Whether you come for a weekend or several days, the French capital is full of experiences to share. Here is our guide to discovering Paris as a family, stress-free and with a smile.
- Bateaux Mouches cruise on the Seine
- Eiffel Tower ticket (with optional access to the top)
- Disneyland Paris ticket (for 1 or more days)
- See Paris in 1 day: Montmartre, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Île de la Cité
- Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus ticket (Paris must-sees)
- Paris Zoological Park ticket
- Louvre Museum ticket
- Centre Pompidou ticket
- Palace of Versailles ticket
- Aquarium de Paris
- Natural History Museum ticket
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Go for the Family Fun Pass (rated 4.9/5)
This pass was designed for families visiting Paris. It includes:
- entry to the Paris Zoological Park
- entry to the Musée Grévin
- entry to the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution at the Paris Natural History Museum, with 7,000 lifelike specimens.
- 10% off lots of other activities of your choice
1. Do the great Parisian classics
The Eiffel Tower
It is of course one of the symbols of Paris, but with children it is best to be well organised. Book your skip-the-line tickets in advance to avoid the wait. If your children don't like lifts, you can climb the first floors by the stairs.
👉 Book your tickets online, ideally skip-the-line or with a specific time slot to avoid the often long queues, especially during the holidays and at weekends.
👉 For toddlers: the tower is accessible with a pushchair only up to the 1st floor. Beyond that, you have to fold it or leave it at the bottom.
Practical tip: Plan a picnic on the Champ de Mars, right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It is a huge park, ideal for settling down, letting the children run around, having a nap in the shade or enjoying a pastry as a family with a magical view of the tower.
Bonus: At nightfall, the tower lights up and sparkles every hour for 5 minutes. A magical show that the children won't forget!
Seine cruise
After a day walking the busy streets of Paris, what could be better than a Seine cruise to rest while continuing to discover the city? It is a calm, pleasant activity that families love.
Cruises let you admire the main Parisian monuments from the water: Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay, the historic bridges (such as the Pont Alexandre III or the Pont Neuf)… all without leaving your seat!
👉 During the cruise, children love playing at recognising the monuments or spotting the bridges. To make the activity even more fun, you can print a “seek and find” sheet with the things to spot along the way (statues, clocks, boats, buildings…).
The Carrousel des Champs-Élysées
Located near the Tuileries Garden, not far from Place de la Concorde, this traditional merry-go-round is a perfect stop during a stroll along the most famous avenue in Paris. The Carrousel des Champs-Élysées, also called the Carrousel des Tuileries, charms with its retro appeal and its gilded wooden horses that make children's eyes sparkle… and bring back sweet memories for parents. The carousel turns at a gentle pace, perfect for little ones from 2 years old accompanied by an adult.
👉 Easily reached on foot from the Champs-Élysées or after a visit to the Louvre or the Tuileries Garden, this merry-go-round is an ideal break for families with young children.
The Opéra Garnier in Paris
The Opéra Garnier is a veritable fairy-tale palace that fascinates children as much as parents. From the entrance, you are dazzled by the grand marble staircase, the majestic chandeliers and the sumptuous gilding that adorns every corner of the building.
Families can wander through this castle-worthy setting, admire the famous dome painted by Marc Chagall and imagine themselves as little Opera dancers.
Self-guided or guided tours adapted for children let you discover the history of this legendary place without getting bored, sometimes with activity booklets to learn while having fun. It is an original activity to introduce the youngest to art, heritage and the magic of live performance, in one of the most beautiful monuments in Paris.
2. Child-friendly activities and museums
The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
Set in the Parc de la Villette, in the 19th arrondissement in the north-east of Paris, the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is one of the most exciting museums to visit as a family. Here, everything is designed to spark the curiosity of young and old alike thanks to interactive exhibitions, science activities and play areas dedicated to children. A must if you come to visit Paris with the family.
👉 One of the museum's great assets is the Cité des Enfants, a space divided into two zones:
- Ages 2–7: to discover the world through the senses, water play, building, communication and even the human body.
- Ages 5–12: to experiment, build, test and understand the laws of physics, mechanics and robotics through captivating games.
👉 In addition to these spaces, the museum offers temporary exhibitions often suited to young audiences (on dinosaurs, climate, robots…), as well as a planetarium, where you can watch the stars lying back comfortably.
👉 Educational workshops are held during school holidays: science experiments, challenges to take on, machine building… Do check the official website before your visit to find out the programme.
Practical tip: The Cité des Enfants requires advance booking for set time slots, especially at weekends and during the holidays. Plan to spend at least half a day on site.
Nearby: Enjoy the Parc de la Villette after your visit: original playgrounds, animal-shaped structures, giant slides (notably the famous dragon slide), boat rides in summer, and even a community garden. A good way to burn off energy after the visit!
The Louvre Museum, designed especially for children
Visiting the Louvre with children is possible — as long as you prepare the outing well. The museum is huge and can quickly become tiring for little ones, but it offers many resources adapted to families.
👉 Avoid the queue: book skip-the-line tickets with fast access via the Pyramid, and consider a short route focusing on the key works (such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo or the Winged Victory of Samothrace).
👉 Family trails are available on the museum's app or in printed form. You can, for example, follow the “treasure hunt” through the galleries or choose a theme such as “Animals in art”.
👉 The Louvre also offers family guided tours, creative workshops in the Richelieu wing, and activities suited to children from 4 years old, with drawing, riddles or observation.
The Petite Galerie, part of the museum, offers very well-designed interactive exhibitions to introduce children to art, with a clear, playful and participatory layout.
Practical tip: Plan a visit of 1.5 hours maximum with breaks and a snack, and don't hesitate to combine it with a stroll in the Carrousel gardens or the Tuileries right next door.
The Musée en Herbe
Located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, a stone's throw from the Louvre, the Musée en Herbe is a real favourite for families with children. This unusual museum is entirely designed for the youngest, from the age of 2 or 3, with fun, colourful and interactive exhibitions around art and culture.
👉 The concept: to introduce children to art (modern, contemporary, street art, comics, etc.) through accessible exhibitions and playful trails, often accompanied by activity booklets, riddles or mascot characters who guide them through their visit.
👉 Each temporary exhibition is designed to inspire wonder and participation: touching, observing, guessing, playing… The child is active in the discovery, which makes the experience very engaging.
👉 Storytelling tours are offered on certain days, as are creative workshops (painting, collage, drawing…) adapted to the child's age, with the chance to take home their own creation.
👉 The welcome is warm, the spaces are child-sized, and pushchairs are welcome. Visits are short (30 to 45 minutes), which is ideal for holding little ones' attention.
Practical tip if you come to visit Paris with the family: The museum is very busy during school holidays. Book your tickets in advance and favour quieter hours if you want to avoid the crowds.
Family tip: While you are in the area, take a turn around the Jardin Nelson-Mandela (next to the Forum des Halles) with its lovely playgrounds, or stroll the pedestrian streets of the Montorgueil district.
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The Musée des Arts et Métiers
Often overlooked by families, the Musée des Arts et Métiers (3rd arrondissement) is nonetheless an absolutely fascinating place for children curious to understand how everyday objects were invented and transformed over the centuries.
👉 Here you will discover:
- old aeroplanes hanging from the ceiling,
- automatons,
- steam engines,
- historic scientific instruments,
- models,
- antique clocks,
- Leonardo da Vinci's inventions,
- and even the replica of Foucault's pendulum in a former church that has been converted.
👉 This museum is visited like a walk through time, ideal for children from 6–7 years old. The route is clear, the explanations are accessible, and themed trails can be downloaded in advance to guide your family visit.
During school holidays, educational workshops and family guided tours are regularly organised (robotics, mechanics, science experiments…).
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and its Galerie de l'Évolution
Located in the Jardin des Plantes, in the 5th arrondissement, the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is one of the favourite museums of families in Paris. Its Galerie de l'Évolution is spectacular: you walk among life-size animals, staged in very immersive light and sound settings.
👉 Children are captivated by the realistic staging of the animals (elephants, giraffes, lions, whales…), by the dinosaur fossils, and by the simple explanations of biodiversity, extinction and endangered species.
👉 The museum also offers storytelling tours, activity booklets, and sometimes temporary exhibitions that are very well done for families.
Nearby, still in the Jardin des Plantes:
- The Ménagerie, a little zoo in the heart of Paris,
- The Galerie de Minéralogie, with its giant crystals,
- The Plant Labyrinth to get lost in and have fun outdoors.
Practical tip: Combine the museum with a stroll in the Jardin des Plantes. It is a perfect combination for a rich but balanced day.
The Christian Dior Museum to dream
The Galerie Dior, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris, invites young and old to dive into the magical world of haute couture. Even for children, it is a fascinating visit: princess dresses, rooms of a thousand colours, miniature fashion shows… everything is there to delight the eyes and spark the imagination. The route tells the story of Christian Dior and his famous creations through immersive and poetic settings.
Some rooms look like cartoon scenes, with twinkling lights, walls that light up, and even videos that captivate the youngest. A lovely way to introduce art, design and the beauty of craftsmanship, in a museum that blends elegance and wonder. Remember to book online: places go fast!
3. Unusual activities for the whole family
The Vincennes Zoo (Parc zoologique de Paris)
A modern zoo with recreated biotopes and animals from all over the world. Ideal for half a day outdoors with the children if you come to visit Paris with the family
Located in the Bois de Vincennes, this magnificent zoo is designed as a true discovery trail around five great biotopes (Patagonia, Sahel-Sudan, Europe, Guiana and Madagascar), each recreating the climate, vegetation and emblematic species of these regions.
You will meet more than 3,000 animals (giraffes, lions, penguins, wolves, lemurs…), all in a green space ideal for walking with children. The route is fluid, without overcrowding, and many rest areas allow you to take a break. Educational activities are regularly offered to raise awareness among young and old of biodiversity conservation.
🎟️ Booking your tickets online is recommended, especially during school holidays..
The Aquarium de Paris
Located in the Trocadéro gardens, opposite the Eiffel Tower, the Aquarium de Paris is a captivating place for children.
It houses more than 13,000 fish and invertebrates, including a large collection of jellyfish and an impressive shark tank. The smallest love the touch pool, where they can touch certain marine species such as starfish or koi carp. The venue also offers mermaid shows, animated films in a small cinema, and many fun educational workshops to raise awareness of marine life. The aquarium is human-sized, perfect for a visit of 1.5 to 2 hours.
Shows and stories for children
The Théâtre de la Ville, the Lucernaire and the Théâtre Essaïon regularly offer shows for children from 2 or 3 years old. A good way to add a little magic to your stay.
Treasure hunts and urban rallies
Organisations such as Quiveutpister or Paris Ma Belle offer treasure hunts to explore neighbourhoods such as the Marais, Montmartre or the Île de la Cité in a fun way.
4. Enjoy the green spaces and gardens
The Luxembourg Garden
A classic. In addition to the typical green chairs, children will find puppets (the Guignol theatre), a large playground, a merry-go-round, pony rides, and little sailboats to sail on the pond.
Practical tip: The puppet theatre has a programme that varies by season, so check it in advance.
The Jardin d'Acclimatation
This amusement park located in the Bois de Boulogne, in the 16th arrondissement, is a real gem if you come to visit Paris with the family. You will find rides, a mini-farm, tree-climbing courses and water games in summer.
Note : The park is accessible by shuttle from Porte Maillot or by little train from the metro.
The Parc de la Villette
In addition to being home to the Cité des Sciences, it offers large green spaces, original playgrounds, a giant dragon slide, and open-air art installations.
Go to Disneyland Paris as a family
Only 35 minutes from Paris, Disneyland Paris is an unmissable destination for families seeking magic and adventure. The main park, Disneyland Park, transports visitors into fairy-tale worlds spread across five themed lands, while Walt Disney Studios Park offers immersive attractions inspired by cinema and superheroes
For the youngest, attractions such as "It's a Small World", Dumbo the Flying Elephant or Lancelot's Carousel offer gentle, enchanting experiences. Slightly older children will enjoy Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast or Pirates of the Caribbean, while thrill-seekers can venture onto Big Thunder Mountain or Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain.
Meetings with Disney characters, colourful parades and night-time shows, such as Disney Dreams!, delight the whole family. Adapted services, such as pushchair hire, the Baby Switch for rides or children's menus in restaurants, make visiting with toddlers easier.
To make the most of the experience, it is advisable to plan your visit in advance, notably by booking tickets online and checking show times. The official Disneyland Paris mobile app also lets you manage bookings, check real-time waiting times and locate attractions.
Practical tips for visiting Paris with the family
Transport
The metro is practical but not always accessible with a pushchair. Lines 1, 4 and 14 are automatic and frequent. The bus remains a good option for admiring the city while getting around.
- See the Paris Metro map
- See the Paris bus map
A few kid-friendly addresses in Paris
Visiting Paris with the family? Bakeries are an excellent option for a quick lunch (sandwiches, quiches, pastries).
- For an afternoon snack, head to Angelina for a hot chocolate or to a crêperie.
- La Bossue (Montmartre, 18th arrondissement): This tea room serves hearty brunches with a variety of French pastries, in a warm atmosphere suited to children.
- Breizh Café (several arrondissements): Specialising in Breton crêpes, this restaurant offers a varied menu that appeals to children and adults alike, with sweet and savoury options.
- Le Relais de l'Entrecôte (several arrondissements): Known for its steak and chips, this restaurant is popular with families for its simplicity and the quality of its dishes, although without a specific children's menu.
