Paris, the absolute star of this summer as the host of the Olympic Games, is a city that, if you have children, you will most likely visit at least once while they are young. It is the European capital of Disneyland, a park that attracts children and adults eager for adventure with its attractions and famous characters. But this is not the only plan to do in the French capital with children, there are many more. In fact, there are so many possibilities that it is possible to stay there for weeks. If you do not have that much time, here are some of our favorite activities.
Great monuments
Although visiting certain monuments may seem boring for children, most have thought of the little ones and have devised various activities that make the visit a fun time and awaken their curiosity. For example, when we visited it The Conciergerie With our children, they were able to use a digital tablet to support the self-guided tour, which managed to attract their attention so that they could enjoy and learn about the history of the building. They also organize special tours for them. Just like at La Conciergerie, legendary places in Paris such as the Arc de Triomphe take them into account by organizing special activities for them, such as guided or dramatized tours. However, before booking one of the activities, it is important to bear in mind that most of them are tours conducted in French.
Children’s parks
This is a huge city – it has more than two million inhabitants – that has thought of the little ones by distributing beautiful playgrounds near tourist sites.
There are free ones, such as the one on Tuileries Garden, but also spread throughout Paris, such as in the Chatelet area the Nelson Mandela Garden. If you type “aire de jeux” into Google Maps in the area where you are sightseeing, you will be able to see more gaming areas.
It should be noted that there are also paid parks, such as those located in the Luxembourg gardenswhich for just a few euros promise a good time of fun with games for the little ones. In addition, there are public toilets nearby, which is always good to keep in mind when travelling with children. And, if that were not enough, there is a replica of the Statue of Liberty that you can look for with them.
Climb the Eiffel Tower or the Tour Montparnasse
Get on Eiffel Towerone of the most famous and photographed metal structures in the world, and seeing the city from above is always something that attracts the little ones. In addition, it must be said in its favour that it has a reduced price for tickets, something that always helps: young people from 12 to 24 years old pay 11.30 euros; children from 4 to 11 years old; 5.70 euros; and admission is free for children under 4 years old.
If for whatever reason you have run out of tickets for the Eiffel Tower or what you want is to get a panoramic view in which this tower is the protagonist of the photos, you can try to go up the Montparnasse TourIt is not as well known, but it also has an observatory with very good views and special prices for children.
A cruise on the Seine
The Seine is one of the undisputed stars. One of the coolest recreational activities is to go on a tourist cruise (the Mouche boat) that shows the wonders of the city in a tour that always pleases children and adults. There are different types of boats, which make a tour guided and narrated in several languages, those that serve lunch or dinner on board and the typical tourist bus but in the form of a boat, which normally has access for a full day and allows you to get on and off as you please at the docks designated as stops.
Museums of Paris
There are several museums in Paris that will captivate the child visitor. There are some more focused on them, such as the Museum of Natural History wave Great Gallery of Evolutionwhich in addition to the exhibition itself recreated with an exceptional level of detail, is embellished with interactive screens that children monopolize and use endlessly. Another option is the Museum in Herbewhere exhibitions that revolve around art take place and are usually interactive or involve visitors, which makes them more fun.
If you are looking for something further afield, it is available in Paris The City of Science and Industry in the Villette Park, that brings this type of themes to all its visitors in a friendly way and that has in front of it The Geodean Imax-style movie theater that is scheduled to reopen later this year after several improvement projects.
But children are not forgotten even in the most legendary museums. The Louvre, for example, is primarily aimed at adults and lends out baby carriers and pushchairs adapted to its facilities and spaces so that children do not tire themselves out (they are lent under the pyramid by architect Ieoh Ming Pei, in the “assistance” area). It also organises workshops, special visits and even a “study” room where there are games and they can rest for a while. The Centre Pompidou also takes into account the little ones in its Galerie des Enfants or its Atelier des Enfants and also during special visits. All you have to do is select which museums you want to visit and do a little research on its website to see special sections dedicated to them.
More interesting places to visit with children
If you are travelling with your family to the French capital, one idea is to stop at the exhibition The Art Of The Brick, created from Lego blocks – which of course takes into account current events and the Paris Games are among its exhibits – or the Museum of IllusionAnd for those who want to go out into the countryside, Versailles (a visit to a palace always impresses children!) or Asterix Park are always good things to do with children.
We have left the jewel in the Parisian crown for children for last. Located in Coupvray, about 30 kilometres from the centre and conveniently connected, Disney Land Paris It is an amusement park that can bring a smile to anyone’s face. A mix of attractions (from the most daring, like Space Mountain, to the more sedate, like It’s a Small World, a ride aboard a small boat among dolls from all over the world with one of the most catchy songs) with shows spiced up by the Disney characters most revered by children, who go hunting for autographs and photos with them, makes this children’s paradise a place to go to at least once in a lifetime when they are still small and still have the magic of surprise and illusion.
Tips for visiting Paris with children
- Disneyland is a topbut if you can afford to go outside the high season and even do a little research to see if neighbouring European countries have school holidays, you will save yourself hours of waiting for the rides. At what age should you go? There are two theories: one that says it’s better when they’re still small and see the characters as their idols and the other that says it’s better when they’re old enough and tall enough to ride the rides…
- Paris is beautiful and big, perhaps too big for some children who find it a bit difficult to get around. So the tourist bus can give the whole family a break.
- Be careful not to carry heavy suitcases or heavy baby strollers on the metro. Stairs are going to be the order of the day, so it’s best to be prepared and carry light loads or a foldable, lightweight stroller. Escalators and elevators are not plentiful! So buses can be a good alternative to the metro.
- If your children are fond of cartoons, Lady Bug, You can take a tour looking for the characters from the series with them, it will certainly liven up the trip.
- In Paris, as in other cities around the world, there are a series of drawings hidden on facades that are not there by chance. They are the Space Invaders and a good game with them is to go looking for them on every walk.
- French cuisine is usually liked by the little ones, especially in the form of Crepes, cookies and macarons. Doing a tasting with the kids is always a good idea.
Finally, pay attention to I love travelingsince in a few months we are going to publish a complete guide to Paris that will contain all this expanded information and much more, so that visiting Paris with the family will be a piece of cake.
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