THINGS TO DO IN PARIS WIH KIDS

Things to do in Paris with kids

Going to Paris with children means loads of fun family activities. Check out the best things to do in Paris with kids and plan your holiday!

The 10 Best Things To Do with Kids in Paris

1. The Eiffel Tower • Opening Times

Whether you take the stairs or the elevator, the kids will love visiting this famous Paris landmark. The stairs take less time and you don’t have to queue – but it’s up to you. However, you can only reach the second level with the stairs, so if you want to go to the top on the third level, you’ll have to take the elevator either from the second level, or all the way up. You’ll find a shorter line if you walk up to level 2 and then take the elevator. Make sure to buy tickets in advance (and skip the line) – you can buy these up to 3 months in advance. Alternatively, visit at night when the lines are shorter. Try to visit when it’s clear so that you can have a great view of Paris – in fact you’ll be able to see up to 80km in the distance! If you’re planning to picnic at the bottom of the Tower after your visit, make sure to pack supplies, as there isn’t much to buy in the vicinity. There are 2 restaurants located here, but you’ll need to book well in advance if you want to eat there. You’ll find a small playground and carousel at the south end of the Champ-de-Mars. Closest Métro to the Eiffel Tower: Bir Hakeim or Trocadéro.

2. Louvre Museum • Open from 9am to 6pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. 9am to 9:45pm on Wednesday & Friday. Closed on Tuesdays.
You have kids with you and the museum has more pieces on display than you could ever see in one visit. So limit yourself. Pick out a few paintings ahead of your visit, read up about them and then show these to your kids. Perhaps buy some post cards of intriguing art works beforehand and then hunt for them. Kids appreciate that the audio guides are on a Nintendo 3DS. You can also look up the Visitor Trails on offer here, which are based on particular themes. Print them and take them with you; they will help guide you around the museum. The actual building is so spectacular that you will love it both inside and out.

3. Notre Dame Cathedral • Currently being refurbished. 

You can’t see much of this incredible impressive building since it burnt down. But do visit the sight and read up about the Cathedral so that you can tell the kids about it. Once a Gothic masterpiece, it’s over 800 years old and forms much of Paris’ history. There is a pretty playground behind the cathedral with fabulous views across the Seine. In winter, you can go skating in front of the nearby Hotel de Ville and in summer you can enjoy the fun at Paris-Plages when the main road on the Right Bank is transformed into a beach. Closest Métro to Notre Dame: Cité. It has been a staple of things to do in Paris with kids for the longest time and even in its current state of needing repairs, it is a significant site to visit and show your children the amazing things that people can build, that they can maybe visit again in a few years to see it restored to its former glory!

4. Sacre Coeur • Open daily 6am to 10:30pm
This stunning basilica perches on the top of Montmartre hill with unbelievable views of Paris from its 423 foot-high dome and the steps in front of it. The area around the basilica is charming, with winding narrow streets, lots of shops and restaurants, so you can easily just spend time exploring here. You can take the funicular tram to Sacre Coeur if you think the steps are too much for the kids. Climb to the top of the dome if you’re up to it, although the view from the hilltop is also spectacular. Take note: there is a continual mass inside the cathedral and silence is the rule. You’ll find a lovely old carousel at the bottom of the gardens in front of Sacre Coeur and there’s a nice little park behind the basilica, a great spot for relaxing after exploring. If kids love collecting souvenirs, take them to nearby Place du Tertre to pick some up. Older kids will enjoy the Espace Dali nearby, with its fascinating collection of surrealist works by Salvador Dali. On Rue St Vincent you’ll find the legendary Montmartre vineyard (the harvest celebrations take place in the fall). To escape the crowds, head for Square Suzzane Buisson on Rue Giradon. Walk back down Rue Lepic, home to 2 of the many windmills that once dotted the hill as well as plenty of interesting shops and cafes. 

5. Arc de Triomphe • Open daily 10am to 11pm from April to September. 10am to 10:30pm October to March.
From here you can enjoy stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees and other boulevards spreading out from the arch. You’ll have to walk up lots of steps on a tight winding staircase to get to the terrace on top (there is no elevator) to see the spectacular view. Napoleon built this triumphal arch in 1805 to celebrate his victory over the Russians and the Austrians at Austerlitz. At that time, it was outside of Paris, in the fields – now it’s part of the city. Best time to visit is just before sunset. The tomb of the unknown soldier lies underneath, containing one of the 1.5m Frenchmen who died in WW1. The eternal flame is relit in a small ceremony at 6.30pm every day. After your visit, head for legendary teashop Ladurée, 75 Champs-Elysées, which serves the best macarons in Paris. Let the kids run amok in the Jardins des Champs Elysées and then stroll across the city’s most beautiful bridge, the Pont Alexandre III. 

6. Natural History Museum • Gardens: Open Daily 07.30-20.00 summer, 08.00-17.30 winter. Museum: Open Daily 10am to 6pm and closed on Tuesday.
The park, Jardin des Plantes, was laid out in 1626 as a medicinal garden. In the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, you’ll find plenty to amuse the kids. Nearby is the Galeries de Paléontologie et d’Antatomie with its fascinating old fashioned collection of skeletons. Also in the park is the Ménagerie, the world’s oldest public zoo that opened in 1793. The third giraffe ever to set foot in Europe moved here in 1826. The zoo is small and little kids love it. After your visit, head for cobbled Rue Mouffetard which offers a stunning selection of cakes, cheese and ice cream shops as well as cafes to relax in. 

7. Paris Catacombs • Open daily 10am to 5pm, closed Monday. Last entrance: 4pm.
If you are looking for things to do in Paris with kids who are a little older and adventurous then under the city is an amazing hidden maze of tunnels and caves waiting to be discovered. In the tunnels known as Les Catacombes are skeletons of 6 million Parisians, victims of the plague – creepy but the kids love it and it gives them an excellent insight into Paris’ history. This is a great attraction for understanding the history of Paris. The bones are laid out in spooky patterns and a spiral staircase leads down to this strange underworld. Unfortunately, it’s a popular attraction and queues are long, especially on rainy days. Closest Métro to Les Catacombes: Denfert-Rochereau. 

8. Pompidou Centre • Open daily 11am to 10pm, closed Tuesday.
What fascinates kids about the Pompidou Centre is that the building is turned inside out – its pipes and escalators are on the outside! Water pipes are green, air-conditioning ducts are blue and the electricity cables are yellow. This quirky building is named after Georges Pompidou, a former President of France who loved all things modern. Take the escalators to the roof for stunning views across Paris. Inside you’ll find a fabulous modern art gallery – kids enjoy the permanent exhibition of art with pieces by Chagall who drew illustrations for the fables by Jean de la Fontaine. You can buy the book in the bookshop which has a great selection of other kids books too. There’s also the interactive Galarie des Enfants, aimed at kids, and a special children’s cinema that sometimes shows films in English. Kids also enjoy the street theatre in the square in front of the Pompidou Centre. It’s a pedestrianized area and a great spot for kids to let off steam. You’ll find some kid-friendly cafes next to the Stravinsky Fountain with its enchanting mechanical sculptures.

9. Luxembourg Gardens • Open daily, 7am to 1 hour before sunset.
This gorgeous park has a great playground, a fountain pond for sailing small wooden boats, a marionette theater (puppet shows at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 in summer), an old fashioned carousel (designed by Charles Garnier, who also built the Opéra), and lots of paths lined with statues that you can explore. Unfortunately, each attraction will cost you and this can get expensive. In nearby Rue Vavin you’ll find stylish childrens’ shops. From there, it’s a short walk to the Tour de Montparnasse where you’ll enjoy incredible city views. Stop off in the streets around Marché Edgar Quinet, the best place to eat crêpes in the city. Open daily: 07.00-dusk, winter 08.00-dusk; Métro: Odéon

10. The Conciergerie • Open daily 09:30am to 6pm.
The fairytale towers of the Conciergerie are all that is left of a royal palace built in 1300 that later became a prison where thousands were interred before being taken to the guillotine, including Marie Antoinette. Read up about the French Revolution before you visit here so that you can fill the kids in on the story. Inside, you can point out the huge vaulted ceilings of what is Europe’s largest surviving medieval hall, the gruesome prison cells and the model of Marie Antoinette in the chapel. On a sunny day, pop into Sainte Chapelle to see the gorgeous stained glass windows glow in the sunlight. Afterwarrds you can cool off in the Place Dauphine, where people often play boules. Enjoy a picnic in Square du Vert Galant, a magical just below the Pont Neuf. If you like, take the kids on a tourist cruise along the Seine after lunch. Closest Métro to The Conciergerie: Cité

 

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