9 Great Things To Do in Paris With Kids

One of the best things to do in Paris that your whole family will enjoy is visiting the Eiffel Tower. This is the city’s iconic landmark. Though initially criticized by most of France’s art critiques for its design, the structure is now an icon in France and the world’s most recognizable structures. The tower is massive with its square base measuring 125 meters each side and has an impressive height of 324 meters, the height of an 81-story building. The Eiffel tower is the tallest structure in the French city even today.

Considered as one of the best things to do in Paris France is to go up the tower which has three levels accessible to the visitors. There are restaurants on the first two levels and an observation deck on the top level at 276-meter height. There are tickets available to visit each level either by stairs or the lift to the first and second levels. Your first dilemma with children will be either to take the stairs or the lift. Since there are 300 stairs to reach each of the floors, hence we suggest that taking the elevator is the best option. The third level observation deck can only be accessed by lift though there are stairs available. You will enjoy the view from the top floor as you will be able to see all the major landmarks of Paris from that height. On any good weather day, you may even be able to see the Chartres Cathedral, which is 90 km away. On the top floor, you can also take peek into Gustave Eiffel’s apartment where he used to entertain famous personalities like Thomas Edison and others. If you want a momentous family meal on either of the two restaurants available on the first floor of the Eiffel tower, it is recommended that you book well in advance.

Tip – Book the tickets online up to three months in advance to beat the queue as usually there is a heavy rush to see the Eiffel tower. If going on the top floor with the kids, carry a windcheater as it is very windy and cold up there.

The Louvre Museum trip is one of the of the best things to do in Paris with children. It is huge, and you will not be able to see all the exhibits in one visit; hence it is advisable to select a few with the children in advance, share their history and then seek them on your day of visit to the museum. Else it may take weeks to see the whole of the place. Keep in mind that it is very crowded most of the time and hence you may choose a Wednesday or Friday where it remains open till 9.45 pm.

Navigating the Louvre with children is easier if you download the mobile Louvre app or get an interactive Nintendo 3DS guides to help you navigate better. Children enjoy the Tactile Gallery, which is a section on the museum which has a plaster or resin cast of the original sculptures in the Louvre. Designed originally for the blind so that they could also touch and feel the various masterpieces closely these provide a tactile and interactive experience for kids with the masterpieces. Other children’s favorites include “The Raft of the Medusa” which is based on the story of a shipwreck and is very enthralling. You could also buy postcards of the masterpieces and lookup for them at the Louvre, and this can also be used as a rewarding game.

Paris is one of the most fascinating cities in the world and standing here, you are at the center of it. Visiting the Arc De Triomphe is one of the best things to do in Paris in the evening. This Neoclassical piece of architecture looks as magnificent during the day as in the evening. Close to the Eiffel Tower and the other Paris boulevards that are visible from the arch, this is the place where Napoleon celebrated his victory in 1805 building this arc signifying his triumph. The Arc De Triomphe was built at the edge of the city of Paris on fields. Since then all occupying and liberating forces in Paris have marched through this iconic arc where the 14^th July military march past still happens.

Best visited in the evening around sunset, the view is amazing when you climb up the stair. The arc has the sculpture of Napoleon in his emperor regalia though he never lived to see it completed as it took 30 years in the making. There are ornate sculptures of soldiers on the pillars and names of 558 of his generals who fought and won 128 battles with him. The names of those who died during the wars are underlined. The tomb of one of the soldiers who died in WWI lies underneath the arc as a respect to the 1.5 million French soldiers who died in the war. The children can take sombre learning that no one wins in war from the eternal flame which is lighted every 6.30 pm at the Arc De Triomphe. Time to eat? Take the kids to a nearby teashop Laduree to have the best macaroons in town.

Tip – Wondering how to reach the Arc in the middle of the ongoing traffic, fret not, take the underground pedestrian tunnels from the north side of the Champs-Elysees to reach here.

The Pompidou center is named after Georges Pompidou, who was the French President between 1969-74. Take the children to visit this quirky building, turned inside out where the water pipes are green with blue air-conditioning ducts and yellow electricity cables. This center of modern art was designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo in memory of Pompidou who loved the modern and quirky art form. The best for kids is the art exhibition from 1905-60.

This place has a book shop with a great selection of children’s books. There is also an interactive gallery for kids – Galarie des Enfants and a cinema aimed at kids which sometimes shows English films. Just in front of the Pompidou, on the square is a street theatre that is loved by kids. There are many cafes nearby where you could have a family snack together.

Tip – Though quirky, it is worth seeing. Look around for Stravinsky Fountain in the plaza around the museum. These are a set of 16 sculptures that move and spray water.

Not to be missed during a family trip to Paris, a visit to the Palace of Versailles is one of best things to do in Paris where you can show them the royal heritage of France and the opulence which the Kings lived in.

This fine architecture and palace were built by the French King, Louis XIV in 1661 and is the largest palace in Europe. The unique thing about this palace is that all of the King’s noblemen lived here on the campus as he was skeptical of an uprising against him. This would keep them under his watchful eye. Around 6000 of such people lived in this massive palace campus.

The King and the Queens bedrooms are a much favorite site for children to see their royal life on display. Your family may enjoy the sound and lights show which also features fireworks. The ticket for this can be booked online. The palace is full of historical stories, and a guided tour of the palace is recommended. You can catch a mini train to take the kids to Hameau de la Reine, the make-belief farm of Queen Marie Antoinette with a barn disguised as a ballroom. There are good restaurants and picnic places around here. The children also love to do pedal boating at the Grand Canal in the garden.

Tip – The gardens at the palace are stroller friendly but the palace itself is not. So be mindful and wear walking shoes for a lot of walking.

Strongly recommended as one of the best things to do in Paris, take your family for a taste of some old-fashioned fun. Visit Europe’s oldest wax museums – The Musee Grevin wax museum, dating back to 1882. Here you can see 200 lifelike figures of Hollywood stars and other personalities and take pictures with them on the red carpet. See wax statues of Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo Da Vinci, and President N. Sarkozy. On display is also the history of France from Jean of Arc to King Louis XIV. Worth visiting is the Hall of mirrors with a Jungle and a Hindu temple. You can also attend the light and sound show in the wax museum which is also one of the best things to do in Paris.

Cruise the Seine

Take your family for a Cruise on the Seine. This is one of the best things to do in Paris and the kids love it as do the grownups. The cruise on the Seine is the best way to see major sights of the Paris city on a single tour. You can opt for a one hour or two tour boat cruise which will take you past the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Musee D’Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, and many other Paris icons. The tour ranges from 10 to 12 Euros per person. You can also have a more expensive lunch cruise but most recommended is the Bateaux Parisiens cruise which includes songs and stories onboard much liked by the younger passengers. A cruise during Christmas is one of the best things to do in Paris in December.

This historic garden inspired by “Boboli Gardens” in Florence was created on the insistence of Queen Marie in 1612. It covers 25 hectares and is split into English gardens and French gardens. For children, there are exhibits of beekeeping and old apple verities grown in the orchard along with having a breathtaking rose garden On the campus. Other children centric activities that happen here include puppet shows, slides, and rides. This is a must-go-to place and is one of the best things to do in Paris.

France is famous for its wine and its world-famous cellars. The Champagne region is credited with producing worlds fines wines called Champagne. You can take this day trip with your family as it is one of the best things to do in Paris. Take a train for a 45-minute ride to Reims, a town in the region housing few of the very well know Champagne makes in the world. You would be able to take tasting tours for the small entry fee at these famous Champagne houses like Veuve Cliquot and Taittinger which has its cellar in a 13^th-century abbey. Most of these cellars can be reached walking from the train station.