Paris with kids- The best things to see and do.
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Paris is renowned as a place of romance; my husband and I had a couple of short breaks there pre-children. These involved leisurely lunches with lots of wine.
Followed by strolling through the captivating boulevards to take in the renowned sights of the French capital.
Obviously with children it is slightly different but on our recent trip we were really impressed with how fabulous it was to explore Paris with kids.
Some of the best things to do in Paris with kids include the Luxembourg Gardens and obviously the iconic Eiffel Tower.
We had a stop off in the french capital as part of a longer trip to France, on our way down to the Vendee region. But it would work just as well as a child-friendly city break.
Alternatively it could be combined with a trip to Disneyland Paris.
How to get around Paris with kids
We mostly got around Paris using a combination of walking, Uber and the metro.
Paris Metro
We found the Metro relatively easy to use and is by far the easiest way to make longer journeys.
When buying tickets you can either do so at a station or online. Individual journey’s have a flat rate. At the time of writing that is €2.50 for adults, €1.25 for children 4-9 years, and free for under 4s.
You can also buy packs of 10 tickets at a time at a slightly discounted rate- this is what we did. Each ticket then lasts for 1.5 hours. You can change trains or even mode of transport e.g. metro to bus within that time.
Make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your journey.
You can find lots of information online about using the Paris public transport network.
This includes maps of public transport and a journey planner.
If you are likely to do lots of travelling on public transport you can also buy day passes with unlimited travel.
Taxi/ Uber
We used Uber occasionally, mostly when little legs were tired of walking and it wasn’t an easy public transport journey.
For larger families it is also worth weighing up costs. For shorter journeys Uber could be cheaper than the cost of Metro tickets for everyone.
Walking in Paris with kids
On most of the city breaks that we do as a family we like to get around on foot as much as possible.
This means we get to see more of the city as we wander around. Our children were quite small at the time of our visit so we did have a stroller for our youngest.
A baby carrier may be a good idea for babies and toddlers. Paris streets are beautiful but are not always set up for strollers. Think lots of cobbles!
If you are going on boats on the river there are often lots of steps to get from street level. For us it was fine as Benjamin could jump out and walk while we carried the stroller down.
Carrying a stroller or pram loaded up with a young child may be tricky, although doable!.
The best attractions when visiting Paris with kids
1. The iconic Eiffel Tower
This was the attraction that our children were most looking forward to in our Paris trip.
It is of course the iconic image of Paris and our children’s expectation was in no small way shaped by a certain Peppa pig episode where Daddy Pig is air lifted from the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Our apart-hotel was within walking distance and we even had a view of the tower from our room meaning it was a constant landmark during our days in Paris.
It did not disappoint and we all really enjoyed going all the way to the top of the tower. We were lucky on the day too as limited visitors were being allowed to the top.
Usually you can also book tickets on the day. However, due to severe heat they were limiting visitors on the day of our visit. It meant that only visitors with pre-booked tickets were allowed all the way to the top.
This also meant we could enjoy the spectacular views without huge crowds- something had to make up for the sweltering heat!
Best Eiffel tower views:
From the river: A boat trip on the Seine provides a lovely view of the tower.
From the Trocadero centre: We didn’t go here as a family but I managed to sneak in a solo visit on an early morning run.
I had thought that I would beat all the crowds and have the place to myself but was staggered to find that at 6:30 a.m. the lookout point was already full of tourists snapping away.
There were even quite a few couples dressed up in wedding gear having professional shots taken! The light was really beautiful at that time of day so I can see why the professional photographers take couples there then.
From the Champs de Mars: This is the gardens right next to the Eiffel Tower (the opposite direction to the river). We went here to take a few photos just before going up the tower.
It would be a great place to let the kids have a bit of a run around and let off some steam. Unfortunately it was 40°C when we were there so nobody felt much like running other than from one piece of shade to the next!
Top Tips for going up the Eiffel Tower:
1. BOOK YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE! This is my main piece of advice. Tickets go on sale around 2 months in advance and the slots do get booked up. (We booked around 6 weeks before our visit and the earliest time slot available for our chosen day was 11:30).
You can book the tickets easily online and then print them out to take on your trip.
2. If you would rather have a guide and learn about the tower as you go up have a look here.
This is also a good option if you are booking more last minute as they tend to have better availability than on the main Eiffel Tower website.
3. If you have a baby or toddler that won’t be able to walk I would recommend taking a sling.
There is nowhere to leave strollers at the base of the tower. You can take strollers up with you but will need to fold it and then carry it around.
4. Have a drink and enjoy the view from the 1st floor. On the way back down we stopped off on the 1st floor and had a (very expensive) but much needed cooling slushy.
There is a small bar serving drinks with nice seating on some astroturf. It was a great place to have a rest with a cooling drink and cooling breeze.
Our friends’ kid also made some money by collecting the reusable cups that people had left and getting the deposit money back!
2. Take a Seine River Cruise
A great way to see the city when visiting Paris with kids is by doing a cruise along the river.
It’s a good way to get your bearings and work out where all the main sights are. Also, which kids don’t enjoy going on a boat trip?!
There are plenty of options for river cruises but we decided on the Batobus. This isn’t a tour meaning there is no commentary, they are very clear about that when you get on.
If you do want a live commentary go for one of the many other cruises, this one comes highly rated.
The reason we chose Batobus was that we could hop on and off whenever we wanted. With a toddler you are never quite sure how long their attention is going to last so it was good to have the option of being able to escape the boat if needed.
You can buy a day pass or a 2 day pass like we did. The day pass is only €4 more than the 1 day one. There are 9 stops along the route to choose from all near major Paris landmarks.
The boats have glass sides and roof (which is retractable) to allow you to take in the views. There is also an open terrace at the back which due to the extreme heat when we were there was the most comfortable place to take in the views.
Top Tips for the Batobus
1. Your pass is valid for 24 or 48 hours from the time you buy it so if like us you start your ticket at lunchtime one day it will be valid for the rest of that day, the whole of the next day and then until lunchtime the third day.
We made use of this to take the boat along the river on each of the three days.
2. The Batobus website has useful information about ticket prices, where the stops are and journey time between the stops etc.
3. You can’t take large baggage/ suitcases on the boat.
4. We did take our pushchair onboard and didn’t need to fold it up. Be aware however that there are often lots of steps to get to and from the dock that you would need to carry it up and down.
3. Play at the Jardin du Luxembourg
I’ve been to Paris a couple of times in the past and never been here. Almost every article I read about Paris with kids recommended the Jardins du Luxembourg so we thought we better check it out.
We were not disappointed!
The Jardin du Luxembourg was originally created in 1612 by Marie de Medici alongside a new residence the Luxembourg Palace.
The Luxembourg Palace is now the meeting place of the French Senate, much to the disappointment of my children who really fancied going inside it!
Getting to the Jardin du Luxembourg
We used the last morning of our batobus pass to sail down the river to St Germain-des-Prés.
From there it is about a 15 minute walk (although we took longer than that at toddler pace!) to the gardens. It was a really lovely walk and we stopped off at a pavement café en route for refreshments.
There are metro stations around as well depending on which part of Paris you are travelling to the gardens from.
What to do in the luxembourg gardens
The centre piece is a large basin where you can hire small wooden boats to sail on it.
On a cooler day I’m sure we would have done this but it was soooo hot when we were there. With no shade anywhere around the pond nobody was keen to hang out there for too long.
Instead we spent more time exploring the shadier parts of the gardens.
The gardens really are beautiful but the children’s highlight (obviously) was the playground!
You have to pay to go into the playground (I think it was €3 per child when we were there) but was worth it for them. It was mostly shady, there were toilets and tables/ seats for parents to sit down while the kids played.
There was also a great variety of play structures for children of all ages.
We eventually dragged the kids out of the playground and bought take away baguettes from a small café just nearby to have for a picnic lunch in the gardens.
It was a perfect lunch. Tasty food, nice views and the children could get up and move around whenever they wanted! If you are visiting Paris with kids I highly recommend a visit here.
4. Look out for the hunchback at Notre Dame
Our eldest daughter has had a fascination with churches since being a toddler.
Notre Dame is now open again for visitors following the devastating fire back in 2019. It’s definitely worth popping in to have a look around this very impressive cathedral.
Best of all it’s free! There is a queue at busy times but the line tends to move quite quickly. If you’re worried about hanging around with the kids you can book a free timed ticket on the cathedral website.
We arrived at Notre Dame on the Batobus and also found a lovely, little garden in the latin quarter with a fantastic view.
5. Go up the hill to Montmatre/ Sacre- Coeur
Although very touristy I had loved wandering around Montmatre on a previous visit. Being in Paris with kids this time it was great to show them the area and the impressive cathedral.
Getting to Montmatre
To get up there we took the metro to Abbesses from where it was a short stroll to the bottom of the funicular. There are others metro stops nearby but that was the most convenient one for the metro line we were on.
Without a stroller I think we would have taken the steps but carrying it up all the steps wasn’t appealing! The funicular costs the same as a metro ticket and we were able to take our stroller on without a problem.
It isn’t a long ride, but the children enjoyed it.
The views of Paris from outside the Sacre Coeur are fabulous and a look inside the cathedral (free) is well worth it.
After taking it all in we enjoyed browsing the art shops of Montmatre. We didn’t have any portraits done but the children loved watching the artists at work.
Moules frites for dinner rounded off the trip (mussels are one of our children’s favourite foods!). We ate at one of the restaurants in the square after being pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t ridiculously overpriced.
Rather than taking the funicular we walked back down the pretty, winding streets to the metro station.
Top tips for Montmartre/ Sacre Coeur
1. I used google maps on my phone when walking back to the metro station from the top of Montmatre.
The small streets are a bit of a maze. This is fine if you have the time to get lost (and children that are willing to walk further than absolutely necessary- we did not!). If you don’t have data it might be worth having a paper map.
2. We found a great ice cream shop on the walk from Abbesses metro station to the base of the funicular. There were a couple of tables outside to sit down and enjoy the yummy ice cream and people watch from.
6. Have fun at the Jardin des Tuileries
These gardens sit between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde so are generally in the middle of most Paris sight-seeing itineraries.
We had disembarked the Batobus by the Louvre, wandered through the gardens and then got back on at the Place de la Concorde.
We debated going into the Louvre but decided that our children were a bit young to appreciate it on this trip. Hopefully we will be back in Paris when they are a bit older and can show them this iconic art gallery.
They did enjoy seeing it from the outside and loved peering into the glass pyramid to see the people below.
I thought the Tuileries gardens were stunning. If you’re in Paris with kids it should definitely feature in your itinerary.
There are gorgeous flowers, beautiful fountains and wide paths for the children to race around on.
There is a fairground there too at certain times of year. This is usually in the peak summer months between June and August. All kids love a fairground so it’s a great place to go for a break in between sightseeing.
Our children also really enjoyed the playground. As you walk with the Louvre behind you this is towards your left. There is also a carousel and some trampolines.
Top Tops for the Jardin des Tuileries
1. You can hire small sailing boats to sail on the large basin in the centre of the gardens.
2. As we arrived towards the place de la Concorde (the opposite end of the gardens to the Louvre) we found a great family-friendly Crepêrie.
It’s tucked under the arches by the entrance to the gardens and is very reasonable priced. The crêpes were tasty and there were books and games for the children.
If you are in Paris with kids I would recommend Rosa Bonheur la Crepêrie.
7. Get close up to the Arc de Triomphe
This is another iconic Paris landmark that most kids will have heard of. Whether you visit just to admire the huge monument and wander the nearby Champs Elysées or plan to climb to the top, it should probably feature on your Paris itinerary.
It was built to commemorate those that fought and died for France during the Napoleonic wars and the french revolution. It has a grand location, with 12 grand avenues radiating from it’s position.
To get to the landmark Arch, you need to use the underground tunnel from the top of the Champs Elysées. Here you can see the Arch de Triomphe close-up and the tomb of the unknown soldier underneath it.
If you would like to climb the tower for the best views tickets are best booked in advance to avoid lengthy cues. Book tickets and check opening times on the Arc de Triomphe website.
8. Stroll the famous Champs Elysées
From the Arc de Triomphe you are in the best place to start your stroll down the world famous Champs Elysées.
This wide avenue stretches all the way from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.
It is famed for it’s luxury shopping and sophistication. But don’t worry it also has more budget-friendly brands as well so you will be able to find affordable shopping as well.
It may depend on the age of your children as to how long they enjoy walking down this huge avenue. Teens will love the shops and may want to walk the whole length.
Little legs will likely not want to do this, but there are metro stations along the way to hop on a train to your next destination.
9. Ride a carousel
We saw carousel rides dotted around throughout our time in Paris. The one we went on a couple of times is sandwiched between the Eiffel tower and the river.
Our children asked to go on it every time we saw it. Everyone enjoys a carousel ride but one with a view of the Eiffel tower is a pretty good option!
10. Visit Disneyland Paris
We actually visited Disneyland Paris on a completely separate trip, going directly there on Eurostar from London.
However it would be very easy to combine central Paris with a Disney trip. Either as a day trip or to stay over for multiple days in the park.
Disneyland Paris is brilliant for kids of all ages and has new attractions opening all the time. This year there is a ‘world of Frozen’ area opening which sounds brilliant.
There are two main parks- the main Disneyland Park, and Walt Disney Studios park. If you want to stay overnight, guests staying in the Disney hotels get early access to the park one hour before other visitors.
We really appreciated this ‘golden hour’ when we went as the park was noticeably quieter and we could try and get on a few rides quickly without big queues.
Tickets vary by price depending on the time of year, type of ticket and whether you want access to one or both parks.
The Disneyland Paris website has all the information you need about the parks, tickets and hotels.
There are plenty of other amazing attractions to explore in Paris with kids. It’s always good to have a reason to return to a great city like Paris, on our next trip I would love to have a trip out the Palace de Versailles.
We’re lucky enough that it’s close enough to the UK to make return trips pretty easy. For other city break ideas including Barcelona, Copenhagen and Dubrovnik check out our city break with kids guide here.
When is the best time to visit Paris?
Paris can be enjoyed at any time of year. We were last there during a freak summer heat wave in July. Forty degree heat wasn’t pleasant in the middle of the city.
I think Paris in Spring is the nicest time of year so if there is a choice would choose May or June.
What is the best age to take children to Paris?
I think children of any age can enjoy Paris. Having said that I think slightly older children (age 8 upwards) and teenagers are probably going to get more out of being there.
What is the best way to get to Paris?
France has a good rail network and the Eurostar can whizz you to London in a couple of hours.
Most international visitors arrive by air into one of Paris’ airports.
Which Paris airport is best?
Charles de Gaule airport is where most of the longer distance international flights will land.
Paris Orly has better metro links into central Paris and is closer for taxis. If flying within Europe, this is probably a better airport to fly to if you have the choice.
