Six ideas for things to do when visiting Paris with children
30 december 2021
In Paris for a few days and want to visit the capital as a family? Discover our ideas for things to do when strolling among the city’s most beautiful sights and getting off the beaten track. Your children will be over the moon!
1. Meet the animals at Paris Zoo
A visit to Paris Zoo, near Porte Dorée metro station, is sure to give your children something to smile about! While on a family trip, visit the five biozones that recreate the animals’ natural ecosystem while still respecting their welfare. A proper journey to the heart of Paris for a day! In total, the zoo is home to around 180 species and more than 2,000 animals. Children will be able to go and meet zebras, meerkats, lions, jaguars and sea lions. Not forgetting the reef aquarium to find out all there is to know about preserving coral reefs. There are also many activities for children on offer here, such as enjoying breakfast with the giraffes, being an apprentice zookeeper and going on a photographic walk. There’s something for everyone!
Tickets 20 €, 15 € for ages 3-12, and free for under 3s.
2. Learning through play at the Cité des enfants
For an unusual, playful and fun family day out, head to the Cité des enfants in the heart of the City of Science and Industry in the La Villette district in the 19th arrondissement. There is no shortage of activities for children here and they can learn in a fun atmosphere. During your museum visit, little ones and grown-ups alike can carry out experiments on water density, take charge of a TV studio or observe scientific phenomena. There are two different areas, one for children aged 5-7 and the other for ages 7-12. The museum also regularly puts on temporary exhibitions. A visit that the whole family will love!
Admission 12 €, concessions 9 €.
3. Strolling around the Tuileries Garden
Going for a walk around the Tuileries Garden, located between the Louvre Museum and Place de la Concorde, is an activity particularly enjoyed by families – and with good reason! With its wide paths lined with statues, this garden is among the capital’s must-visit places. Did you know that some of the sculptures were created by sculptor masters Maillol, Rodin and Giacometti? A great way of introducing your children to art without them getting bored spending all day inside museums! To stimulate their sense of discovery, you could also tell them about the history of Tuileries Palace which once stood between two of the Louvre’s pavilions, Flore and Marsan.
In the gardens during winter, carousels and other attractions bring joy to little ones and not so little ones, who can also admire the view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. During summer, you can hire small sailing boats to sail on the ponds. And the good news is that the park is open every day of the year!
4. Experience the Moulin Rouge show in Montmartre
In the heart of Montmartre, the whole family will be blown away by the Moulin Rouge dinner show extravaganza. Rhinestones, feather costumes, clowns, acrobats and dancing… children can eat from the menu specially prepared for them while watching the artists on stage. There is also the option to watch the show during the day, at lunchtime with the ‘Matinée’ package. Ideal for enjoying Paris as a family!
5. Visit the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution
In the 5th arrondissement, the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution at the Jardin des Plantes is a lovely way to spend a day out as a family. This natural history museum has a total of almost 7,000 specimens on display. In the Children’s Gallery (for ages 6-12), explore biodiversity as a family! With this fun journey through the history of science, children can have fun while they learn thanks to interactive games. An idea for a day out which everyone will love and will familiarise little ones with the concept of museums!
Admission 10 €, concessions 7 €.
6. Hop aboard a bateau-mouche on the Seine
If you want to get off the beaten track and discover a different side of Paris, what could be better than sailing on the Seine? Head off on the discovery of the capital’s most beautiful sights on board a bateau-mouche. The guided river tours will show you everything you need to know about the City of Lights: île Saint-Louis, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, Place Dauphine, the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower… A cruise along the Seine that the children will remember for years to come!
Sightseeing cruise pass from 14 €, 6 € for under 12s, and free for under 4s.
Whether it’s a weekend away or during the school holidays, your children will adore our ideas for days out in Paris as a family!
Les autres actualités
AN ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION THAT COLOURS LA VIE EN ROUJE !
MOULIN ROUGE® BY VAN PALMA: HATS THAT TURN HEADS!
THE MOULIN ROUGE’S SPORTING SUMMER: A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES
RINGING IN THE OLYMPICS AT THE MOULIN ROUGE!
Dancer and mother: behind the scene of the Moulin Rouge
