Paris might not be the primary place folks consider when planning a visit with their child, however belief us after we say {that a} journey to Paris with a child is fantastic. Think about your self having a picnic wanting up on the Eiffel Tower whereas your infant performs within the sand within the close by play space…
These little moments are what make one of the best reminiscences and also you’ll have loads of them whereas in Paris with a toddler or child!
Right here’s all the things it’s best to learn about visiting Paris with toddlers or infants:
This publish incorporates compensated hyperlinks.
The place to Keep in Paris with a Child or Toddler
For our first three household journeys with a child we stayed in accommodations, as we all the time had earlier than children. We wished to get pleasure from consuming out and never fear about cooking our personal meals. All we wanted was a resort on a quiet avenue that offered a child crib.
Previous to our week in Paris with a child, we spent per week in London with a child! For this household journey to Europe with our toddler, we stayed in trip residence rental residences for the primary time. We found that trip properties are sometimes a greater choice for touring with a child. You’ll admire having a separate room on your child, laundry services and a kitchen.
After we visited Paris with a toddler, our trip residence rental house was within the 7e arrondissement, simply east of the Eiffel Tower.
We have been drawn to this location by the wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower we had from our bed room, however the drawback was how far it was from the vast majority of Paris’ prime sights. The situation meant plenty of strolling and taking the subway, however for us the view of the Eiffel Tower was price it.
Getting from the Paris Airport to your Lodge
Paris is served by two main worldwide airports: Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport.
We don’t advocate renting a automotive in Paris. You’ll get pleasure from your journey extra in the event you don’t have to fret about parking or site visitors. You’ll discover loads of appropriate choices to get from the Paris airport to your resort.
If you would like door-to-door service out of your Paris airport with out lugging your automotive seat with you, we advocate you ebook a non-public switch with Welcome Pickups. We’ve got used them prior to now after lengthy flights to Europe and they’re such an reasonably priced luxurious.
You possibly can prebook an toddler automotive seat and your driver will meet you on the arrival gate. Strollers are additionally acceptable baggage, however issue this in to the scale of automotive you order.
There are a number of alternate methods to get to your resort from the Paris airports. For extra data on non-public transfers and the opposite methods to get from the Paris airports to your resort, go to Getting out of your Paris Airport to your Lodge.
For our journey, we arrived on the Paris Gare du Nord prepare station. We had simply completed per week in London with our child. From right here, we took the RER prepare to a cease close to our trip residence rental. We discovered this selection difficult with baggage and a stroller, however it’s an alternative choice in the event you select to journey with out a automotive seat.
Whereas we had a automotive seat with us for the flight with our toddler, the one time we used the automotive seat in Paris was on the taxi experience to the airport on our manner residence. The taxi driver was affected person and didn’t complain in regards to the additional time it took to put in the automotive seat within the again seat.
Getting Round Paris with a Child or Toddler
Strolling round Paris
Paris is a really walkable metropolis and opposite to what you would possibly learn on-line, in the event you plan to do a whole lot of strolling then it’s best to carry a stroller to Paris.
The Paris metro stations generally is a problem with a stroller, so make sure that to journey to Paris with a light-weight journey stroller (for the instances it is advisable to carry it up stairs).
Paris Metro and RER with a Stroller
Taking the metro or the RER in Paris with a stroller is doable. Simply go into it with the expectation that you just would possibly want to hold your stroller up and down units of stairs.
Though the Paris subway system advertises that lots of the stations have elevators, be ready to seek out a few of them out of service. As well as, there are sometimes turnstiles which you will need to enter/exit via which may make it troublesome with a stroller.
If you happen to should carry a stroller in your subway journey days, carry a child service as properly. This allows you to carry your child up or down the steps, whereas your associate or a beneficiant stranger carries the stroller.
Paris Hop-On Hop-Off Buses
Like most main cities, Hop-On Hop-Off buses are a straightforward and attention-grabbing strategy to get round and see Paris.
Paris Hop-On Hop-Off buses are nice as they take you to lots of the prime sights in Paris whereas giving an a wonderful vantage level to view the city whereas en route.
Relying in your schedule, a possible drawback of Hop-On Hop-off buses are that they could be a gradual strategy to get round.
The steps to the highest deck are steep and winding and because of this, you can not carry your stroller up, however there’s room to retailer your stroller on the underside deck. If sitting on the higher deck is enticing to you, carry a child service as a substitute of (or together with) your stroller and in addition carry alongside some solar safety on your child.
Well-liked Paris Hop-On Hop-Off bus operators embody Metropolis-Sightseeing Paris and Large Bus Paris.
The place to get Child Meals and Diapers in Paris
If it is advisable to purchase diapers in Paris, you’ll have to go to a pharmacy, that are simply acknowledged by their flashing inexperienced crosses hanging outdoors the constructing.
Franprix, Carrefour and Monoprix are the commonest grocery shops if it is advisable to purchase child meals whereas in Paris. A very good checklist of central Paris choices is discovered right here.
The place to Eat in Paris with Toddlers or Infants
Paris is taken into account by many because the among the finest culinary cities on the planet. There are a number of varieties of eating places in Paris and in case you are touring to Paris with a toddler or child, it’s necessary to know the distinction:
Cafés: A staple of Parisian life, cafés supply easy menus all through the day. An ideal place for breakfast or a day snack, cafés are an important choice if you want for a fast meal or a meal throughout off hours.
Bistros: An ideal place for lunch, bistros are much less formal than eating places. Paris bistros are usually solely open for lunch and dinner, normally have their menu displayed on a blackboard and are a very good place to get a hearty portion of French meals.
Brasseries: Are usually bigger than a bistro with a extra in depth, basic French menu. Brasseries have been initially breweries and right this moment, lots of them retain that very same historic allure. They are often very busy and loud, with plenty of good beer, wine and meals.
Eating places: Parisians will go to a restaurant for a full meal, which usually consists of a number of programs. A typical lunch will take 1.5 hours, whereas dinner will final 2.5 hours or extra. Eating places are usually open between 12-2PM for lunch and open for dinner at 7PM, though it received’t get busy till 8PM when the locals arrive. Don’t go to a Paris restaurant in case you are in a rush.
You might take your child to any eating institution in Paris, however cafés and bistros are definitely probably the most baby-friendly locations to eat in Paris. If you happen to want to go to a restaurant, strive going at 7PM which will provide you with a one-hour head begin earlier than the locals arrive.
Plan to carry a conveyable journey excessive chair with you, as Paris eating places aren’t more likely to have excessive chairs. Try my checklist of the greatest moveable journey excessive chairs.
12Things to do in Paris with a Child or Toddler
Questioning what to do in Paris with a child or toddler? At this age, we discovered we may nonetheless go to all of the locations we wished to see. Even with a toddler in Paris, we nonetheless managed to go to all of the museums, parks and well-known locations we have been dying to see.
Most of the prime issues to do in Paris shut one-day per week. Examine the Paris Tourism web site earlier than you head out to verify your Paris attraction is open.
1. Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon in 1806 after a victory in Austerlitz, the Arc de Triomphe honors those that fought and died for France within the Napoleonic and French Revolutionary wars.
We don’t advocate bringing a stroller to the Arc de Triomphe. There’s an elevator which can take you midway up, however from there the one strategy to the highest is through a good spiral staircase which makes bringing your stroller infeasible.
The views of Paris from the Arc de Triomphe rooftop are properly well worth the effort to climb up the 284 steps. We visited the Arc de Triomphe as our first exercise in Paris and it gave us a very good perspective the place all the things in Paris is.
Tour Suggestion: Skip-the-Line Arc de Triomphe Rooftop Tickets
2. Champs-Elysees
One of the crucial well-known and unique streets on the planet, the two km/1.2 mile lengthy Champs-Elysees runs between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde.
You should have no points with a stroller as Champs-Elysees has very extensive and flat sidewalks on each side of the road all the size of the boulevard.
3. Notre-Dame
With French gothic structure, stunning stained glass home windows and bell towers with gargoyles it’s simple to see why Notre Dame is one in every of Paris’ most visited sights.
Fortunately, we have been in a position to go to the well-known Notre-Dame previous to the devastating hearth on April 15, 2019. The cathedral is at present closed to the general public and is projected to re-open in late 2024. Examine the Notre Dame web site for updates.
For many of our go to to Notre Dame we had our 14 month outdated strolling (with help). It made for a pleasant gradual meander via Notre Dame whereas we appreciated its spectacular inside. After our go to was over, we explored the park space on Notre-Dame property and have been pleased to see there was just a little sandbox play space for little kids.
4. Jardin des Tuileries
A UNESCO World Heritage web site, Jardin des Tuileries is a 28 hectare formal French backyard which shares borders with the Louvre, Place de la Concorde and the Seine river.
Tuileries Backyard is an ideal place for a stroll together with your child! Even higher, for fogeys like us touring with a toddler, there’s a playground and a carousel close to the centre of the park.
5. The Louvre
Residence to the famed Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, the Louvre is the world’s most visited museum.
Visiting the Louvre is the right time for infants or toddlers to have a nap on the go!
In principle, the Louvre is stroller accessible. It has many units of elevators to take you between flooring, however there have been nonetheless instances after we needed to elevate the stroller up or down a number of stairs.
After we received to the Louvre, we went to the ticket workplace situated underneath the glass pyramid, which has considerably shorter traces than the primary ticket workplace on the bottom degree.
Tour Suggestion: Louvre Museum Skip-the-Ticket-Line Guided Tour
6. Sacre-Coeur
Dramatically perched up excessive on the highest of the very best hill in Paris, visiting Sacre-Coeur not solely supplies sweeping vistas of Paris, however can also be well worth the climb as much as admire the great thing about the basilica.
You’ll possible have to take the metro to get to Sacre-Coeur like we did. There are two metro stations (Abbesses and Anver) that can take you shut Sacre-Coeur. From right here you possibly can take a funicular as much as the basilica or you possibly can climb a steep set of stairs up (as we did).
We advocate utilizing a child service for when visiting Sacre-Coeur with a child, because you’ll additionally discover a number of units of stairs within the metro stations.
Tour Suggestion: Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre Tour with Skilled Information
7. Palace of Versailles
Located in a suburb of Paris, the Palace of Versailles is one in every of France’s most well-known palaces. A number of kings held court docket right here between 1682-1789, till Louis XIV was compelled to maneuver again to Paris initially of the French Revolution. Along with the opulent palace, there are 800 hectares of finely manicured French gardens.
We took the RER C line from Central Paris to Versailles. You will want to take a prepare destined for the Versailles Rive Gauche Chateau de Versailles station. It’s roughly a 5 minute stroll to the palace from right here.
Whenever you go to the Palace of Versailles with a child, we advocate touring with a stroller and a child service or wrap. Strollers usually are not permitted throughout the palace, however they’ve a spot to retailer them whilst you tour the palace. The Versailles gardens are so massive that you’ll want to have your stroller with you.
We discovered the Palace of Versailles gardens was the right spot to let our toddler have a nap on-the-go within the stroller. It was additionally good for letting her mess around previous to visiting the palace.
The tour of the palace is a set route and was very crowded, gradual and scorching. Be sure you get all of your diaper adjustments out of the way in which earlier than the beginning of the tour.
Tour Suggestion: Versailles Palace & Gardens Full Entry Ticket & Audio Information
8. Centre Pompidou
Uniquely set in a constructing which was designed to be inside out, the Centre Pompidou museum homes the biggest assortment of contemporary artwork in Europe.
The views of Paris from the sixth flooring are distinctive. As a bonus, there’s a extremely really helpful restaurant referred to as Georges on this degree which enjoys the identical view.
Our daughter particularly favored the second flooring show particularly for kids. It was truly an space for kids over six with a guided audio tour story that takes them via a collection of teepees. Our toddler had enjoyable ‘strolling’ contained in the teepees and taking part in peek-a-boo with a number of the children who have been inside listening to their story.
Tour Suggestion: Middle Pompidou: Precedence Ticket to Everlasting Collections
9. Musee d’Orsay
Housed in a fantastic former rail station with large arches and a dramatic towering curved ceiling, Musee d’Orsay is residence to the who’s who of the artwork world: Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and extra.
It is possible for you to to go to most of Musee d’Orsay together with your stroller with out effort. If you wish to see all of it, be ready to elevate your stroller up and down a number of units of stairs and/or carry it on an escalator. There are a number of elevators within the constructing, however they don’t take you to the very prime.
The handicapped loos have a child change desk.
Tour Suggestion: Musée d’Orsay Reserved Entry 1-Day Admission Ticket
10. Musee Rodin
A former resort and its lush gardens are the setting for the Musee Rodin museum, which options the artwork of Auguste Rodin. As well as, you may be handled to some works by Van Gogh and Renoir.
It is possible for you to to see all the sculptures within the backyard together with your stroller, together with the well-known “Thinker”. You’ll, nonetheless, be requested to examine your stroller on the entrance of the previous resort, so remember to additionally carry a child service for this portion of the museum.
There’s a child change desk discovered within the washrooms on degree -1 of the doorway corridor.
We had bought a combo ticket at Musee d’Orsay so we have been in a position to bypass the road and stroll proper in. The Musee Rodin gardens are a spectacular setting to view world class sculptures.
Tour Suggestion: Rodin Museum Skip the Line Tickets
11. Eiffel Tower
Fairly presumably probably the most well-known landmark on the planet, the Eiffel Tower wants no introduction.
It is possible for you to to carry your stroller up the Eiffel Tower solely whether it is small and folds up. Given the restricted usefulness of the stroller up the Eiffel Tower, we advocate not bringing a stroller and utilizing a child service for this go to. Don’t depart your stroller unattended whereas up the tower as it is going to be thought-about a suspect merchandise and confiscated.
The road-ups for tickets on the Eiffel Tower can get very lengthy. You should purchase Eiffel Tower tickets on-line forward of time, however you usually have to do it properly upfront and it is advisable to specify what time you may be arriving.
We deliberate to stroll up the steps to the second flooring, so we left the stroller at residence and put our daughter within the service. Being a sunny Sunday afternoon, it was fairly busy and our ticket line took almost 25 minutes, though the line-ups to take the steps are fairly a bit shorter than the elevator traces.
Tour Suggestion: Eiffel Tower: Second Flooring Tour
12. Household Photograph Shoot
A household journey together with your child is a particular time. On a number of of our household journeys world wide, we captured particular moments with knowledgeable photographer. A number of the household photographs from these picture classes are a few of our most treasured possessions.
Paris is such an iconic vacation spot. We didn’t have an opportunity this household journey, however you possibly can ebook a household picture shoot in Paris. Your skilled photographer will make you are feeling relaxed and aid you discover one of the best photo-friendly places in and round Paris.
Paris Household Photoshoot
A household photoshoot is a superb strategy to protect reminiscences out of your journey to Paris! Get $25 off your first Flytographer picture shoot.
Must you Use a Stroller in Paris?
We had achieved a whole lot of analysis previous to visiting Paris with a toddler and many individuals instructed not utilizing a stroller. We introduced a stroller to Paris anyway as we wished to do a whole lot of strolling, though it was a bit difficult on public transportation.
If you happen to want to spend your time strolling, which we extremely advocate in Paris, then it’s best to undoubtedly carry a stroller to Paris. Be certain it’s a light-weight journey stroller because you’ll possible nonetheless take the metro and also you’ll need one you possibly can simply elevate as vital. We additionally advocate a child service for these instances the place you must examine your stroller or it’s simply not possible to carry it.
An alternative choice for these touring to Paris with a toddler is to make use of a mountaineering backpack service. We used one for touring to Rome with toddlers and located it fairly handy for strolling round.
Paris Playgrounds for Toddlers or Infants
If you’re in search of issues to do in Paris for teenagers, you then’re possible in search of playgrounds. Even in case you are touring to Paris with a child or toddler, you’ll wish to discover spots to let your child crawl round or let your toddler burn off some vitality and the playgrounds in Paris are good for this.
We have been visiting Paris with a toddler and we knew that giving our daughter time in play and burn off some vitality would depart her drained and pleased whereas we have been testing the highest sights in Paris. Fortunately for us, we simply discovered playgrounds close to a number of the greatest locations to go to in Paris. Discovering these nice playgrounds makes Paris with toddlers a lot extra fulfilling.
Don’t make the identical errors we did whereas in Paris with a toddler. We hadn’t researched the playgrounds upfront and in search of inexperienced parks on Google Maps wasn’t one of the best technique, since most grass is off limits. I’m not going to be too laborious on Paris although, the grass could also be off limits however we quickly got here to comprehend many of the prime sights in Paris has some sort of play space within the neighborhood.
It took us a number of days to catch onto this and several other we discovered by probability, however we made good use of them! Be taught from our errors, make be aware of this checklist of playgrounds in Paris and plan to cease at them!
Jardin des Tuileries Playground with a Child or Toddler
At 14 months outdated, our toddler wasn’t fairly toddling round but. She was crawling, however not likely strolling. Coming into the Jardin des Tuileries we have been confronted with dusty paths and fenced off grass. Not the best scenario for a crawling child or toddler.
Fortunately, we discovered an unbelievable little playground that was good to let her discover. She even discovered just a little good friend her personal age to play with (a household travelling from the US in the same predicament). The playground is on the northern part of the gardens (the areas closest to Rue de Rivoli) the place additionally, you will discover a trampoline and a carousel.
We made use of the Jardin des Tuileries playground a few instances. We made positive to cease at it earlier than visiting the Louvre to tire our daughter out so she would get pleasure from a while within the stroller throughout our go to.
The play areas, together with the playground, are geared in direction of older children however once more, with some help our daughter was in a position to benefit from the teeter-totter and the hammock-swings.
The floor of the playground was a rubber materials so she may simply crawl round on it. There are additionally a number of chairs underneath the cover and benches round for fogeys to chill out. An ideal place to cease in case you are visiting Paris with kids.
MAP: Jardin des Tuileries Playground
Eiffel Tower Playground
There isn’t a scarcity of playgrounds close to the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars. Our Paris trip residence rental house was solely a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower, so we’d usually make the brief stroll over after breakfast to offer our daughter some play time.
As fantastic because it was to have rented an house, it wasn’t fully baby-proof. Quite than chase her across the house, we opted to go to the close by Eiffel Tower playground and simply let her play.
Attending to lookup on the Eiffel Tower whereas taking part in on the playground with our toddler made for some fantastic reminiscences.
The Eiffel Tower playground we frequented was to the South-East of the Eiffel Tower (comply with Av. Gustave Eiffel heading East from the Eiffel Tower and switch down the pathway Allee Maurice Baumont. Because the pathway forks, keep proper.).
This Paris playground has a big sandpit, a slide and different climbing buildings. Our daughter beloved to crawl round within the sand and go down the slide. This small contained playground is ideal for toddlers.
Different play areas close to the Eiffel Tower are:
- Additional to the south in Champ de Mars on the intersection of Av. Charles Risler and Av. Pierre Loti, is a giant playground with a café.
- Now going the opposite strategy to the North-West of the Eiffel Tower, you can find the Carousel of the Eiffel Tower on the nook of Quai Branly and Pont d’Iena.
- Simply throughout the river from the Eiffel Tower is one other carousel and play space. Don’t overlook to look again for wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower!
For sure there’s an abundance of selection for fogeys in search of playgrounds close to the Eiffel Tower. If you happen to’re in search of issues to do in Paris for teenagers, then that is the world to return to!
Paris Playground close to La Seine River
Strolling alongside La Seine River is a should when visiting Paris with a child or toddler. We stumbled on this Paris playground about midway between the Eiffel Tower and the Jardin des Tuileries. Given its proximity to the place we have been staying, this was an ideal spot to offer our daughter a while to play. It’s a small playground, nevertheless it’s sufficient for toddlers to get pleasure from!
MAP: Paris Playground close to La Seine River
Paris Playground close to Sacre Coeur
For our go to to Sacre-Coeur we opted to depart our stroller behind and take solely our child service (which we advocate). We knew utilizing a child service would make climbing all the steps as much as Sacre-Coeur a lot simpler.
Sq. Louise-Michel is a metropolis park on a hill simply beneath Sacre-Coeur which presents glorious views of Paris and the basilica. On the very backside of the park is a plaza referred to as Place Saint Pierre with a carousel and playground. Our daughter wished out of her service, so it was good timing! We let her play for some time and by the top she was pleased to return within the Ergo for our journey again residence.
Playground close to Notre Dame
The time of our go to to Paris was previous to the devasting hearth in Notre Dame. We have been in a position to totally benefit from the inside with a gradual paced “stroll” with our toddler. As soon as again outdoors, we have been happy to discover a play space together with a sand pit on the south aspect.
Till it reopens, the closest choices for different playgrounds can be within the Jardin des Plantes, Jardin du Luxembourg, or the Jarden des Tuileries playground talked about above.
Different Paris Playgrounds or Play Areas
As we continued our sightseeing all through the week we have been all the time looking out for areas the place we may give our daughter a while to play. Listed below are a number of price mentioning:
Centre de Pompidou
On the Centre de Pompidou we did make use of the Gallerie d’Enfants to let our daughter play. The Gallerie d’Enfants is a big space up one degree from the primary entrance the place they’ve interactive reveals for kids.
The Gallerie d’Enfants is geared in direction of kids 2 and up. Our daughter was only one, nevertheless it was an enclosed space with loads of area for her to crawl round and discover. Through the time we have been there, we solely encountered one different household so she was in a position to play with out getting in anybody’s manner.
Palace of Versailles
The Gardens and Park of the Palace of Versailles was the right spot to simply set her down within the grass and let her play. She beloved to push her stroller round, so we discovered a quiet pathway and let her push away. It was a chance to simply sit with a pleasant scorching latte and watch her play.
Jardin d’Acclimatation and Jardin du Luxembourg Playgrounds
Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin d’Acclimatation are two further stunning metropolis parks in Paris, which we sadly didn’t get to in our week in Paris with a child. If you end up in one in every of these parks, every has a playground for kids.
A Remaining Word on Playgrounds Round Paris with Toddlers or a Child
Paris playgrounds are rated for particular ages with the bottom age we noticed being 2 years outdated. That didn’t cease our little woman! With our very shut supervision our daughter, who was 14 months outdated on the time, was nonetheless in a position to play and revel in herself.
For the playgrounds that we visited, we discovered they have been both sand pits or the floor was rubber materials.
What to Pack for Paris with a Child or Toddler
Quite than restate all of it right here, you possibly can take a look at my packing checklist for journey with a child. It covers all of the child journey necessities I can’t depart residence with out.
Come Be a part of Us!
We love answering questions in our Child Can Journey Fb group. Come ask all of your child journey associated questions and share recommendation with different touring mother and father!
Discovered this publish helpful? Share it with your pals!
Celine Brewer is the proprietor of Child Can Journey. Not solely does she have years of expertise touring with infants & toddlers, however she’s helped thousands and thousands of latest mother and father journey with their infants and toddlers for over a decade. Along with writing on her child journey weblog, she has shared her experience on touring with a child or toddler by contributing to articles about touring with a child with the Washington Submit, USA At the moment, the Lonely Planet journal and Being pregnant & New child journal.
Celine additionally writes about household journey on the location FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns along with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her ardour about her residence and journey to Banff Nationwide Park and space on their web site TravelBanffCanada.com.
