The Best Way to Visit Paris with Kids
Main photo by Lindsey Snow. Other photo courtesy of Unsplash. Travel Lists Paris
“Get Out There” is a column for itchy footed humans written by long-time Paste contributor Blake Snow. Although different now, travel is better than ever. Today we visit Paris, The City of Light.
Paris is always a good idea. Even with kids, though?
To find out, my family of seven flew 5,000 miles to the most famous and sparkling city in Europe, if not the world. Spoiler alert: it was brighter than we imagined. My kids didn’t want to leave.
Before I share my highlights, it’s important to stress just how much cachet and status Paris holds, particularly for visitors to the Eiffel Tower, which is the most photographed building in the world. To have your picture taken there is to tell the world you’ve arrived. You made it and have photographic proof.
What’s more, Paris dramatically segregates its industrial “ugliness” to the west from its cultural beauty to the east, namely its artistic icons, residential architecture, dreamy river, and famous food. In short, no other city is as bougie and tourist-friendly.
That’s the power of Paris—for both adults and children alike. Before visiting with your family, here are five things to consider.
Mind your timing.
If possible, avoid the sweaty, slow-going, and record crowds of summer. To reduce our exposure to them, we visited over fall break during the cozy shoulder season. Once there, we oriented the kids on our first day with a free greeter tour and affordable Seine River cruise with Get Your Guide. Both provided better context and a good overview before fanning out to wider attractions. If you go hard like we did most days, it also helps to sleep in a couple of mornings and leave either an afternoon or evening open to take what the kids will give you.
Wear your walking shoes.
Another reason Paris is so beloved? It’s arguably the most walkable big city. When coupled with its easy $2 ticket subway, our family traveled everywhere without robbing ourselves of Paris’s good looks. Better yet, there is noticeably less litter and more free toilets now than when I first visited a decade ago. But the latter is still scarcer than America, so you’ll need to plan your bathroom breaks accordingly (e.g. museums, hotel lobbies, free automated toilets, and some paid ones).
Don’t miss these icons.
In order of most impressive, these attractions had the biggest “wow” factor. The Eiffel is a must-see, of course, both by day and when it twinkled at night, from every angle (especially Trocadero Square). It never got old—my oldest daughter cried the first time she saw its lights. For the best views from a distance, walk along the north side of the Seine. The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe is magnificent, if you can handle the hundreds of stairs it takes to get there. The Louvre is a work of art itself where old meets new, and the energy of the Mona Lisa inside is undeniable. The enveloping stained glass windows and purple gothic ceilings of Sainte Chappelle are one of the most ornate and soothing things you’ll ever see. The Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens provide the best people watching. The Ritz public lobby shows you what $2500 per night will get you (more impressive than Champs-Élysées even). Other highlights: Angelina hot chocolate. Hotel de Ville! Place de Vosges, the oldest park in Paris. Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. The views from the department store Galleries Lafayette. What. A. City.
Note: Notre Dame is closed for renovations from the fire until December 2024.
ProTip: Book tickets and reservations online to bypass long lines and save a little money.
Picnics and comfort food.
Paris is expensive. Even more so for families. But its world famous food doesn’t have to be, so long as you know where to look. Instead of pricey restaurants, stick to scrumptious but still affordable sweet and savory crepes; bakery baguettes, croissants, and pastries; incredible cheeses (we loved Comte!), mousse, and fresh OJ from the many Franprix and Monoprix grocers on every other block; plus panini and drink combos for as little as $3. We still enjoyed several restaurants along the way, namely Bouillon Pigalle and Midi12, which both offer tasty traditional mains for under $10 per person. And we even splurged on a $350 lunch that my family will never forget. Which brings me to my last point.
Save the best for last.
On our final day, we ate on the Eiffel Tower at the recently launched Madame Brasserie restaurant. The window seating, three-course meal, veal, ham, drinks, mousse, hot chocolate, and service were all superb. Although I’ve dined further up at the Jules Verne, this first floor restaurant was just as good and more affordable at $50 a head. Plus it comes with lift tickets and stair access to climb the tower after you eat. We spent several hours doing both, and finished the day eating overpriced banana nutella crepes at the base of the tower, as the lights sparkled one last time before our return home. Talk about feeling complete.
Not even a little autumn fog or rain could dim our wonder of this magical city. This was my third visit, and Paris has never shined brighter. And although the city is full of world class hotels and beautiful boutiques, if you’re traveling with family you might want to hit the apps for the best deals. For maximum beds, prime locations, and family conveniences, Vrbo and Airbnb (check both) were about 30-40% less than equally equipped hotels.
Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and frequent travel columnist. He lives in Provo, Utah with his adolescent family and two dogs.