Paris is jammed-pack with sprawling playgrounds, interactive museums and, well, Disneyland of course—making it one of the best cities to explore with kids.
When they’re not bouncing up the Eiffel Tower, boating down the Seine, or guzzling crêpes, there are a whole host of other Parisian adventures awaiting them.
Here are 10 of the best things to do with kids (of any age or size) in Paris this year.
Parc Astérix
Parc Astérix, 60128 Plailly
Image credit: Parc Astérix | Instagram
Renowned in France for its huge variety of roller coasters, Parc Astérix is a theme park based on the French comic book series Astérix. It’s the second most visited park in the country, behind only Disneyland, and incorporates rides split into different historical and cultural zones, including the Gauls, the Romans, Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Located 35 kilometres north of the city, kids of all ages can enjoy its rollercoasters, log flumes and roaming comic book characters.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
1-7 Rue Botzaris, 75019 Paris
The fifth largest park in Paris, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is one of the most tranquil and naturally beautiful spots in the city, featuring a lake, a waterfall and a towering suspension bridge. It makes it the perfect place for a kids’ adventure, and there’s also playgrounds, horse and donkey rides and a roller rink to enjoy.
Disneyland Paris
Bd de Parc, 77700 Coupvray
Image credit: Disneyland Paris | Instagram
Disneyland Paris is a short train journey from the city and is worth every minute – there’s a reason it’s Europe’s most visited tourist destination. It features three worlds in one, with Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studio Park, and Disney Village all a short walk from each other. What could be better than a French speaking Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?
Musée Grévin
10 Bd Montmartre, 75009 Paris
One of the oldest wax museums in Europe, the Musée Grévin is a stunning baroque building featuring hundreds of waxwork models and a famous hall of mirrors. There’s also a weekend workshop where kids can learn about French history through the rooms of mannequins, including national icons like Napoleon and Charlemagne. Oh, and don’t miss the tableau of Charlotte Corday murdering Jean-Paul Marat, which features the actual knife and bathtub used at the scene.
Jardin du Luxembourg
Rue de Médicis / Rue de Vaugirard, 75006
Image credit: Jardin du Luxembourg | Instagram
Located on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, the Jardin du Luxembourg was created during the time of Queen Marie de Medici way back in 1612. There are heaps of activities for little ones, including puppet shows, pony rides and playgrounds, as well as the city’s oldest (and most famous) carousel ride.
Jardin des Tuileries
Place de la Concorde, 75001
Jardin des Tuileries takes its name from the tile factories that previously stood in this area, situated on the northbank of the Seine in central Paris. The pristine gardens are also home to the funfair Fête des Tuileries in the summer months, featuring a giant ferris wheel with epic views over the city.
Musée des Égouts
Esplanade Habib Bourguiba, Pont de l'Alma, 75007
Image credit: Musée des Egouts | Instagram
Musée des Égouts – the Paris Sewer Museum – is one of the most weird and wonderful attractions in the whole city. Having began tours of the capital’s underground network way back in the 1880s, you can still step down into the underground world and discover a variety of displays and mannequins lying beneath.
France Miniature
Bd André Malraux, 78990 Élancourt
One of the most impressive, intricate and downright satisfying attractions in Paris can be found a five-minute train journey from Versailles. Here, five hectares are devoted to a miniature France, featuring over 100 outdoor 1/30-scale models of French landmarks and monuments. The Eiffel Tower, Versailles and Lourdes are all ornately recreated, while a system of model trains runs through the park, and animated boats ply the "Atlantic Ocean" and the "Mediterranean Sea".
Musée des Arts Forains
53 Av. des Terroirs de France, 75012
Image credit: Musée des Arts Forains | Instagram
The Musée des Arts Forains, located in a wine warehouse in the Parisian district of Bercy that was once the largest wine market in the world, houses a fantastical collection of amusement rides, fair stalls and other attractions from between 1850 and 1950. As well as carousels, German swings and Japanese billiards, kids ride a bicycle merry-go-round or play at a Parisian Waiters' Race stand.
Jardin d’Acclimatation
Bois de Boulogne, Rte de la Prte Dauphine à la Prte des Sablons, 75116
The Jardin d’Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne is a kids’ paradise, with pony rides, puppet shows, carousels, shooting galleries, archery, a house of mirrors and a miniature golf course. It’s also home to a farm with animals from Normandy and an aviary with hundreds of birds.
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