tower
Another must-see attraction. We didn’t go up the tower, however, if you are going up prebook your tickets and get a lift pass. I don’t think waiting in long queues is an ideal experience with any child. If you decided not to go to the top then you could hang out in Champ de Mars. This is a big grassy area which has some play parks too.
Arc du Triomphe
We only walked up to the Arc du Triomphe, however, you can go under the road and come back up in the middle to climb the 284 steps to the top. I expect you would get some great views over Paris from the top. It is pretty busy however the queues seemed to move pretty quickly.
Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde
Walking up the Champs Elysees from the Louvre is a great walk. All stroller friendly and the pavements are pretty wide. It does get busy and you will see lots of great shops and fancy cars. We went inside the Mercedes shop and a couple of others as we walked up.
Take a bus tour or go on the river taxis
There are many tour buses going around the city. If your kids weren’t big walkers then a bus tour would be a great option. We walked for pretty much all day, so on the way back from the Eiffel Tower we got on the water taxi boat to take us back towards Notre Dame. If you know you are going to use the boat more than once during your day then it makes it a worthwhile expense. If you are only going to use it once as we did then it is pretty expensive.
Go to a Park
There are many parks around Paris, including Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin du Tuilleries. Tuilleries Gardens is the one that is between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. We walked through here and it was a beautiful place to walk through and let the boys walk around without traffic about. However, there are plenty of other parks for you to walk about and have a picnic.
Museum
You have a number to choose from including the Louvre, Natural History Museum and many more. I’m not one for a museum and last time I visited the Louvre with a friend we had to leave as it was so hot we were both going to pass out! The Louvre is also crazy busy, so with young kids, it may not be ideal. However, I have heard good things about Cite des Sciences, which is the Science Museum.
There are many more places that you can visit which I haven’t listed. Paris is pretty child-friendly, I used a stroller throughout the day and only found it hard at the Sacré-Cœur with all the steps.
Further Afield – Day Trips From Paris With Kids
If you are looking for something a little different, then you could do a day trip from Paris to a theme park. Of course, there is Disneyland Paris, however, there is also Parc Asterix. Pop over to Giving Up Normal for their post all about Parc Asterix.
Is Paris Family-Friendly?
I would say that Paris is family-friendly. We only spent a day in Paris, however, we managed to get everywhere with the pram and the boys enjoyed looking about. I took the pram and the carrier and found no problems when out and about.
Have you been to Paris? Let me know your thoughts!
