Things to do in Paris with kids

Museum of Natural History in Paris. Photo: Shutterstock

Having children doesn't mean you can't go on city breaks… Here are our top tips for exploring Paris as a family.

Paris is a family-friendly city awash with parks and climbing frames and those with kids have a great excuse to go up the Eiffel Tower. The Jardin des Plantes is good for all ages with the Ménagerie and brilliantly displayed Grande Galerie de l’Evolution. There are special children’s sections at the Cité des Sciences and fun playgrounds outside. Bigger kids get a thrill from the prison cells at the Conciergerie, macabre bones at Les Catacombes or vintage flying machines at the Musée des Arts et Métiers.

If you are travelling with younger children, we recommend checking out the puppet show at Jardin du Luxembourg. The show, which named after its main character, Guignol, is incredibly popular in France and tells the story of the textile industry. Although the story has changed over the years, it first appeared in theatres as early as 1808.

Of course, no mention of family fun in Paris would be complete without a mention of Disneyland. Just a short train journey out of the city, Disneyland Paris is guaranteed to bring a smile to face of your children. Halloween and Christmas are the best times to go. Interestingly, Disneyland is Paris’s most visited attraction annually, with over twice as many visitors as the Eiffel Tower.

Don’t be intimidated by the size of the large museums: the Centre Pompidou has specially conceived exhibitions in its Galerie des Enfants, there are Impressionists galore at Musée d’Orsay, and all the Egyptian mummies a child could desire at the Louvre.

Paris a good city for eating out with kids – do as the Parisians do. Go for bustle and spectacle at La Coupôle brasserie, friendly Astier or budget legend Chartier, for watching the waiter memorise the orders.

Read our Paris: Top Restaurants article here

Take a trip: Plan your trip to France

Buy a book: Insight Guide Paris

Read more: Disneyland Paris overview

Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Photo: Shutterstock