PARIS WITH KIDS: THE BEST ACTIVITIES
From the best activities in parks to kid-friendly museums, delicious treats and the city’s unmissable highlights. This article lists the best activities to make your city break to Paris an unforgettable family experience.
CLIMB THE EIFFEL TOWER
A visit to the Eiffel Tower is a great memory that children will take with them forever. It is one of the most visited paid monuments in the world with nearly 7 million visitors a year.
The Eiffel Tower was built on the occasion of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. This exhibition celebrated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. There was a big design competition to build a tower 300 meters high. Out of 107 designs, engineer Gustave Eiffel’s team won. Engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two associates of Gustave Eiffel, were responsible for the design. The Eiffel Tower was built at a record pace. It took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to complete construction. The tower ended up being 324 meters tall.
It is advisable to plan a visit in advance. Avoid the line at the ticket booths and buy your tickets online prior to your visit. Tickets can be reserved up to 2 months in advance. There are 3 floors. You can choose which floor you buy a ticket for. The first two floors are accessible either by stairs or elevator. The 3rd floor can only be reached by elevator. Tour Eiffel, Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris.
QUARTIER LATIN FAMILY TOUR
During the Quartier Latin family tour, I will take you to one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris and tell the funniest anecdotes to the kids along the way. We visit the city’s oldest public monument, where we will play soccer. Furthermore, we pass beautiful monuments and the nice little streets. The tour ends at Jardin du Luxembourg, where we conclude with a game of bocce.
EAT TYPICAL FRENCH FOOD AT A BOUILLON RESTAURANT
At a broth restaurant, you eat dishes of traditional French cuisine at a very affordable price. The menu features appetizers starting at €1.00 and main courses starting at €7.00. A characteristic feature is the often still authentic art nouveau decor and the quick service. In Paris, restaurants often open for dinner around 7:30 p.m., but at bouillon restaurants you can go all day. Here, try typical French dishes such as escargots, foie gras and confit de canard. Click here to learn more about the 5 best broth restaurants in Paris.
CLIMB THE SACRÉ-CŒUR
With its narrow streets and hilly area with many stairs, Montmartre has a different character from the rest of the city. It is a neighborhood that used to be home to many artists such as van Gogh, Renoir and Picasso. The best way is to go to Montmartre by metro and get off at the Abbesses metro station. So you arrive directly halfway up the hill to the cozy part of the neighborhood full of terraces. From here it is only a short walk to the Sacré-Cœur. From the dome of the Sacré-Cœur you have a very nice view of the city. There are 300 steps to get to the dome (there is no elevator), but it is well worth the view. The Sacré-Cœur is free to visit, only to climb the dome you pay an entrance fee. Sacré-Cœur, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris.
MUSÉE DE L'ARMÉE / DÔME DES INVALIDES
Walk through halls full of swords, cannons and armor at the Musée de l’Armée. The museum is located in the huge Invalides complex. Hôtel National des Invalides was built under King Louis XIV to house former soldiers who could no longer serve in the army and needed care. An entrance ticket to the museum also provides access to the Dôme des Invalides where Napoleon’s impressive tomb stands. For anyone under 26, a visit to the museum and the Dôme des Invalides is free. Musée de l’Armée, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris.
SCAVENGER HUNT IN MONTMARTRE
Discover Paris’ Montmartre neighborhood in an interactive way with Wonderoute’s scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt is for sleuths between the ages of 4 and 12 and fun for the whole family. The route and stories are the same for everyone; the tasks are slightly different for little ones (4-6) than for older children (7-12). Click here to go to the shop.
HÔTEL DE LA MARINE
At Hôtel de la Marine, you can admire what an 18th century palace used to look like. Using an audio tour, you will walk through the palace and get a description of what used to take place in the ballrooms and rooms you walk through. The audio tour is available in English and French, not Dutch.
The Garde-Meuble de la Couronne was housed in the palace before it became the headquarters of the French Navy for more than 200 years. The Garde-Meuble was an institution responsible for furnishing the royal residences and maintaining the furniture: the armchairs, sofas, chairs but also the tapestries that decorated the king’s castles. The stewards of the Garde-Meuble themselves resided in the palace. Starting in 2021, the palace will be open to the public for the first time. It has been completely restored and rehabilitated as it looked during the time of the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne. Hôtel de la Marine, 2 Pl. de la Concorde, 75008 Paris.
LES CATACOMBES DE PARIS
Under the bustling streets of Paris lies a maze of tunnels containing the remains of about 6 million Parisians. In the 18th century, the population of Paris increased dramatically. A side effect of this was the lack of space to bury the deceased. Cemeteries became overcrowded and diseases spread rapidly. A solution was sought to bury the dead under the city. There was an underground quarry, then just outside the city. This quarry, which was in use at least until the 15th century and not after, formed part of the catacombs and was expanded to about 800 acres. A huge maze of tunnels, 20 meters underground.
The first evacuations took place between 1785 and 1787. The Cimetière des Innocents was then the only major cemetery in Paris. It was in use for nearly ten centuries. Graves were stripped of their bones, which were transported to the Catacombs at nightfall to avoid hostile reactions from the Parisians and the church.
Beginning in 1809, the catacombs became open to the public. A visit to the underground passages soon became very popular. For example, King Charles X of France visited the catacombs, and Napoleon III also descended with his son.
Take 131 steps down and discover this mysterious place under the city. A stretch of nearly 2 kilometers of corridors full of piled up skulls and bones. A visit to the Catacombs is a great contrast from what you would expect from a typical Parisian experience. Les Catacombs de Paris, 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris.
ATELIER DES LUMIÈRES
Atelier des Lumières is a digital art museum and is located in the 11th arrondissement in Paris. In a dark room, you can admire huge light projections of classical and modern works of art. The artworks move and music can be heard in the background, bringing the artworks to life. There are changing exhibits. The museum’s website lists current exhibits. Atelier des Lumières, 38 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011 Paris, France.
MUSÉE DE L'HOMME
The Musée de l’Homme shows the history of human evolution and is organized around 3 themes: who are we, where did we come from and where are we going. These questions are answered in a playful way where children can actively participate in the discovery. For example, they can walk the steps like humans used to, pull a tongue to discover one of the world’s 7,000 spoken languages, compare brains of different animal species and humans and get on a bus that takes them to another country with a video. Descriptions are available in French, English and other languages. Not in Dutch, but with a little help from parents, this museum is well worth a visit.
The museum is located in the Palais de Chaillot, at Place du Trocadéro right across from the Eiffel Tower. While viewing the museum collection you have very nice views of the Eiffel Tower. A hidden gem is that the museum has a terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower. However, this terrace is currently closed due to renovation work and will reopen in 2024. Musée de l’Homme, 17 Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75116 Paris.
BOAT TRIP ON THE SEINE
Discover Paris from the water with a boat tour. Along the Seine are many attractions such as the Louvre, Musée D’Orsay, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Boat trips take an average of an hour and there are several boarding points available. You can also book packages where you can dine on board. Some of the companies offering boat tours are;
Vedettes de Paris (get off at the Eiffel Tower)
Bateau Mouches (boarding at Pont de l’Alma)
Vedettes du Pont Neuf (boarding at Pont Neuf).
SPACE INVADERS SEARCH
Invader is a French street artist. He is known for his artwork of mosaic tiles of space invaders. The aliens from video games of the 70s and 80s. He started in Paris and his creations can now be seen in 79 cities in 33 countries worldwide. You can collect space invaders via the free downloadable app FlashInvaders. You flash the street mosaics of invaders, score points with them and so take on other invader seekers. Invaders can be seen throughout Paris in various sizes, shapes and images. An ideal activity for children throughout their stay in Paris.
MUSÉE DE LA CHASSE ET DE LA NATURE
Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is located in the heart of Le Marais in 2 old city palaces. A museum about hunting and nature you might not immediately think of going to with children, but I can actually recommend this museum with children. The museum is kid-friendly, interesting and absolutely beautiful. Even the guards are extremely friendly to children and explain what you see.
Through paintings, sculptures, hunting weapons, furniture, trophies, photographs, videos and stuffed animals, the museum creatively takes you through the relationship between humans and animals through the ages. Look for the hidden mouse in a small corner, the fox lying on a chair or explore the cabinet of curiosities. There are 3 floors with different rooms themed to a particular animal. For anyone under 18, the museum is free to visit. The first Sunday of the month, the museum is free to all. Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, 62 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris.
THE 3 MUSEUMS IN JARDIN DES PLANTES
There are 3 museums in Jardin des Plantes;
– Grande Galerie de L’Évolution
– Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie Comparée.
– Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie
These 3 museums are part of the National Museum of Natural History.
For children, the Grande Galerie de L’Évolution is a fun interactive museum to visit. Thousands of stuffed animals depict the evolution of animal species and the diversity of our world. There is a place designed for children between 6 and 12 years old where they can do activities and workshops and receive age-appropriate scientific information through videos. This Galerie des Enfants focuses on biodiversity and sustainable development in 4 areas: the city, river, rainforest and earth. Admission to this part of the museum requires a separate ticket.
Discover thousands of animal species skeletons collected from around the world at the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie Comparée. There are 3 floors full of skeletons of dinosaurs, mammoths, a whale almost 20 meters long and also the skeleton of the rhinoceros that belonged to King Louis XV. The museum building was opened in 1898 for the 1900 World’s Fair. The nearly 80-meter-long building is decorated with numerous sculptures of important naturalists.
Behind the splendor of the rose garden houses an imposing neoclassical building that houses the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie. The collections of this museum include one of the oldest and most prestigious mineral collections in the world. From meteorites from Mars to giant crystals and gemstones. They are all precious specimens that tell the story of Earth and the solar system.
Click here to learn more about the most beautiful parks in Paris.
MÉNAGERIE, THE ZOO OF JARDIN DES PLANTES
The Ménagerie is a small-scale zoo in Jardin des Plantes. Founded in 1793, it is the second oldest zoo in the world. About 600 animals of which 150 species are found there. Red pandas, snow leopards, orangutans, pythons, giant tortoises, flamingos, tree kangaroos and hornbills. You walk through paths full of greenery around you so you don’t quickly notice you are in the center of Paris. Ticket platforms such as Tiqets often offer combination tickets to the Grande Galerie d’Évolution and the Ménagerie. Ménagerie, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris.
MUSEUM OF ILLUSION
At Musée de l’Illusion, discover the fascinating world of illusions. There are several rooms where your senses will be stimulated. Nothing is what it seems to be here. Observe your distorted reflection in the Hall of Mirrors, explore the Hall of Infinity and take a closer look at every optical illusion. The goal is to discover why our eyes perceive things that our brains cannot understand. Experiment and experience the impossible. Musée de l’Illusion Paris, 98 Rue Saint-Denis, 75001 Paris.
DRAWINGS
A ride on a carousel is timeless for children. Always a success. There are several beautiful merry-go-rounds in Paris. Children can take a tour on wooden horses, exotic animals, motorcycles and even in spaceships. The following locations feature the city’s finest carousels:
Jardin de Tuileries (1st arrondissement)
Hôtel de Ville (4th arrondissement)
Jardin du Luxembourg (6th arrondissement)
Eiffel Tower, on the side of Pont d’Iéna (7th arrondissement)
At the foot of the Sacré-Coeur, in the Square Louise Michel park, on the side of place Saint-Pierre (18th arrondissement)
Parc Monceau (8th arrondissement)
CLIMB ON THE COLUMNS THE NEIGHBORS
In the heart of Paris, a stone’s throw from the Louvre, lies Jardin du Palais Royal. A hidden courtyard garden between the walls of a former royal palace. When you walk into the garden on the side of Place Colette you come to a large courtyard where the Colonnes de Buren can be seen. This is an expansive artwork by French artist Daniel Buren that consists of several black and white striped pillars in different heights. Climbing the poles is permitted. A successful activity with children. Also, it is a place where children can run, without cars whizzing by. Walk on to the park and enjoy a nice walk. Click here to learn more about the most beautiful parks in Paris.
BOATING
Since 1830, boating has been one of the most fun activities for children in Paris. At the pond in Jardin du Luxembourg and also in Jardin des Tuileries, you can rent a small wooden sailboat. The children are given a stick to move the boat forward in the pond. Keep an eye on the websites of the providers to see if it is possible to rent the boats. In winter, these businesses close for a period of about 3 months. Click here to learn more about the most beautiful parks in Paris. Les Voiliers du Luxembourg and Les Petits Bateaux.
PONY RIDING
In several parks in Paris, children can ride a pony. It is possible to book a large or a small tour. The parks Jardin du Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Parc des Buttes-Chaumonts, Parc Montsouris are among the possibilities. Click here for all current information from Animapony, the company offering the rides.
