Follow the guide / Enjoy

The city with your kids

For a family outing, here are some of the most interesting places to visit and things to do. Surprise, laughs and more laughs are on the agenda!

Strolls

For children only

Rides, races through the trees, the parks, the museums and even the cafés, especially conceived for the little ones...! Here, the children are King and they uphold the law!

« Amusement Parks ».  At the mere mention of these words, the children's eyes light up and the degree of excitation is at its highest!  Become the coolest parents by taking your kids to one of these amusing kingdoms, numerous in the Parisian region. 

By train, it takes nearly 25 minutes to get to the most popular park in the area: Disneyland Paris. Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Space Mountain, Snow White, Aladdin and the Hollywood Tower... Here thrills and chills are guaranteed.

A few kilometres further on, other illustrious heros have built their homes. The celebrated Playmobil figurines come to life at the Playmobil Fun Park in Fresnes. Vikings, fireman, princesses and knights await the excitement of the wee ones in a playful and very colourful universe.

For the dare-devil amateurs of nature and green spaces, they will love to swing themselves from branch to branch in Aventure Land. This park, that smells of chlorophyl, offers guided walks through the trees, perched upon the nets, swings or poles... Properly harnessed and supervised, the big can join the small in this wooden wonderland.

And for those who cannot take the time to explore the neighbouring regions of the capital, Paris is a buzz with activities especially conceived for children. Begin with the Jardin d'Acclimatation, in the Bois de Boulogne, a veritable paradise of amusement. Your little darlings will be in stitches in front of the magical mirrors, impressed by the remote-control boats on the lake and go nuts in the Haunted Mansion, a playful place decorated to be a gigantic bedroom for children, with rubber mats, musical instruments and even a small play kitchen. For an artistic initiation, take them to the Musée en herbe (Children's Museum), where they can learn about art in a humorous, intelligent way.

La croisière enchantée des Bateaux Parisiens (The Enchanted Cruise) offers a voyage in a panoramic boat, from the Eiffel Tower to Ile Saint-Louis, so that your children can learn while they play. Elves, played by professional actors, tell the story of Paris and its history. 

Your children's drawings are worthy of the work of Picasso or Van Gogh?  Develop their artistic notions at the Children's Gallery (la Galerie des enfants) of the Centre Pompidou. Exhibitions designed specifically for children await.  For the young scientists, la Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, in the parc de la Villette, presents exhibitions for all ages. On the inside, discover la Cité des enfants (The Children's City), which offers entertaining and educative activities, for the 2-7 year olds and soon for the 7-12 year olds, in five different thematic spaces. Not to mention a round cinema that shows films in 3D: your children will not soon forget the film they saw at the Géode, located in the Villette Park.

Not far from the Parc de la Villette, you can take a rest in a café reserved exclusively for children!  With warm colours on the walls, children running everywhere, screams or drum beats,  the Cafézoïde is « the place to be » for children. There is a second café dedicated to children in the capital: Le Poussette Café, situated at the foot of the hill in Montmartre, just below Pigalle. Could you have imagined that Paris offers so many possibilities for the children?

Like the big ones

Take full advantage of your visit to the capital: visit the museums, discover the gastronomic restaurants or paint a picture... without boring your children? It's possible! For, in Paris, the ordinary activities that children usually scoff at become a piece of cake. Creative and playful workshops organised by the museums, to the cooking courses at the Ritz for the mini gourmets, as well as movie houses that don't mind a little noise during the film... Here, we do just like the big ones, and we have fun!

Dolls, teddy bears and go fish... Veritable gift-box of toys, la Galerie des Jouets (The Gallery of Toys) at the musée des Arts décoratifs (The Decorative Arts Museum), will help your children discover the history of their favourite toys. Twice a year, the museum organises playful exhibitions for children. 

From there,  visit to the Cité de la Musique (City of Music), your little ones risk to bring back something noisy, but made with their own hands, from one of the workshops. After, they will surely tell you in rhyme of their musical voyage, recounted by the story-tellers or sung in the shows. There are so many ways to spend the day. 

Ten minutes North of Paris, musée de l'Air et de l'Espace (The Air and Space Museum), presents a rich collection of over 350 flying machines: Concorde, Mirage, Ariane missiles... In September 2009, a space especially conceived for the children will allow them to experience a playful and instructive visit on the various themes in aviation.

At the Palais de Tokyo, your children will marvel before the work of young artists exhibited, thanks to their Super-heroes and other wild personalities, invented by the team from Tok Tok, to facilitate their first contact with contemporary art.  At the Espace Dali, they can discover and even imitate the work of this surprising artist, thanks to recreational activities developed for them. You can also take them to see the workshops: Recréabar at Abracadabar or the Closerie Falbala at the Fondation Dubuffet (Périgny-sur-Yerres).

For the mini-detectives, the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (City of Architecture and National Heritage), organises tours in the centre where the works of art become clues, in a game of treasure hunt. During this time, toddlers can trade in their dolls for the domed ceilings and windows at their disposal, imagined by the designers, Matali Crasset and Philippe Velu.

All this creative activity will certainly make their tummies rumble... Take them to the Ritz!  Twice a month, the celebrated palace organises cooking classes for children.  A chef's hat on the head, they learn to cook delicious little dishes. If they can't live without a little French cuisine, take them to the River Café, a restaurant on a house-boat docked in Issy-les-Moulineaux, where they organise week-end magic workshops and other activities for children. For Sunday brunch, the hotel Méridien Montparnasse is the best choice. Your little darlings are invited to enjoy a Baby Brunch composed of mini-sausages and candy-floss and while you enjoy the modern buffet brunch in peace, the children are entertained by child minders in a room adapted for them.

To let the children digest peacefully, why not take them to the cinema. Paris and its surrounding regions house several, little known movie houses that program special screenings for the children. The Ciné 104 in Pantin organises cinema-snacks that are a delight. And at L'Entrepôt, the children can comment on the film and even scream without upsetting the crowds, too busy answering all the questions of their own children to notice!

A child's walk

Whether you take a guided tour, a long walk or a pause at one of the monuments: discover Paris in a different way with your children: the Pompidou Centre, hidden behind the loveable « monsters » in the Nikki de Saint-Phalle fountain; be a gardener in the Tuileries next to the Louvre; explore the Canal de l'Ourcq in a Zodiac...

What if your children made you see Paris differently? For a new point of view of the capital, follow your children!

First stop on this child's walk:  la Tour Eiffel.  In this case, no need to climb to the top. Le Parc du Champs-de-Mars (Champ-de-Mars Park) offers an impressive view of the Iron Lady from the lawn and also provides a great place to run or play, the Carousel is sure to please, the puppet theatre and the pony rides are also a sure bet. Even better than the playground!

Two other green islands merit consideration: the Parc Georges-BrassensParc André-Citroën (Georges Brassens Park) with its rocks and climbing wall, and the , where you can look down upon Paris from a hot-air balloon!

From the Jardin des Tuileries you have a brilliant view of the Louvre. Hiding behind a statue by Rodin or Dubuffet, or proud of the flowers they just planted in the garden, the children can study in detail the architecture of the museum and its famous glass pyramid.

Another museum, another hiding spot. Before entering the Pompidou Centre, take a tour around the fantastical fountain decorated by artist Nikki de Saint-Phale.  The kids love this colourful fountain peopled with magical creatures that move.  Before heading inside the strange contemporary building wrapped in coloured tubes, the place Igor Stravinsky is ideal for a little recreation. 

If you're little explorers are sports fans, take them on a tour of the Stade de France (The French Stadium). From the players changing rooms to the field, they can visit the entire stadium and imagine the most magical moments of their favourite football and rugby players.

End your « special children's visit » with a bicycle tour of Paris. You can hire children's bicycles at Vélo et Chocolat (Bicycle & Chocolate).  Before putting your coat and hat on, take a few minutes to try one of the best hot chocolates in town. An excellent fuel for young cyclists!  For the speed demons among you, head to the Contrast Association (Association Contraste, in Pavillons-sous-Bois) for a Zodiac ride along the Canal Ourq. You'll discover the history of the area in lightning speed!

Paris animal farm

Take your children on a Parisian « safari ». From polar bears at la Grande Galerie de l'Evolution (Grand Gallery of Evolution) to the tigers at the Parc de Félins (Feline Park); but also the ponies, eagles and insects... The little animal lovers will be thrilled!

« Today, we are going to see the lambs, the cows and the pigs at the Ferme de Paris » (Paris Farm).  Once they recover from the shock of the initial proposition, your children will be seduced by the rural agricultural exploitation in the Bois de Vincennes. After having fed the pigs and milked the cows, they can learn to make jam or how to clip sheep!

The initiation at the farm finished, head straight to the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, in the Jardin des Plantes.  They can caress the polar bears, giraffes, hippos and more, in perfect security, for they are all stuffed! The curious creatures will learn about the history of creation and the evolution of man. If your kids want to see 'the real thing' after this educative visit, take them to La Ménagerie. 

In the midst of all these beasts, there is one address you should not miss: the shop of taxidermist Deyrolle (46 rue du Bac). A lion sits peacefully among the polar bears, while zebras dine with the antelopes...

Continue your animalistic journey, into the surrounding areas of Paris, to discover the most exotic and impressive species.  After the giant aquarium full of sharks at Cinéaqua, thrills and chills are guaranteed with the magnificent ballet performance in the Medieval village of Provins.  For the true 'safari' experience, hire a car for an animalistic voyage that you will not soon forget. The Parc zoologique de Thoiry is an open game farm where the animals (elephants, zebras, giraffes) roam wild through the park, and the public observes them from 'inside' the car.  Don't be surprised if the baboons jump on the car, they're just looking for a free ride! 

From the gigantic to the miniscule, the OPIE (Office for the insects and their environment), allows children the possibility to study these tiny little creatures, from bees to ants and more, as they go about their daily lives. End your wildlife tour with a visit to the Parc des Félins, in the Domain of the Fortelle Forest, for a showdown, face to face with th elions and tigers!

All places for your kids in Paris Ile-de-France