Is visiting Paris with kids on your list this year? Or maybe you are still in the “thinking of visiting Paris with kids” stage.
Whether your travel is spur of the moment or planned out months in advance, doing a little planning and research can make your family vacations in Paris epic.
Not only is it a good idea to make plans to visit the iconic Parisian attractions, landmarks and museums, but also to get your tickets in advance (See tip #11).
13 Tips for Visiting Paris with Kids
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So, should you plan to see the Eiffel Tower with kids, take a river cruise on the Seine, or spend time in the Louvre during your family vacations in Paris? Yes. Definitely. These are must-do activities whether you are traveling on a romantic couples getaway or exploring as a family in Paris.
I hope these travel tips for visiting Paris with kids and planning things to do with kids in Paris will help make your vacation wonderful, exciting and seamless.
1. Don’t Forget About Snacks—Kids Never Do!
When you pack for your vacation, do you take snacks into consideration?
When we travel as a family, Chris and I often pack a duffel bag with the snacks we know our girls enjoy (even when they are in their teens and twenties!). Not only is this a budget-friendly way to travel, but it also helps to keep energy levels up when jet lag hits.
That is not to say that we don’t also indulge in local treats. If you are visiting Paris with kids, you’ve simply got to try macarons in all flavors and colors of the rainbow, crepes filled with chocolate, delectable breads and pastries, and gelato.
Snack Ideas to Bring:
- Built Protein Bars – They are individually packaged and easy to transport.
- Clean Simple Eats – Protein drinks, nut butters, and energy drinks individually packaged for travel. Use Code SQUAD10 for 10% off your cleansimpleeats.com purchase
- Goldfish Snacks
- M&M’s
- Peanut M&M’s
- Almonds
>> Related: 10 SUPER EASY Ways to Save Money on Travel
2. Purchase a Navigo Découverte Pass
When arriving as a family in Paris, plan to purchase a Navigo Découverte Pass. Passes are available at most Metro and RER ticket windows (including the airport). The standard Navigo pass is meant for locals, but visitors to Paris can purchase the Navigo Découverte pass and travel in central Paris and all Zones 1-5.
Paris Navigo Découverte is a multi-use transit card covering all of the Metro Paris area, good for the Paris Metro (subway/underground), RER trains (including the CDG Airport train, Disneyland Paris, and Versailles), buses (including Orly airport buses), trams & suburban Transilien trains.
Paris by Train
You will need a 3 cm high by 2.5 cm wide picture of yourself (note this is smaller than the standard passport size). Photo kiosks are available in most stations and photos can be taken there.
Top Tip * If you plan in advance when visiting Paris with kids and follow the guidelines, you can take these pictures at home and use them for your Navigo card.
3. Learn Basic French Phrases
It is a good idea to learn a few key words before your family trip to Paris:
- Bonjour – Good morning, Hello
- Au revoir – Goodbye
- Merci – Thank you
- Merci beaucoup – Thank you very much
- Je ne parle pas français – I do not speak French
- De rien – You’re welcome
Parisians are often mistaken as being cold or unfriendly. While that may be true for a few people in EVERY culture, you will find that Parisians are often willing to help. Just note that they appreciate good manners.
So when you enter a shop, start with a cheery “Bonjour” and leave with an “Au revoir” or “Merci”.
>> Related: Benefits of Traveling: 21 Essential Skills and Life Lessons
4. Be Safety Conscious
When you are exploring as a family in Paris, it is essential to talk about safety. Safety from pickpockets, safety on the metro, and safety using common sense.
When visiting Paris with kids a few years ago, Chris and I were separated from our girls as the three of them hopped on the metro while Chris and I waited a moment for Grandma to catch up. With a little panic in their eyes (and mine) as the train doors slid closed, Chris held up three fingers. Since he always did this for us when we rode the train to know how many stops before we got off, our girls immediately knew to get off in three stops. They were waiting for us in three stops.
Create your own signals for safe travel.
Be safe from pickpockets. On that same trip, Grandma had her phone stolen out of her handbag pocket. Keep your valuables out of sight. This might mean wearing a Flipbelt or carrying a crossbody bag (my favorite choice).
Use common sense as you travel and teach your kids that if something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it or leave.
While you’re at it, take time to research a few of the local customs. Consider the etiquette on tipping, hand gestures to avoid, driving rules, and clothing to help you fit in and wear as a sign of respect. (For example, many churches will refuse you entrance if you are wearing shorts and tank tops. Have a cover up or skirt to pull on.)
>> Related: My #1 Favorite Crossbody Bag for Travel
5. Walk, Walk, Walk When Visiting Paris with Kids
As we explore and travel with our girls, we often walk an average of ten miles every day.
#1 Tip * Invest in good walking shoes and break them in before you travel.
Explore Paris with kids on a walking tour. Chris and I love the FREE Rick Steves Audio Europe (though our girls aren’t always so enthusiastic about them).
Be sure to download the specific tours while you have WiFi access before you leave home or your hotel, and don’t forget headphones. Our family listens on separate devices and communicates with each other to “Start now” so everyone stays in sync.
You may also be interested in walking tours hosted by guides who share information and history as you walk around a city in a tour group. While these tours may be advertised as FREE, it is good etiquette to tip your guides.
For a fun way to explore as a family in Paris, plan to take the metro to a notable landmark and then use the Eiffel Tower as a reference point to find your way back to it. Not only do you get to see famous sites, but you also find small features of the city that you might have otherwise missed.
6. Pick a Hotel or Vacation Rental in a Central Location
I’ll be honest and say that we have yet to find a place to stay when visiting Paris as a family that we have absolutely LOVED.
No doubt if I was recommending a romantic hotel for a couple, I would suggest the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel. But for a family in Paris, you may want the space a vacation rental can provide to spread out and have access to kitchen and laundry facilities.
Staying in a central location maximizes your time sightseeing and reduces the amount of time you may spend on the metro getting from one famous landmark to another.
You may enjoy staying in:
- Rue Cler Neighborhood in the 7th Arrondissement (in the heart of the city and home to the Eiffel Tower, museums, shopping, and good food)
- Marais Neighborhood in the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements
- Ile St. Louis in the 4th Arrondissement
- Neighborhood surrounding the Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th Arrondissement
- Montmartre District (more affordable but less centralized) in the 18th Arrondissement
7. Pace Yourself and Allow Downtime
Consider the age of your kids as you plan things to do in Paris for children; remember their schedules and physical abilities.
Our girls are in their teens and twenties now, but on our first visit to Paris they were much younger. We planned tours on the Hop On Hop Off bus, picnics at Trocadero or the Notre Dame garden, and a relaxing river tour.
Allow some downtime for them to play and explore at the Luxembourg Gardens, ride a carousel, or take their own pictures of the Eiffel Tower.
8. Plan a Day Trip to Disneyland Paris
Kids of all ages LOVE Disneyland. And Disneyland Paris lives up to the hype. Family vacations in Paris become extra exciting with a trip outside the city to the happiest place on earth.
If you are traveling to Disneyland Paris from Paris, you will want to take the RER (Regional Express Network) Train outside the Gare de Lyon to Parc Disneyland for the 45-minute train ride. Choose Line A with a termination at Marne-la-Vallee Station; it drops you off right next to Disneyland Paris in Chessy, France.
Be sure to get an early start if you can to arrive at the park before it opens.
If you are one of the first ones in the park and then stay until closing, you will be at Disneyland Paris from approximately 9 am until midnight. Believe me though, you want to stay.
The Disney Spectacular is just that. Spectacular. Think synchronized drones, lights, music. It is all spectacular. You will want to stay until the end.
>> Related: Plan the Perfect Disneyland Paris Day Trip from Paris
Additional Day Trips from Paris:
- Versailles
- Fontainebleau
- Giverny
- Normandy
- Bayeux
- Mont-Saint-Michel
>> Related: 15 Charming Small Towns in France Near Paris
9. Plan Family Activities in Paris that Kids Will Love
You know your kids best. That being said, there are some must-do activities when you are visiting Paris with kids that should be on your bucket list: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Montmartre District, gardens, Notre Dame (opening again in 2024 hopefully), and cathedrals.
Let’s be honest, visiting Paris with kids is not the time for them to have their eyes glued to a device, playing games, or watching Tik Tok!
Allow your kids to participate in the planning and be invested in seeing popular sites.
10. Plan Family Vacations in Paris in the Shoulder Season
Travel and Leisure suggests that there are two optimal shoulder seasons in Paris. “In April and May, you’ll inevitably encounter some rain, but you’ll also have temperate, almost-summer weather without the summer crowds. The other shoulder season option is mid-September to November.”
You aren’t always able to schedule around traveling in the shoulder season when visiting Paris with kids, especially when you are also trying to work around school and summer vacations for kids. Just know that travel in the summer will be busier, some reservations may be priced at a premium, and temperatures may be hotter.
11. Buy Tickets in Advance to Skip Waiting in Lines
This is a piece of advice I would give when traveling to any destination. If you know your dates for visiting an area, buy tickets to popular sites in advance—refundable tickets if at all possible.
12. Maximize Your Food Budget: Try Street Food, Enjoy Picnics, and Visit Farmers Markets
One of the fun things things to do with kids in Paris or whenever you travel to a new destination is being able to try local foods. On our first trip to Paris with our girls, we stopped at a crêperie on the corner outside our vacation rental. It was so fun to see them try out their french-speaking skills to order chocolate-filled crepes for breakfast.
Visiting Farmers Markets anywhere in the world is one of my favorite things to do. As a family we enjoy purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables, pastries and breads, and local cheeses and yogurts. These are all foods that we eat for breakfast and often pack for picnic lunches later in the day.
Marche Raspail, in the 6th Arrondissement is open Tuesday thru Friday from 7 am to 2:30 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm.
>> Related: 10 SUPER EASY Ways to Save Money on Travel
13. Let Your Kids Buy Art in the Montmartre District
The Montmartre District is alive with tourists, artists and locals. Here you’ll find the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Le Consulat cafe for Instagram worthy photos, cobblestone streets, and amazing views of Paris.
Buying art in the Central Square creates a fun memory, especially if you are looking for things to do in Paris with teenagers. Whether they bargain with the artist for the best “deal” or simply pay the asking price, your kids will walk away with a Parisian treasure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth visiting Paris with kids?
Definitely! Paris is home to amazing parks, cool carousels, museums, cathedrals, famous landmarks and monuments, and enticing patisseries. Think of Paris as the best immersive history lesson.
How can I enjoy Paris with kids?
Experience Paris with a macaron or croissant cooking class, hire a photographer for an amazing photo shoot, stay up late to see the Eiffel Tower lit up, enjoy a scavenger hunt, sketch the boats along the Seine, take a river cruise, or see how many cathedrals you can visit.
How many days is good to spend in Paris with kids?
Well, ultimately that is up to your schedule and budget, but at least three days in the City of Lights to see the highlights of the city.
Can children go up the Eiffel Tower?
Yes. Tickets for children aged 4 and under are free when visiting the Eiffel Tower, but they must still be in possession of a “free” ticket. Tickets are available to request when you purchase your tickets online or at kiosk. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Are there FREE family activities in Paris?
Many cities within Europe offer FREE entrance to museums on the first Sunday of every month. Chris and I have totally planned some of our day trips in Europe around the first Sunday of the month.
Do a little research and find out if there are museums in Paris that participate in this program (not all do). Also, check to see if the “FREE” day falls on another day besides that first Sunday of the month.
What are the Paris Passages?
The covered passages in Paris are a must-see, though you could visit Paris and never know that they are there. These hidden gems were created around the end of the 18th century. These labyrinths of passages feature mosaic works, beautiful stained-glass ceilings, and iron latticework. If you are visiting Paris on a cold and rainy day, exploring the passages are a perfect way to see more of the city, enjoy a new shopping experience, or pop in for a bit of lunch.
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Final Thoughts on Paris With Kids: 13 Best Tips for Family Vacations in Paris
Visiting Paris with kids is an amazing experience. They love the sites, the magic, the twinkling lights. For some, it is a dream come true.
A little advance planning will go a long way to creating a streamlined vacation.
I love the post about Traveling to Paris with Kids! Great information and ideas! Thank you
did you run into any *safety concerns* in paris? I really really want to go but i’ve heard sooooo much horror stories about muggings and traps it just becomes all very intimidating for me!
Good advice about safety and having a plan in place if you get separated! We took our 2 teens to Paris and our daughter was acting all “I’m too cool to be with my parents,” and was sauntering to the metro train a few steps behind us only to have the door shut in her face. We had not planned for this! Fortunately, our gut told us to get off at the next stop and wait for her to hopefully catch the very next train and get off on the very next stop and she did.
I always look out for hidden gems in my trips . Thanks for sharing about Paris Passages
My best friend is going to Paris with her teen this spring..just shared this post with her.. great advice!
These are all great tips for big and small children…we try and eat street food where ever we are to get a true sense of the country.
Paris is on the top of my travel bucket list for this year’s family trips. My kids dream to visit Disneyland, but I also liked the idea of macaron or croissant cooking class – it might be so interesting for children
Really nice tips here for families! If I was a kid I probably wouldn’t want to leave Disney! But I was always amazed by the architecture of the city also.
Really great tips for the safety signals! Even though I just travel with my husband, there are certainly some times when the Paris metro has been so crowded that I’ve worried that I wasn’t going to be able to wedge my way onto the metro he boarded!
The first time I visited Paris I was a teenager with my parents. The best family trip we ever took!
Wow, I never knew about the Paris passages. I would have to check that out!