paris trip with family

7 of the best things to do with kids in Paris

Aug 10, 2023 • 5 min read

These top tips for traveling with children can help you have a happy family vacation in Paris © Imgorthand / Getty Images

Paris  is a fabulous place to travel en famille (as a family), with a host of specially designed activities for kids of all ages, both inside for rainy days as well as out and about in the city.

From the best places to go with kids to top planning tips on accommodations and how to travel around, here is our guide to exploring the French capital with les enfants (children).

Is Paris a good place to travel with kids?

As Europe's most densely populated city, Paris is well practised in catering to kids' – and parents' – needs. There are parks and playgrounds galore , many restaurants have children's menus (though high chairs are less common), plenty of hotels can arrange lits bébé (baby cots) and/or interconnecting rooms, and numerous museums and cultural spaces have specific activities for kids.

Where is best in Paris for kids?

All of Paris' arrondissements (city districts) are well connected but the most central – the 1er arrondissement to the 8e arrondissement – are especially well suited for families to minimize time spent traveling and allow you to pop back to your accommodations for supplies or naps. The 5e (aka the Latin Quarter ) and 6e ( St-Germain ) are ideal for their proximity to the Jardin du Luxembourg, many family-friendly restaurants and hotels, and a wonderful French geography–themed sweet shop, Le Bonbon au Palais .

Best things to do with babies and toddlers

Head to jardin du luxembourg, a park dedicated to children.

Paris' most enchanting park is the 23-hectare, chestnut-shaded Jardin du Luxembourg , which Napoléon dedicated to the city's children. Delightfully old-fashioned activities include prodding 1920s sailboats on its octagonal pond, riding ponies or its carousel, and catching a marionette show at its theater.

Other Parisian parks with puppet shows include Parc Monceau , Parc Montsouris , and, by the Eiffel Tower , Parc du Champ de Mars . Parc de la Villette has futuristic playgrounds and attractions, music venues and museums.

Boat trips on the Seine are fun for all the family

For a memorable overview of the City of Light, a river cruise through Paris' heart is hard to beat. Companies include Bateaux-Mouches , Bateaux Parisiens and the hop-on, hop-off Batobus , as well as Vedettes de Paris , which has hour-long tours tailored specifically to families with children.

Another engaging journey is a canal cruise with Canauxrama from Bastille through an underground section then passing through the locks and swing bridges of Canal St-Martin en route to the Parc de la Villette.

Best things to do with elementary school-aged children

Wander the city's gardens, forests and playgrounds.

The city's botanic gardens, the Jardin des Plantes , contains a small zoo, the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. At Paris' edges are two rambling forests, Bois de Boulogne in the west, and Bois de Vincennes in the east. Younger kids will adore amusement park Jardin d’Acclimatation  in the Bois de Boulogne, which has 44 individual attractions such as "rafting adventures", "speed rockets" and funfair rides, and is most endearingly reached by taking a mini train from Porte Maillot. Bois de Vicennes is home to the Parc Floral de Paris, with fantastic playground facilities and an open-air concert venue, Paris' largest zoo, the  Parc Zoologique de Paris , and a moated medieval castle, the Château de Vincennes .

Explore the hands-on world-class art and culture museums

Dedicated children's museums include the magic museum, Musée de la Magie , and art museum, Musée en Herbe , with permanent and changing exhibitions, activity sheets, guided tours and workshops. There are also some great hands-on workshops at the exhibition space Palais de Tokyo ; the city's architecture museum, Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine ; and the landmark Centre Pompidou modern-art museum and cultural center, which has a 1st-floor space for kids aged two to 10. The city's mightiest museum, the Musée du Louvre , has a dedicated family space called the Studio and an app aimed at children aged 7–11 .

Best things to do with tweens and teens

Visit the city's entertaining science museums.

Science is made entertaining for kids, tweens and teens at the Cité des Sciences in the Parc de la Villette , which includes a planetarium; at the Galerie des Enfants, within the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution , a branch of the natural-history museum, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle at the Jardin des Plantes ; and the Palais de la Découverte  (ages 6 and above), which is at a temporary location at Parc André Citroën while its premises are renovated and redeployed as a Paris 2024 Olympic venue. Europe's oldest science and technology museum, the Musée des Arts et Métiers , has a special audioguide for kids.

Have a magic-filled day at a theme park

This list would not be complete without Disneyland Resort Paris , comprising both Disneyland Park, with all the classic rides, characters, and  pays (lands), and the film- and TV-focused Walt Disney Studios Park .

Further out, 35km (22 miles) north of the city and linked by shuttle bus, is summer-opening Parc Astérix , with shows and thrill-seeking rides for all ages based on the famous comic books.

On a rainy day, head to Cinéaqua or Centre Pompidou

Cinéaqua is a winner with kids for its cinemas screening ocean-related films and not least for its shark-filled aquarium. One of the best cinematic experiences for kids is a self-guided behind-the-scenes tour using sensor technology of iconic 1930s cinema Le Grand Rex, where you can stand behind the big screen and take part in making a film, from recording studios to special effects.

As well as its first-floor space aimed at children aged up to 10, Centre Pompidou has a lower-ground-floor visual, multimedia and performing-arts area for teenagers aged 13 to 16.

Planning tips for visiting Paris with kids

Paris' efficient, inexpensive public transport system whisks you around the city. Children up to four years travel free; under 10s pay half price. On the metro, the front carriage of driverless lines (1 14 and, by the end of 2022, line 4) are fun for kids, while lines with overground sections (2 and 6) provide great views, though stairs to the subterranean stations are extensive and corridors can be long.

Parents with strollers will find it easier to get around by bus. Avoid traveling at peak hours, when all public transport is crammed. Take extra care when crossing roads, as drivers frequently ignore pedestrian crossings and lights.  Kidelio  hires out strollers, car seats and other paraphernalia, with five collection points around the city.

If you're in Paris from October to March, you can catch clowns, trapeze artists and acrobats at the 1852-founded winter circus Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione .

This article was first published May 4, 2021 and updated Aug 10, 2023.

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Kid-Friendly 5 Days in Paris Itinerary

Posted on Last updated: July 10, 2024

Home » Destinations » Europe » France » Kid-Friendly 5 Days in Paris Itinerary

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Planning a trip to Paris with kids and want a totally do-able itinerary? Keep scrolling to check out my kid-friendly 5 days in Paris itinerary from my last trip to France!

This kid-friendly 5 days in paris itinerary was written by family travel expert marcie cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, i may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog..

Planning a trip to Paris with your family?

We just spent 5 days in Paris and had a blast! Our 8-year-old and 5-year-old loved all of the activities we did. Keep scrolling to see our exact Paris itinerary. Spoiler alert: they want to go back!

You will too once you see how much fun these activities are. All of them are perfect for kids of all ages. And don’t worry – we have tips for traveling with kids included too.

Keep scrolling to find out some awesome things to do for kids in Paris that your whole family will enjoy.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dream trip to Paris today!

Don’t have time to read a bunch of Paris blog posts and reviews? Here are some of our top picks for visiting Paris with kids.

Popular Paris Tours/Activities

• Scavenger Hunt at the Musee d’Orsay (my kids voted this the BEST thing they did in Paris)
• Paris Food Tour (We ate SO many yummy treats on our Food Tour)
• Tootbus (this is a kid-friendly hop-on-hop-off bus)
• Eiffel Tower (skip the line and go straight to the top)
• Day Trip to Giverny and Versailles (it’s a great city break)
• Flytographer photo shoot (they are easy to book and really affordable)

Kid-Friendly Paris Hotels

• Hotel Aiglon (this is a quiet area near Luxembourg Garden, and it’s perfect for families)
• Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel (there’s a shuttle to Disneyland or Giverny from here)
• Newport Bay Club Resort (this is our favorite place to stay at Disneyland)

5 Days in Paris with Kids

Before I really get into the Paris in 5 days itinerary, I wanted to note that we flew to Paris from Seattle and arrived at 11 am in a heat wave where it was 101 degrees. We spent the first day basically just laying in the hotel soaking up the A/C and recovering from jet lag.

Jet lag hit us pretty hard this trip and we were back at the hotel by around 8 pm every night. We also added a few nights at Disneyland Paris so we actually spent 7 days in Paris. But this is the real itinerary we used in Paris for 5 days.

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Day 1 : Food Tour and Jardin du Luxembourg

Paris food tour in the marais district.

We all know that Paris is famous for its food. And we wanted to know exactly where to go to taste the best croissants. So, we booked this Paris food tour for 10 am on our first full day in Paris.

It’s one of the best food tours we’ve ever done while traveling!

Our guide took us to famous bakeries where we tried flaky croissants, pastries, and world-renowned bread. We did several tastings during our walk but it culminated in a leisurely sit down at a wine bar for wine, cheese, and bread.

While we devoured lots of incredible food, we tried a truffle soft cheese that I’ve literally been dreaming about ever since! Check the latest rates and more information .

Notre Dame de Paris

Our food tour ended fairly close to Notre Dame Cathedral , so we figured we should walk past and take a few photos.

Several years ago, Notre Dame caught on fire and it was incredibly sad. Since then, they have been working on restoring it. The face of the cathedral looked pretty good, but the rest was covered in scaffolding.

It wasn’t open for tours when we were there, but we’ve been inside in the past and it’s pretty amazing!

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Jardin du luxembourg.

One of our favorite memories of visiting Paris with toddlers was playing with the toy boats at Jardin du Luxembourg . It was an activity that our oldest child picked out from a book and it was a huge hit.

So, when we decided to go back to Paris, we made sure to add Jardin du Luxembourg to our Paris itinerary.

We started off renting toy boats and it was super fun! It was only 6 euros for 30 minutes, so we got each kid a boat and we ran around chasing them.

From there, we headed over to the playground where the kids met other kids and played for 2 hours! The playground did cost a few euros to enter, but it was totally worth it.

We meant to hit up the carousel right next to the playground, but it closed a few minutes before we got there. It’s one of the carousels where kids try to grab the ring with a stick.

Dinner at Broadway Caffe

We realized that we were getting hungry for dinner after we left Jardin du Luxembourg, so we hit up Broadway Caffe on our way back to our hotel in Montparnasse.

It’s pretty much American food and Italian food (like Neopolitan pizza). We ordered pizza because it was easy.

We sat outside and they had swings for chairs! This was the main reason we opted to eat here.

Day 2 : Paris Photoshoot and Historical Tour of Paris

Flytographer photoshoot in montmartre.

One of my favorite things to do when traveling with my family is book a photoshoot . That way, I know I’ll get some “nice” photos of myself, my kids, and my husband. Otherwise, I’ll only be in selfies.

This photoshoot had a 6 am start time, which was sort of brutal. But, it meant that we were basically the only people walking around Sacre Couer and Montmartre, which was pretty awesome.

I packed our photoshoot clothes in a special packing cube to make sure everything stayed clean and ready for our photo session.

It was AMAZING and I’m so glad we woke up early to do this! Check out my top Paris family photo tips !

Oh, and we picked Montmartre because we did a photo shoot at the Eiffel Tower 5 years ago and didn’t want to repeat locations.

We always use Flytographer when we travel. They are usually the most affordable photography service we can find. And you can save $25 off your first session .

Book a Family Photo Shoot

Whenever we travel, we almost always book a family photo shoot with Flytographer. They are super easy and affordable AND guarantee that I’ll be in some photos. You can get $25 off if you book through this link or use the code HAWAIITRAVEL.

Breakfast at Laduree on the Champs Elysees

If you love macarons, chances are that you have heard of Laduree. They have made their way to the United States in large cities like Los Angeles and New York City. But, they are originally from Paris.

They have several locations around Paris, but if you want to do breakfast or brunch, you’ll want to book at their Champs Elysees location .

I booked our 8:30 am breakfast reservation about a month before our trip and I’m so glad I did because there was a line out the door for walk-ups.

The portion sizes were on the smaller size, but everything tasted and looked beautiful. Since it was a special breakfast, we let the kids order desserts and giant macarons.

And then, we had to stop and pick up some macarons to enjoy later in the day.

Shopping on the Champs Elysees

The Champs Elysees is one of the most famous shopping streets in Paris. Normally, I’d just suggest walking for a bit to window shop because there are some fancy stores.

However, I spotted a Monoprix (sort of like France’s version of Target) and I just had to go in a take a peek. I’m glad I did because I scored a few cute dresses and a sweatshirt to immediately put on because it was a lot colder than I expected!

Our kids also begged us to visit the Disney Store. They did have a few Disney Paris items and a lot of cute merchandise that we did not see at Disneyland Paris. So, I’d say it’s worth a quick stop.

Unexpected Gossip Tour of Paris

We love doing unique tours when we travel. So, when I saw that there was a tour where a woman dressed up in a 1700s costume and walked around Paris spilling the best historical gossip, I couldn’t sign up fast enough!

We booked the 11:30 am tour, which was perfect timing for our family.

Our kids thought the tour was pretty funny and they actually learned a lot of historical facts in a creative way. I love that our tour guide had a mini iPad so she could show exactly what she was talking about.

We learned cool things like how the term “souvenir” was coined and what really happened on Bastille Day.

The tour ended in the courtyard of the Louvre where we learned how someone stole the Mona Lisa. It’s a pretty crazy story! Check the latest rates and more information .

Break and Lunch at Cafe Edgar

Since we had such an early morning, we figured everyone could use a break. So we headed back to our hotel and everyone either took a nap or zoned out on screens for a bit.

Then, we headed next door to our hotel to enjoy lunch at Cafe Edgar. They had a great assortment of French cuisine and tasty drinks.

We also walked around the neighborhood and checked out a local toy shop and bought some macarons.

Paris Tootbus

At this point, it was late afternoon and we were worried that we’d all fall asleep too early since we were still jet lagged. So, we figured we might as well hop on the Tootbus for a tour of Paris .

My husband bought the tickets while we were at our hotel and then we headed to Notre Dame to hop on. Since it was sort of late in the day, we just rode it until they closed and we had to hop off.

It was totally worth it though! We saw the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and a bunch of other sites. Plus, it was a fun way to orient ourselves to the city. Check the latest rates and more information .

Galeries Lafayette

We got off the Tootbus and realized we were super close to Galeries Lafayette . It’s basically a massive department store, but they have a whole section for food.

We took a peek at their gourmet food level because we were on the hunt for a few items we purchased a few years ago.

But, we also realized that we could pick up a picnic dinner there. We ended up grabbing sandwiches, chips, yogurts, and desserts. We took them to Jardin du Luxembourg to enjoy and then we walked back to the hotel.

Day 3 : Musee d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower

Scavenger hunt at the musee d’orsay.

After a quick breakfast at our hotel, we headed to the Musee d’Orsay at 10 am to meet up with Caroline for a kid-focused scavenger hunt of the Musee d’Orsay .

We picked the Musee d’Orsay over the Louvre because our family had recently visited a couple of immersive Van Gogh exhibits and I figured our kids would be more familiar with some of the impressionist artists.

This kid-friendly tour surpassed my expectations! Our guide was a former elementary school teacher and she was incredible!

She gave each of our kids a little booklet for the scavenger hunt that included places to draw their own masterpieces and paste in photos of themselves at the museum.

This was a 2-hour tour and our kids were fully engaged the entire time. It was just the right amount of time for them to get a taste of a museum in Paris without getting bored. Check the latest rates and availability .

Eiffel Tower

We ended up taking a TukTuk to the Eiffel Tower from Musee d’Orsay. It was pretty pricey at 25 euro/person, but it was faster and a lot more fun than taking a taxi.

We ate lunch at Brasserie de la Tour Eiffel before heading to the meeting spot for our Eiffel Tower tour. Doing a tour is a great way to visit the Eiffel Tower with kids .

We knew we wanted to go up to the summit level of the Eiffel Tower and we wanted to skip the line. That’s why we booked a tour . It was definitely worth it for our family because there was minimal waiting.

The tour only lasted until the 2nd level and then we went up to the top on our own. It was pretty cool to see the views, but our 5-year-old was pretty toast on the way down. Check the latest rates and more information .

So, we figured a stop at the carousel by the Eiffel Tower was necessary. Our kids ended up riding it 4 times. Plus, we got drinks and ice cream and just took an hour or so to relax.

Dinner at Chez Andres

We actually had 6:30 pm dinner reservations at Chez Andres , but they were able to get us in at 6 pm. We ate here 5 years ago and it was such a memorable experience that we knew we wanted to go back.

The food was incredible and the staff is so friendly and accommodating.

By the time we left at 7:15 pm, there was a massive line. So, it’s definitely worth making a reservation.

Day 4 : Giverny and Versailles

Bus tour of giverny.

Giverny is where the impressionist painter Claude Monet lived with his family and it’s where he painted his famous waterlilies.

My husband and I had a hard time deciding whether we should visit Giverny or Versailles as a Paris day trip , so we found a tour that did both . We weren’t sure how our kids would handle a 10-hour bus tour, but they were troopers.

We did breakfast at our hotel and then met up at a hotel where we hopped aboard the bus. It took about an hour to get to Giverny and the guide narrated almost the entire way. I thought it was fascinating but my kids kept plugging their ears and tried to sleep.

Once we got to Giverny, we had about 2 hours to explore Monet’s house, gardens, and the gift shop. While that sounds like a lot of time, we really needed 3 hours to slow down and enjoy it.

But, it was stunning and we’re all so glad we got to see it!

Lunch in the Countryside

Part of the tour included a stop at a restaurant in the Normandy countryside. The food was fine and the wine was tasty! It was a nice pit stop before heading to Versailles.

Bus Tour to Versailles

Our bus tour went past little villages and where Monet lived for a few years on the drive to Versailles.

Once we arrived at Versailles we had 20 minutes to explore the gardens before meeting up with our group for our timed ticket to the Palace of Versailles .

We only had 1 hour and 45 minutes at Versailles, which is a really short time.

Our kids were pretty exhausted once we got inside the crowded palace, so we ditched the tour group about halfway through and got snacks and drinks, and enjoyed the courtyard.

Even though it was a jam-packed day, I’m still glad we did it this way because we got an intro to both places. Check the latest rates and more information .

We’re pretty sure we’ll be back to Paris in the next few years, so then we can decide if we want to do a full-day trip to either Giverny or Versailles. Read our full post about visiting Versailles with kids .

Dinner at Relais de l’Entrecote

There’s a really cool Parisian restaurant called le “Relais de l’Entrecote” where you can get steak and fries. It’s really the only thing on the menu and they come around and replenish your steak and fries as you eat.

You can get it with sauce or without. And you can let them know if you’d like your steak rare, medium, or well-done.

They have several locations. We did the one in Montparnasse and there was no wait right at opening.

Day 5 : Disneyland Paris

So, technically we moved hotels to stay at the Newport Bay Resort at Disneyland Paris for a couple of days, but you could easily do Disneyland Paris as a day trip . That’s what we did last time and that’s what we’ll do in the future.

Disneyland Paris is similar to Disneyland California but they have several different rides. We focused on the rides that we don’t have in the U.S. but we skipped all the parades. Get Disneyland Paris tickets HERE .

Here’s exactly what we did with a park hopper pass (and the paid Premier Pass) on one day at Disneyland Paris:

• Arrived at Walt Disney Studios for the Magic Morning
• Ratatouille: The Adventure
• Slinky Dog Zig-Zag Spin
• My husband and 8-year-old did Crush’s Coaster with the Premier Pass while my 5-year-old and I did Cars Quatre Roues Rally
• Les Tapis Volants – Flying Carpets Over Agrabah
• Cars Road Trip
• Shopping at Chez Marianne/potty break
• Monsters Inc photo spot
• We headed over to Disneyland Park
• My husband and 8-year-old did Big Thunder Mountain with Premier Pass while my 5-year-old and I did Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
• Peter Pan with Premier Pass (only took 5 minutes)
• Got in line to Meet Mickey (1 hour line)

• Lunch at Pinnochio
• Photo by castle
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast with Premier Pass and store
• Star Tours with Premier Pass and store
• Mickey’s Philharmagic
• It started raining so we bought sweatshirts and went pin shopping
• 30-minute Lion King Show (reserved for $15/person)
• Headed back to Walt Disney Studios
• Churros and paella at the Spain stand and pizza at Italy stand
• My 5-year-old and I did the Frozen Show while my husband and 8-year-old did Ratatouille and Crush’s Coaster with the Premier Pass
• Shopping at Walt Disney Studios store
• Headed to Disney Village to shop at World of Disney and Disney Fashion

Tips for Visiting Paris with Kids

Stay near paris attractions you want to visit.

On our first family trip to Paris, we stayed at an Airbnb near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees and it was a great location for what we planned on that trip.

For this trip, we stayed at the Hotel Aiglon in Montparnasse specifically because it was a short walk to Jardin du Luxembourg. We liked being in a quieter section of Paris and it was perfect for our family.

But, there are plenty of other places to stay in Paris for families . You’ll definitely want to factor in your accommodations into your trip to Paris budget .

Ask Your Kids What THEY Want to Do

Kids love to be included in planning trips and it makes them more excited about the itinerary. Our kids chose to do the toy boats at Jardin du Luxembourg, the scavenger hunt at Musee d’Orsay, and Disneyland Paris.

These were some of their favorite memories and they loved getting a say in our Paris itinerary.

We asked the kids about visiting other museums, visiting the Arc de Triomphe again, and doing a Seine river cruise but they weren’t interested in any of those suggestions.

It was a good thing we checked because those were on our original itinerary. I’m glad we swapped them for things the kids actually wanted to do.

Giverny vs Versailles

Since we had a hard time choosing between Giverny and Versailles, we did a mega tour that covered both locations. This worked for our family, but if you really want enough time to explore, each one deserves a day trip.

Giverny is perfect for families who love art and are familiar with Claude Monet. You’ll get to be in the place that inspired so many famous pieces of art.

Versailles is great for families who are interested in history and the French monarchy. It’s also one of the most popular day trips from Paris.

Use GPS for Metro Routes and Download Paris Taxi App

One thing we learned quickly in Paris is that taxis can drive in a special lane while Ubers cannot. That means it’s a lot faster to take a taxi. And you can order a taxi via an app.

Honestly, we used taxis a lot more than the Metro this trip to avoid crowds and save our feet from extra walking.

But, the Metro in Paris is really easy to use and it’s the most economical way to get around Paris.

Paris Itinerary with Kids FAQs

Paris is home to some of the coolest carousels, so definitely plan on stopping a few times during your trip. There are also lots of parks with fun playgrounds. I recommend booking a scavenger hunt tour of either the Louvre or the Musee d’Orsay as a fun way to get your kids interested in art. And you can always do a macaron crawl where you try macarons from several bakeries and decide which is your favorite.

You can see as much as you like! Paris is home to some of the best art museums in the world and iconic attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. It’s easy to see a lot of these buildings from a bus tour, but it takes more time if you’d like to stop and explore. You can plan on visiting 2 attractions/activities each day or spend more time at one and leave room to rest/relax.

Our first family trip to Paris was when our youngest was 6 months old. We were impressed with how baby-friendly Paris was. We mostly used a baby carrier when we did tours or explored. I do recommend bringing your own diapers and baby food if your child is particular as it can be hard to find specific brands in Paris.

Paris Family Vacation Wrap-Up

I hope this post helped you figure out what to do with kids in Paris, France! This was one of my favorite kid-friendly trips in Europe and we can’t wait for our next family trip to Paris!

I recommend checking out some Paris tours for kids, as well as French bakeries, pretty carousels, and anything else you can’t find in your hometown.

Love this Paris 5 day itinerary? Check out my tips for Disneyland Paris , top kid-friendly Paris tours , tips for visiting Paris for the first time , guide to hiring a Paris family photographer , things to do in Paris for teens , things to do in Paris at night , Paris Instagram spots , visiting Versailles with kids , secret spots in Paris , Paris day trips , things to do on a Paris family vacation , Paris Tuk Tuk Tour review , tips for visiting Paris with kids , and kid-friendly Arc de Triomphe tips !

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Visiting Paris with family (tried-and-true Paris with kids itinerary)

After staying close to home for the past few years, we are so grateful for the chance to travel internationally again. For our first big trip as a family since the before times, we decided to take the kids to France. My husband and I visited a few years ago for our 10th wedding anniversary (see our guide for planning a romantic couples vacation in Paris here ), and the kids were so jealous and have been asking for a family trip to Paris ever since! We went in March while the kids were on spring break and had the most fabulous time. The kids loved every moment, which made it a great trip for everyone. Today we’re sharing our guide for visiting Paris with family, including where to stay in Paris with kids, tips for traveling to Paris with kids, our specific recommendations for what to do while visiting Paris with kids, and our tried-and-true Paris with kids itinerary. You’ll want to save this article if a family vacation in Paris is on your bucket list, too!

Need more france travel ideas in addition to traveling to Paris with kids? Check out these other resources:

• Everything you need to plan a romantic vacation in Paris
• What to wear for a vacation in Paris, France
• Loire Valley travel guide
• Scenic Loire Valley Chateux driving route

High-level Paris with kids itinerary

We’ve got our detailed recommendations for our Paris itinerary with kids below, but first, here’s a high-level Paris with kids itinerary to help your planning. This doesn’t include many specific restaurants (aside from Angelina), but as Paris is one of the food capitals of the world, you practically can’t go wrong wherever you decide to stop to eat.

• Eiffel Tower
• Champ de Mars
• Arc de Triomphe
• Champs-Élysées
• Château de Versailles
• Dessert at Angelina
• Musée du Louvre
• Jardin des Tuileries
• Musée Marmottan Monet OR Musée d’Orsay OR Centre Pompidou
• Cimetière du Père-Lachaise

Optional (if you have extra days):

• Disneyland Paris

Tips for traveling to Paris with family

• With Paris being a culinary mecca, there are lots of amazing restaurants, many with some dishes that could be unfamiliar to young children. Travel is always a good opportunity to experiment (my youngest loved escargot!), but if you have picky eaters, rest assured that most restaurants will have a simple pasta dish or other yummy bread and cheese starters that are very kid-friendly. Our kids especially loved all the baguettes, pastries, and croissants during our family trip to Paris.

• Be prepared for a LOT of walking. Not just in town, but at your activities. We put many, many miles in on our days at Versailles and the Louvre. For this reason, make sure the kids are prepared and make sure everyone has comfortable shoes.
• If you are visiting Paris with a family of 4 or more and intend to use Uber, you will need to order larger van Uber cars, as most of the standard Ubers in Paris fit a max of 3 people (plus the driver). The cost is a little more and you sometimes have to wait longer, but we were still able to get reasonably-priced Ubers when we needed them. The metro is also a good (and economical) option for larger groups. I don’t recommend renting a car in Paris, as driving and the narrow roads can be intense. Instead, we opted to rent a car on our way out of Paris for the rest of our France trip.
• All of the activity coupled with jet lag can make a family vacation in Paris a bit tiring. Like any trip with kids, try to pace yourself and allow buffers in your schedule for when you just need a break. On at least one night we opted to turn in early to chill at our hotel and have room service for dinner while watching French TV. It was very rejuvenating before we got back out to explore the next day.

Where to stay in Paris with kids

Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadero . When we were researching the best places to stay in Paris for families, we had a few criteria in mind: a safe area, a clean and comfortable hotel with room for two adults and two pre-teen kids, easy access to our desired activities, a view of the Eiffel Tower (we wanted to make it special since it was the kids’ first trip to Paris), and a reasonable cost (knowing Paris hotels are generally pricy, especially with Eiffel Tower views). The Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadero met all these needs, and we recommend it if you’re looking for where to stay in Paris with kids. I’m a die-hard Hilton gal, so I knew I could trust the level of cleanliness and service at the property, and we were not disappointed. The hotel is located in the 16th Arrondissement “steps from Jardins du Trocadero and Trocadero Metro stop. The Eiffel Tower is a kilometer away and we’re less than 10 minutes from the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, and Bois de Boulogne.” While not right in the center of everything, it was quick and easy to get where we needed to go by a quick car ride, or if you have the stamina, by walking across the Seine from the Trocadero. There are also several fantastic restaurants just on the corner. The hotel’s breakfast was incroyable , as were the other meals we tried from room service after long days exploring. We stayed in a King Junior Suite with Eiffel Tower View , and the price was very competitive considering the size of the room and the Eiffel Tower view. We were very happy with this choice of hotel and location, and would gladly stay there again.

What to do on a family trip to Paris (detailed Paris itinerary with kids)

Here are details on what we recommend checking out on a trip to Paris with family. For some context, our kids were about 10 and 12 years old when we visited, and they love museums and history, so we incorporated a lot of both into our Paris with kids itinerary. Even then, I was pleasantly surprised how engaged the kids stayed even after hours (and multiple days) of museums. Don’t underestimate how cool things like that could be from a young person’s perspective, and how it might tie-in with what they’re learning about in school.

Trocadero. One of the first things I recommend doing on a family trip to Paris is to take in the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero. This is free, and this spot across the Seine (and conveniently close to our hotel) is the perfect place to get an unobstructed view of the tower. My kids see Le Tour Eiffel as synonymous with Paris, so I wanted them to see the romance of it as soon as we could. As it can get crowded, I recommend visiting early in the morning if you’re trying to get the perfect photo opp. Though if you don’t care about the Instagram opportunity, it’s an amazing view any time of day, and you can still snap your quick photos!

Eiffel Tower . While you don’t need to do this every time you visit Paris, when traveling to Paris with kids for the first time, you should take a ride up the Eiffel Tower. I recommend getting tickets in advance. You can choose from options to visit the second floor via stairs or lift, or adding the additional lift to go all the way to the top. It is REALLY high up at the very top, so not for those who are afraid of heights. We are really glad that we made the choice to go all the way to the top. My kids still talk about it, and my youngest even wrote a short story for his class last week (6 months after the trip) on going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s clearly a memory that sticks with little ones!

Champ de Mars. This lovely park adjacent to the Eiffel Tower is a great place to relax, picnic, enjoy some street crepes (a very fun treat for the kids to try), and get more photos of the tower from the opposite side (compared to the views from the Trocadero).

Arc de Triomphe. After seeing the quintessential Tour Eiffel, we recommend spending the rest of the first day visiting Paris with kids doing some casual, self-paced sight-seeing. We walked to the Arc de Triomphe to take in the view of the world-famous monument before walking down the Champs-Élysées.

Champs-Élysées. Whether or not your kids care to go into the shops, it’s worth even a short walk down the iconic avenue during your family vacation in Paris. Even my kids thought it was cool to see the fabulous window displays at the flagship stores for some of the world’s biggest fashion houses. There are also several restaurant options to grab a meal if you’re hungry and want to rest your legs.

Château de Versailles . As I said, we love history, so a visit to Versailles was a must for us. Even though it may seem like more of an “adult” activity, we recommend it if you are traveling to Paris with kids. Our kids hadn’t learned much about French history in school yet, but were still really intrigued and really enjoyed their time there. I love that they have this historical context now for when they do study it in history class or see it in movies. Note that a visit to Versailles is pretty much an all-day activity, and as the grounds are massive, you might not have much energy for much else in your day afterwards. To break up the day and keep things fun for the kids, we recommend taking a break between the seeing the main palace and the Trianon (which I definitely recommend seeing) with some ice cream at the stand next to the Grand Canal or even renting a boat to float around the canal. Fab Everyday Tip: We also strongly recommend renting one of the electric vehicles to get around the grounds, as it will save your legs and add something fun for the family. They only allow you to go on certain roads (so you can’t take it for a joyride) and includes an audio tour. We learned a lot about the grounds and gardens from the audio tour on the electric vehicles!

Angelina . If you’d like to feel like you’ve been transported to Paris during the Belle Époque and enjoy some fabulous desserts, you must visit Angelina while visiting Paris with kids. There are a few locations, but I recommend visiting the original location on Rue de Rivoli. Why is this such a great thing to do while visiting Paris with family? The exquisite French pastries, of course, and their famous hot chocolate – the richest, most thick and creamy hot chocolate I’ve ever had.

Musée du Louvre . One of my husband’s and my favorite spots in Paris is the Louvre, so it was important for the kids to experience it as well during our family trip to Paris. Like Versailles, the Louvre can be an all-day activity (or at least most of the day) as well, so allow time so you can pace yourself. The line can get really long, so I recommend booking your tickets in advance for a specific entry time. In addition to iconic art pieces like the Mona Lisa , The Winged Victory of Samothrace , and the Venus de Milo , you can just wander and explore for hours seeing ancient artifacts, works by the great masters, and even just people watch the artists studying and sketching. Despite our legs and feet being tired and sore, our kids wanted to keep going! It was a pleasant surprise that we had to be the ones to convince the kids when it was time to leave. We were also very happily surprised when, after returning home from our trip, the kids immediately recognized a specific painting in a scene in a movie filmed at the Louvre. It’s amazing the things that stick in their mind, creating memories and learning culture at the same time. Fab Everyday Tip: One way to keep little kids engaged at museums is to plan a little scavenger hunt to guide their exploration. For example, we said we wanted to find a piece of art by every namesake of one of the Ninja Turtles (Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael). It was a really fun challenge!

Jardin des Tuileries. This massive, historic park is a great way for the kids to use up any restless energy after visiting the Louvre. Our kids loved the playground, and though we didn’t have time to ride the carousel, it was really cool to see (and I’m assuming a fun activity while visiting Paris with kids).

Musée Marmottan Monet and/or Musée d’Orsay and/or Centre Pompidou . Depending on how many days you have for your trip to Paris with family, I recommend trying to fit in at least one of these museums. Paris is chock full of epic, world-class museums, so it can be hard to fit them all into a single trip. The Musée Marmottan Monet houses the largest collection of paintings by Claude Monet in the world, including his Waterlilies ( Nymphéas ) series and Impression, Sunrise . They also have lots of other works by other Impressionists. Musée d’Orsay (also near the Jardin des Tuileries) houses one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings in the world in the former rail station. Not just paintings; you can see sculpture, photography, and more at this museum, which features mostly French art and artists. The Centre Pompidou I’ve never visited, but I hear it has an impressive collection and lots of activities for children. If the kids are feeling a little burnt out from the traditional art museums, some of the kid-focused, hands-on workshops at Centre Pompidou could be a great change of pace.

Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. If your kids like a little bit of spooky history like mine do, you will want to visit Père Lachaise Cemetery during your family vacation in Paris. At this large cemetery you can see the graves and tombs of such historic and cultural figures as Jim Morrison, Oscar Wild, Frédéric Chopin, Marcel Proust, Édith Piaf, Jane Avril, Marcel Marceau, Honoré de Balzac, Georges Bizet, Molière, Gertrude Stein, and so many more.

Catacombes . Speaking of spooky history, if your kids wouldn’t be frightened being 20 meters underground and surrounded by the skulls and other bones of more than six million people, a visit to the Paris Catacombs is a memorable addition to your Paris with kids itinerary. We were glad to make the visit through the labyrinth and take some time to learn the history. If you’re traveling with really young kids or if anyone in your party has mobility issues, be mindful that there are no elevators… just 131 steps to go down into the Catacombs, and then another 112 steps to climb back up.

Disneyland Paris . While we didn’t have time to visit Disneyland Paris, if you are on an extended family vacation in Paris, you may wish to add this to your Paris with kids itinerary. It has been recommended to us a few times, and as it’s smaller than the parks in the US, you can experience it within a day (and more affordably than the US Disney tickets). I’ve heard it joked that you can fly to Paris for a family vacation and visit Disneyland Paris cheaper than a family trip to Disneyworld. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was true.

I hope this inspires your own trip to Paris with family! If we missed any key spots to see while traveling to Paris with kids, let us know in the comments!

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3 days in Paris with kids: A family-friendly itinerary

• Europe , France , Paris
• France , Paris , Paris Attractions , Paris for families , Things to do in Paris , Where to stay in Paris

The O'Hallorans

We’re made up of Lyndsey, John and Erin, who all love a new adventure. We try to get away as much as possible, especially during school holidays and variety is a must for us. That means staying anywhere from a luxury hotel to a hostel and it’s not often we go to the same place twice. 

Planning a break in any city with children can be a task in itself. Whether you’re considering Paris tour packages , or doing it all yourself, this 3 days in Paris with kids itinerary is full of ideas, including some lesser known attractions to visit. 

Where to stay – a family-friendly hotel in Montmarte

No matter what city you’re planning to visit, choosing where to stay with kids can be tricky. You’ll want somewhere close to public transport with a comfortable room and if possible, with breakfast thrown in too.

For a 3 days break to Paris, the ibis Styles Paris Montmartre Nord is a fantastic choice for families. We’ve stayed here ourselves so this is a personal recommendation. Situated in the artist’s area of Montmartre, you’ll find metro stations a 5-minute walk in either direction. Getting into central Paris is easy and it doesn’t take long at all.

We found the rooms to be incredibly comfortable, with one of the best beds I’ve ever slept in. Kids are bound to love the huge Parisian windows, looking out into the street. Breakfast is available at this hotel and is included in the price depending on where you book (we used Booking.com). Not much of Paris is open before 10am so breakfast at the hotel means a stress-free start to your day.

Arriving late afternoon (metro, hotel and Angelina Paris)

We arrived via the Eurostar in the afternoon on our first day. After spending some time sorting out our Metro cards and finding our hotel, we didn’t have too much of the day left. Sadly, the weather wasn’t on our side so we had to change our plans around a little bit.

Originally, we had planned to visit Angelina Paris in the morning but it’s a great place to go if you need to get out of the rain. Founded back in 1903, Angelina is well-known for its hot chocolate and patisserie, specifically the Mont Blanc (combination of crackling meringue, airy-light whipped cream and chestnut cream vermicelli).

Angelina was a bit of a treat for us. It was the only thing we splashed out on during our trip. If you want to try something truly Parisian then this is the place to be. The tea rooms are busy so expect a short wait to get in. You’ll get to experience a beautiful tea room with the best cakes. The hot chocolate is an acquired taste though so maybe get one to share to start with.

Evening (Sacre Coeur)

As our hotel was in Montmarte we decided to spend our evening exploring a little bit and also visiting Sacre Coeur. The church can be found up on a hill, which has 222 steps leading up to it. However, there is also a cable car, known as the Funiculaire du ​ Montmartre ,  you can ride up to the top. The cable car costs 1 metro ticket so it’s worth it to miss the steps going up but you can easily walk back down again. This is such a fun thing for young kids to experience, and it will also save their little legs.

Sacre Coeur is open from 6:30am to 10:30pm daily and entrance is free. As we had already spent quite a bit at Angelina, it was nice to do something free to keep our spending down. There is the option to climb the 300 steps up to the Basilica’s dome however, this is an additional charge and only during certain times of the day. 

Inside the church is absolutely stunning and well worth a look around. You are asked to be quiet as you go around, which isn’t always easy when you’re visiting with children. Erin actually asked why there weren’t any activities for children to do while we were there! There is plenty to see though, including the beautiful stained glass windows, figures and paintings. 

Once you’re finished looking around inside Sacre Coeur be sure to spend some time taking in the view outside. It’s a good idea to start your visit just as it’s getting dark outside because after not too long, you’ll also see the Basilica all lit up at night. As long as you have clear weather, which we did not, you’ll get some of the best views of Paris from Sacre Coeur. There are viewing stands which you can pay to use and these are great for kids. You’ll get a lot of people trying to sell cheap tourist souvenirs here such as locks to put on the railings. They don’t tend to bother you too much though, and I found they backed off when I said I wasn’t interested. 

Morning (Cluny Museum – National Museum of the Middle Ages)

Personally, I think the bigger art galleries and museums in Paris can be quite overwhelming for children. If this is your first trip, it’s a good idea to pick some lesser-known museums which children might be more interested in. We chose the Cluny Museum – National Museum of the Middle Ages for our first stop of the day. 

This museum is open daily except for Mondays, from 9:30 to 18:15. Entrance costs €12 for adults and £10 for concessions. There are lockers available to store your bags. Large bags are not allowed in the museum. 

As you can guess from the name of this museum, it’s all about the Middle Ages. The museum is filled with stunning pieces such as statues of Apostles, stained glass windows, jewellery and coins as well as paintings. We all enjoyed walking around this museum, taking in the history and reading about the pieces. As a smaller museum, it’s easier for children to look around, without being met by crowds of people in front of one thing. 

We had a reason for wanting to visit this particular museum over others. In one of the exhibits, you’ll find ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’, a tapestry which is part of a larger set. As big Harry Potter fans, we wanted to see this as it’s used in the Gryffindor common room in the films. The tapestries fill a whole room and are very popular. There are seats in the middle though so you can have a sit down while you wait to get a bit closer. 

Top tip:  It’s a great idea to take a drawing book and pencil for the kids. Erin loved drawing her favourite things in the museum! 

Lunchtime (Paris Pantheon)

After the museum, we found somewhere local for lunch. We didn’t have a plan so just tried to find somewhere on the walk from the museum to the Paris Pantheon. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes in this area, including fast food chains so you won’t struggle. We’re not foodies and tend to stick to something safe when we’re abroad. We opted for pizza for lunch at a corner restaurant on Rue des Ecoles, called En Face. We paid around €50 for 2 large pizzas, 2 portions of fries and 3 drinks. The food was delicious and a lovely choice for families.

We had planned to go inside the Paris Pantheon after lunch but we’d spent more time doing other things in the morning than we’d planned. Instead of going on, we decided to walk past instead just to look at the building. If you do want to go in, it has an entrance fee (€11,50 and free for children) which includes entrance to the main building and the crypt. You can also pay an additional €3,50 for access to the panorama at the top.

Afternoon and early evening (Jardin des Plantes)

We spent the afternoon at Jardin des Plantes, a 20-minute walk from the Paris Pantheon. This is an ideal place for the whole family as there is a variety of things to do. Entrance to Jardin des Plantes is free, and it’s lovely to walk around the botanical gardens. We chose to visit the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, one of the world’s oldest zoos in the middle of the French capital. Full-priced entrance tickets cost €13, with the reduced rate being €10. You can buy tickets either online in advance, or at the ticket office on the day of your visit. There may be a queue during busy periods.

Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes is only a small zoo and you can expect to spend a few hours there. It’s a lovely place for kids of all ages, as well as adults and it was nice to do something outdoors. The enclosures are a really good size and there’s a wide variety of animals to see here. We really enjoyed the reptile house, looking for red pandas and watching the big cats prowl around. 

Top tip:  a short walk away, close to one of the university buildings, you’ll find a great shop selling super cheap crepes. We paid around €7 for 3 crepes and it’s right near a metro station. 

Morning (Museum of Modern Art)

This was the busiest of our days in Paris. We had a fairly early start to make sure we could fit it all in. Being able to have breakfast at the hotel was a big help. It meant we didn’t waste any time trying to find food. 

On the way to our first stop of the day, we took a short walk to the Arc de Triomphe from the metro station. Although the Champs Elysees is usually a really busy street, you’ll find it quieter first thing in the morning before the shops open. This means you have a chance at getting slightly better pictures from the road opposite. Unfortunately, you’ll never get a picture without any cars in it. 

I wanted to make sure we got to see at least one art gallery while we were in Paris so I chose the Museum of Modern Art. Not only was it close to two other things we were doing that day but entrance was also free! Inside, this is a very different museum and one I think is great for kids of any age. From one piece to the next, you’ll get something really different. Each piece was a great talking point and we all had favourites. It’s a good idea to make up a scavenger hunt before visiting with children. This will help them have things to search for as you walk around. 

We spent a couple of hours at the Museum of Modern Art , roughly from 10am to 12pm. This was plenty of time for us as a family and it meant that Erin didn’t get too bored. Our next destination was a short walk away!

Lunchtime (Aquarium de Paris)

Next up was the Aquarium de Paris, located at the Trocadéro. This was a 10 minute walk from the Museum of Modern Art, which took us along the River Seine. If you have time, adding a Seine river cruise to your itinerary is a great idea. 

You’ll probably want some lunch before visiting the Aquarium de Paris and there are lots of choices close by. Just outside of the aquarium, you’ll find an outdoor eatery, offering things like sausages and fried chicken. Alternatively, there are stalls selling crepes and waffles at the entrance to the Trocadéro. There is nowhere to eat inside the aquarium so it’s a good idea to grab something before you go in. 

The Aquarium de Paris isn’t cheap and you can expect to pay around €26.50 for adults and €19 for children. We tried to plan activities that were a mix for everyone on this trip though, ensuring we picked some places that we knew Erin would love. The aquarium is quite small but it’s a lovely place to spend a few hours. You’ll find so many different kinds of tropical fish, a great jellyfish area, a small cinema and a koi carp pond where you can try and touch the fish. Although the short films in the cinema were in French, we were still able to enjoy them and following along. This area is about half way through the visit and it’s a great way to have a little bit of a break. 

Afternoon and early evening (Eiffel Tower)

For our last activity of the day, we had pre-booked tickets for the Eiffel Tower. We bought these via Viator, as tickets on the official website had sold out when I tried to book. You’re given a timeslot for your visit and you’ll need to go through a few sets of security before you’re able to start your visit properly. There may be long lines to get through security, depending on when you choose to visit. Be sure to leave some extra time for this. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower was the only thing Erin had asked to do on our trip to Paris. When we arrived, she was so happy and excited. I had never been up either so I was also excited. As one of the most famous landmarks in Paris, that first view of the Eiffel Tower is pretty special. 

You can choose tickets that include either steps or the lift up to the second level, and then there will be a lift right up to the top. No matter which level you go to, you’re going to get some of the best views of this beautiful city. Older children will be able to look out easily. You might need to help young children to see some things. Me and Erin spent quite a lot of time looking out and seeing what we could see. It was really fun to see if we could find buildings and attractions we had already been to. You’re not rushed and you can spend as much time on each level as you want. 

​For families, it’s good to know that there are plenty of options for toilets. You won’t go far without finding some. There are also places to grab some food or souvenirs while you’re visiting the Eiffel Tower. If you’re feeling fancy, there’s a champagne and macaron bar on the top level. 

Seeing Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower  is definitely a Paris bucket list item. I’m so glad we got to do. this as a family. After such a long day, we didn’t stay out for this evening. We headed back to the hotel for an early night.

Morning (Exploring Montmartre and the Montmartre Museum)

Although our hotel was in the middle of Montmartre, we didn’t spend much time exploring the area. We had a free morning with no real plans so we decided to have a walk around and head to a museum. The streets of Montmartre are really beautiful and they’re well worth discovering. From cobbled streets to window gardens, there’s something to pique your interest on every street. Montmartre is quite a hilly area of Paris though and you’ll come across quite a lot of steep sets of steps. We took these quite slow going up but going down was much easier. 

The museum we visited was the Montmartre Museum . This area is known for being home to many artists over the years including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. We wanted to learn more about the area’s history and this is the perfect museum for that. The museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and costs €15 for adults, €10 for teachers and students aged 18-25 and €8 for children aged 10-17. Children under 10 are free. 

The Montmartre Museum is home to the last working vineyard in Paris. Although you cannot go in, you can get a great view from the gardens. As you walk around, there is plenty to see both indoors and outdoors. The gardens are lovely to sit in, and you can see Renoir’s swing as well as a scene right from his paintings. Inside, you can discover paintings all about Montmarte, Chat Noir, and the artists who lived in the area. We found this to be such an interesting museum and again, Erin took her drawing pad with her. This is a great way to keep little kids occupied while you’re reading about the collections. 

One area of the museum that we really loved was the recreated artist’s rooms. Although not much of the original rooms survive, a fantastic job has been done to recreate what they would have looked like. This was so interesting to see, as Montmartre was an area where lots of artists lived at one point. As somewhere we hadn’t planned on visiting, it was perfect for a family trip and there was something for all of us to enjoy. 

Lunchtime (Cafe or picnic lunch in Montmartre)

Montmartre is a great place to grab some lunch because there are so many places to choose from. You won’t go far before coming across another cafe, restaurant or fast food chain. Montmartre is a really good place to eat as a family too because you’ll find all different kinds of cuisines. There are some lovely green areas in Montmartre too, so a picnic lunch could also be an option. Fresh baguettes, cheeses and fruit are easy to find and you’ll have a wonderful time taking in the atmosphere of Montmartre while having lunch. 

Afternoon and heading home

Sadly, after our time in Montmartre it was time to go back to the hotel and pick up our luggage. We had a train home booked for 5pm. We arrived at Gare du Nord at around 3pm, when we were able to go through security and wait for our train. Gare du Nord was quite stressful compared to our experience with the  Eurostar from St. Pancras . Luckily, we arrived a bit early and had some time to relax before boarding the train home.

We had a fantastic time and I think 3 days in Paris with kids is a good amount of time. We fit a lot into this time which was made easier by missing out big attractions such as the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral (closed during our trip) and Disneyland Paris. Paris with kids is easily doable but I think you need to choose your activities well, and make sure there is something for everyone. If you don’t fancy sorting it all out yourself, consider Paris tour packages from Kolkata to take away some of the stress.

Read more about our holiday to Paris:

• How to spend 3 days in Paris with kids
• Travelling to Paris by Eurostar
• Staying at the  ibis Styles Paris Montmartre Nord
• An underwater adventure at Aquarium de Paris
• Our experience at Angelina Paris
• Visiting the Eiffel Tower with kids
• A day at Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes
• 10 things to do in Montmartre as a family

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• Paris with kids: 5 tips for an amazing family trip to Paris

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Usually when families think of kid-friendly vacations, theme parks and all-inclusive resorts are the first options that come to mind. Those trips with kids have their place, but if your heart sings at the thought of exploring Europe with kids, I have one piece of advice to offer: DO IT.

We’ve gone on many successful Europe trips with little kids and our recent visit to Paris was no exception. While the City of Lights may require a little more forethought ( this timeline should help) than some other destinations, it really is a kid-friendly and there are so many things to do in Paris with kids. There’s so much to do that you’ll be sure to find the right muse for every member of the family. Read on for our top tips in this Paris trip planner for families to have a successful trip to Paris with children!

Where to stay in Paris with kids

Get your kids excited about visiting paris, the eiffel tower for kids in paris, consider what to do in paris with kids – choose wisely, keep the kids happy with all of the sweets and treats paris has to offer, how can you keep kids engaged on a family trip to paris, think about what stroller to bring to paris for children, best things to do in paris with kids, you might also like….

Read more France articles or get Europe travel inspiration

Pro tip:  The easiest way to get from the airport into the city with all that luggage after a long flight is by taxi. You’ll want to either bring your own travel car seat or book a car service that comes with a car seat included .

We’ve stayed in several different areas of Paris over the years. After a huge range of experiences, we strongly prefer to stay in the more central areas of the city. We like the walkability, especially when staying out late for activities like seeing the Eiffel Tower at night. On our last visit staying in a less central area of the city, we found that closures and construction on le metro left us going hither and yon to get to our destinations so we wouldn’t opt for that again.

Here are some great, centrally-located apartments suitable for families:

• Drouot Luxe apartments – 9th arr., two different family-friendly sizes for big groups, close to Opera Garnier and convenient metro lines
• Appartement Echelle – 1st arr. in the center of the city, sleeps 4 people, walking distance to major Paris attractions
• Budget-friendly Marais historic apartment – 3rd arr. in the trendy Marais, two bedroom, 3rd floor walk-up, close to a convenient metro line

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Paris, France

And there’s so much to get excited about in Paris for families! Older kids may want to read guidebooks or explore the Discover series to help plan activities. For our little kids, we loved reading Crepes by Suzette to get them excited about the food while developing a familiarity with the sites and ambiance of Paris. We even got a book on the Shapes of Paris to help our 3 year old identify some of the landmarks.

What could be more iconic? Without any prompting from us, our kids made the Eiffel Tower a focus for their time in Paris and we decided to roll with it. Your family may experience the same excitement when traveling to Paris with kids! Don’t just go up the Eiffel Tower and call it a day, though.

During your entire family trip to Paris, make a game of spotting the top from different vantage points around the city – and let your kids practice photographing it. For engineering-minded kids, talk about its design and construction. For artistic kids, take a picnic and some supplies to the Champ de Mars and give them time to record their impressions (and run around chasing pigeons).

How to visit the Eiffel Tower with kids

Should you buy a ticket for the eiffel tower in advance.

Definitely.

Buy timed Eiffel Tower tickets in advance to avoid the ticket queue if you know when you want to visit. When we visited in mid-June we strolled in around mid-afternoon and the line was enormous. Oops!

When is the best time to visit the Eiffel Tower if you haven’t purchased a ticket in advance?

On the other hand, a year before we went on a weekday in the early afternoon in May and the ticket queue was completely empty. The elevator queue took only about 10 minutes! YMMV.

What should you bring to the Eiffel Tower when you visit with kids?

As little as possible. Really. We goofed on this one and brought our full day’s worth of gear in the stroller basket. You must collapse your stroller to go up the elevator of the Eiffel Tower. So can you bring a stroller up the Eiffel Tower? Yes, but be prepared to take all of your stuff and your children out! We were happy to have snacks, water, sunscreen , sunglasses, and cameras on hand for our visit. Something like this is perfect to have on hand *just in case*.

How high up the Eiffel Tower can you go with children?

In theory, all the way up. However, both times we’ve visited the top has been closed due to high wind! We’ve been happy with the view from level 2 and think that our young kids wouldn’t do well at the very top. Note that the better viewing area on level 2 requires going up a short flight of stairs. This is another situation where it’s better not to have a stroller at the Eiffel Tower.

When does the Eiffel Tower light show start in the summer?

Late. Sorry! We visited in mid-May and it began at 10pm. We had hoped it would begin at 9pm, but we were wrong. Since the walk or metro back to our apartment would take a half hour, we debated whether or not to stay the extra hour. In the end, our 5 year old was the voice of reason: his little sister was already sleeping in the stroller, he was fine staying up late and how could we come all the way to Paris and not see the Eiffel Tower light show??? So we grabbed a table with a beautiful view at Chez Francais (nevermind the stereotypically snooty service) and waited – us adults with a beverage, our son with his watercolors, and our daughter with her cozy stroller. Let’s just say that our son made the right call. (The Eiffel Tower light show schedule begins after sundown and runs until 1-2am, for five minutes at the top of every hour.)

Read more: What to pack for Paris in fall What to pack for Paris in spring

When we travel, we set one or two important-to-us priorities for each day. On this trip, we inadvertently ended up with theme days: church day, museum day, and monument day. We visit two “major” sites each day, and in between we snacked, strolled and soaked up all the charms of the city. Read below to find our favorite things to do in Paris with kids.

Should you buy a Paris Museum Pass with kids?

That’s a personal question and it depends on your style and speed of travel. If you and your kids want to see everything and move pretty quickly, the Paris Pass can offer a great value and save you the hassle of lines. If you will be visiting sites more slowly, as we did, you might opt to buy non-dates tickets online for various sites; while it’s less convenient than a single card for everything, you have more choices for pacing your trip. Of the six sites we visited in three days, one was free, four were included in the Paris Museum Pass and the pass also offers a discount on the advance purchase of timed Eiffel Tower tickets. Ronnie was organized enough to buy a combined ticket for Musee d’Orsay and L’Orangerie and tickets for Les Invalides and Saint Chappelle online in advance. The total price was the same as the two-day Paris Museum Pass but we spread our site-seeing over three days. Find out more about the Paris Museum Pass here .

Should you visit the Louvre with kids?

Obviously this is a matter of opinion, but it depends entirely on your family. I’m not sure we all would have survived a visit to the Louvre in one piece! Ronnie and I went on our last trip to Paris and, while an impressive art collection, it is jam-packed with visitors. I recall the crowd at the Mona Lisa being about 20-deep with everyone just holding up phones and cameras to snap her picture – and that was almost a decade ago! I can only imagine what it’s like now.  

We felt confident that visiting the Louvre would make the kids unhappy and us stressed, so we skipped it and we stand by that choice. Instead, we opted for the more intimate art museums just down the street. L’Orangerie shows kids how immersive art can be, with its purpose-built space covered in Monet’s wall-sized murals of water lilies arching through the day’s cycle of lighting. The Musee d’Orsay houses a huge range of art to appeal to any interest, but we made a bee-line for the impressionist and post-impressionist collections on the top floor. Not only did Jacob love the art he saw, but he was excited to learn about pointillism and incorporate it into his own art!

Buy a combo ticket for both museums to save money and skip the line!

Note that we had no problem wearing our little on in a carrier on our backs at Musee d’Orsay but we’ve heard that guards at the Louvre can be sticklers about it. We’ve encountered many art museums in Europe that don’t permit back carries, so YMMV. If you do opt to visit Musee d’Orsay with kids, be sure to book this awesome scavenger hunt . Several members of our Facebook group have done it and reported that it was a great way to engage kids!

New to Paris? Check out this awesome travel planner for your first time in Paris from World in Paris!

Check out these great ideas for visiting art museums with kids .

It’s true, we are very liberal about junk food when we travel and I feel a-ok about that. There are two reasons we let our kids enjoy extra treats on vacation: first, it makes for happier travelers; and second, it’s their vacation too. We may think it’s so exciting going off to an exotic locale, but young kids often take much more pleasure in the simple things in life like a drippy ice cream cone on a hot day.

We often “pre-game” visits to less kid-friendly places with a strategically offered snack. And Paris has so many wonderful snacks and desserts available, many of which are not as common here in the US (so the kids get at least a little dose of local food culture, hold the fois gras ). Our favorite kid-friendly treats in Paris were croissants (both regular and pain au chocolat ), macarons and of course crêpes (preferably Nutella-filled).

Traveling beyond Paris? Check our our top 10 things to do with kids in France!

While little ones may be happy to sit in the stroller staring at the leafy trees and impressive monuments, older kids might need more options to keep them interested in such an “adult” city. Fortunately Paris has plenty to appeal to the senses.

• I mentioned the delicious treats above, but why not take it a step further and learn to make crêpes by watching beside one of the many carts or at your local creperie? It turned out to be one of our favorite family travel experiences!   If your kids are old enough, definitely look for family cooking classes – there are some specialty ones in Paris for kids.
• Instead of walking by the many street artists, stop and make time for your child to watch the process, ask questions, and even make a new friend as Jacob did. We often find that it’s easier to make personal connections when we travel with kids – they’re so naturally inquisitive, and most people love to answer their questions about who they are and what they do!
• Since our son loves art so much, I brought a watercolor field set and proper watercolor notebook for him. He loved documenting Paris through his own eyes, and having the right tools meant everything was dry before we moved to our next site.
• The kids were also excited to try their hands at photography, so we encouraged and guided them (our daughter with the iPhone and our son with our fancy but lightweight mirrorless system camera – always with the strap on his neck!). They’re getting pretty good!

• The sounds of Paris are different than anywhere else, so take time to appreciate them. We heard accordions playing La Vie en Rose , traditional jazz bands and more. You can find live music in Paris on nearly every corner. Take a listen for yourself!

• When visiting Paris with kids, the carousels of Paris are an important tourist attraction. They span the range of artistic and architectural styles and you can find them all over the city. It’s a quick, cheap thrill for the whole family and, in my opinion, there’s no limit on the number of rides you should take in a single day. My personal favorite is in front of the Ville de Maire, just before the entrance to Le Marais.

Looking for more things to do in Paris with children? Check out a Paris family weekend itinerary from Christine at Tapped Out Travellers!

There’s no clear-cut answer to this question. Bringing a stroller gives your kids a comfortable vantage point for taking in the city while you rack up your thousands of steps. It’s all a great place to store everything you need for a full day and evening out, so you won’t need to waste time going back to your hotel. On the other hand, many smaller Metro stations have no elevator and plenty of small restaurants will give you the side eye (or just refuse entry) if you try to walk in with your massive double jogger . Don’t forget that you’ll have to empty and fold your stroller to go up the Eiffel Tower!

My advice? Bring the smallest stroller that can possibly meet your family’s needs and supplement it with a high-quality travel friendly baby carrier like the Tula Baby (which comes in both standard and toddler sizes). Which tool to use will depend on the day’s activities, how you’re feeling and even the weather.

Our solution for visiting Paris with a toddler and a preschooler was to bring a big, easy-folding single stroller with a footwell that can serve as a seat in a pinch and a toddler size carrier to use when we only want one rider in the stroller. We’ve used this plan before and it works great – sometimes both kids are in the stroller, sometimes one is walking, and sometimes one is riding on our backs in the carrier. We can still manage to get down the Metro stairs (no kid in the stroller) and restaurants are generally willing to let us squeeze the single stroller next to our table or tuck it on the side. (Our “big single” is the now-discontinued Baby Jogger Versa. Check out its new and improved replacement, the Baby Jogger City Premier !)

If you plan to bring a baby carrier to Paris – and you should if your child is three or under – check out these great tips on babywearing at the airport .

Make sure to check our this guide to the best neighborhoods in Paris for your vacation.

You can also save money by staying in a hostel in Paris – there are even some family-friendly choices !

The key to choosing what to do in Paris with kids is remembering that they have a difference sense of “iconic” than we do! It’s equally important to give yourself permission  not to do everything while you’re there.

Visit an art museum in Paris

There are so many amazing art museums in Paris that you have to visit at least one… but don’t feel pressure to visit more than one! Take your kid’s temperature (so to speak) and see if they’ll be game for a few. We prefer smaller museums with our children so Musee d’Orsay is a good pick. Other options are the Louvre (of course), l’Orangerie and Musee Rodin.

Go to a church in Paris

Just like with museums, YMMV depending on your kids! We’ve taken our children to Notre Dame, Saint Chappelle and Sacre Coeur and they liked them all. We’ve found that it’s most important with church visits not to walk around and visit every chapel around the perimeter, and if possible to let them slow down and engage with the space on their own terms. They enjoyed sitting and painting Notre Dame, photographing the stained glass of Saint Chappelle and just staring up in wonder at Sacre Coeur in the late afternoon (trust me on this). Surprisingly, this is one of my favorite things to do in Paris with children!

Play like a Parisian kid

Though Paris isn’t often thought of as a child-friendly city, there’s plenty to keep kids happy! There are carousels wherever you turn and, even better, they can appreciate the simple pleasures in places like Jardin Luxembourg – it’s one of the best things to do in Paris with toddlers in my book. Bring a few Euros and your child can rent a small wooden boat to push around the fountain with a long stick… just like their French peers. It sounds simple and it is, but the simple activity brought our kids so much joy. Bonus: there are plenty of chairs for mom or dad to sit an enjoy a coffee.

Explore a new Parisian neighborhood

Want to get a less touristy – but no less interesting – experience Paris? Take your children to the charming and interesting Belleville neighborhood. You can enjoy the neighborhood’s many diverse dining spots, a delightful stop at Tatanka toy shop and sweeping city views from the top of Parc de Belleville. Find more information about this fascinating neighborhood here .

Eat your way through Paris

Take your kids on a self-guided food tour through the culinary delights of Paris. The beautiful thing about Paris is that you can find anything you want to eat practically anywhere! Stop in a cheese shop and let them select a few French cheeses to sample, stop in a bakery to pick a few breads, a  patisserie for some sweets. Bring your treasures to the banks of the Seine for a lunchtime picnic they’ll never forget.

If you still have room after a stroll, head to the Marais for a snack at L’As du Falafel. Enjoy some time in the neighborhood’s small shops (or even a brief visit to the carousel at the Hotel de Ville) and then venture to La Droguerie du Marais for savory crepes  and  sweet ones. There are plenty of kid-friendly places to eat in Paris, and these types of casual restaurants top the list.

Wondering who the guy is in the photo above? Get the full story here!

Appreciate the Eiffel Tower

There are so many ways to enjoy the Eiffel Tower! Play “spot it” around the city as the tower comes in and out of view behind buildings, climb to the observation deck, or head to the other side of the city to appreciate the best view of the Eiffel Tower from the Montparnasse Tower.

Our first trip to Paris as a family was definitely one for the memory books and we hope yours is too! Drop us any questions below and we’ll try to help you plan an amazing visit to Paris with kids.

• Renting a Car in France: 18 Tips You Need To Know
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14 thoughts on “paris with kids: 5 tips for an amazing family trip to paris”.

Great post. We found tramping around Paris with a 7yo pretty good too, though he got pretty tired. That’s when the hop-on, hop-off bus was a good idea! I totally agree about letting kids eat loads of things on holiday – food is such a big part of travelling and it’s often one of my son’s key memories of a trip!

We’ve never done a HoHo but maybe we’ll try one! I love seeing cities on foot so that we can go at our own page and explore little places that we stumble on, but you’re right that they’re nice for exhausting days (especially in the summer heat or cold winters).

Great tips. So many people try to pack in waaaaaay too much stuff with kids in Europe. This really breaks it down!

Thanks! We love Europe and we know we’ll *always* be back. There’s so much to enjoy about Paris without rushing from one place to another.

I’m so thankful to be done with strollers! Our first trip to Paris with the kids they were 1 & barely3, so we brought a side-by-side double umbrella stroller. It was great in the streets but horrible for the metro!! I completely agree with your point on bringing the smallest stroller possible!

Great read – thank you!! We haven’t been to Europe yet – keep saying we will wait until our youngest (2.5 now) is older and out of a stroller to go but I feel like we may need to go sooner after reading this!!

Definitely go now! Europe is a wonderful destination with young kids. Much of the food is familiar, the cities are clean, the transit is easy and cheap… My son is 5.5 and has been to 7 European countries 🙂

Wow! This is jam packed with lots of specific, useful information. It makes me want to return to the City of Lights.

Paris is truly romantic and charming. Taking your kids there must have been lots of fun and a unique experinece. How long would you recommend staying there?

I’d say 3-4 days at least depending on how much you want to see and how fast you are. Five days would be even better though!

Hi there, We have 4 kids, 9, 6, 2 1/2 and 1 years. Planning to visit Paris, any suggestions? Do you think it’s a good idea to plan a trip. Ow or should we wait for couple of years. I am little bit scared because of the 2 youngest ones. Greatly appreciate your opinion and suggestion. Thanks

Definitely check the article for things to do with the kids!

As to whether you should go now or later, it depends on your family. Is a trip to Paris a once-in-a-lifetime splurge or do you expect to get back to Europe in the future? How long is the travel and do you think your kids will be flexible enough to manage a big time difference? Are you thinking about Paris because *you* want to go or because you want your kids to experience it?

Hi, I loved your tips and will use all of them. I’m planning to stay in Paris for 4 days. My kids will be 4 and 9yo. How did you plan to see each day without wasting time? Thank you

Hi Marcela! Thanks for your comment. There’s obviously a ton of great stuff to do in Paris so you have to be extremely organized. I’d start by making a spreadsheet with the days you’ll be there and cross-check those days with the opening days of the sites you want to get to – there are frequent closure days! Then I’d try to organize by area of the city. I also recommend staying as central as possible (and near a *good* metro station with lots of lines) to minimize your transportation time.

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17 Fun Things To Do in Paris With Kids (2024)

Are you searching for fun and engaging things to do in Paris with kids? Look no further! I raised two kids in Paris, and I know all the cool places to keep your kids entertained and make your Family trip to Paris a success for your entire family.

In this article, I am sharing my favorite activities in Paris for families. But also hotel recommendations that consider families of 5, cool hang out spots your kids will love, and some restaurant recommendations for families.

Shortcut: Wishlist for family-friendly activities & attractions that I created for GetYourGuide

CHECKLIST for your Paris Trip

• Get a Travel Adapter
• Book your airport transfer
• 🚨 Get Travel Insurance
• Buy your SIM card in advance

✔ Hotel booked?

• Budget: Hotel France Albion (8.6)
• Midrange: Hôtel des Arts (9.6)
• Upscale: Millésime Hôtel (9.2)

✔ Tickets booked?

• Eiffel Tower ( book here )
• Louvre ( book here )
• Versailles ( book here )

Visiting Paris with family is wonderful. As simple as that. Already the obvious sights like the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, or Montmartre are fun spots to see with your kids, but there is so much more to explore.

In fact, Paris has so much to offer, that it’s impossible for them to get bored. But visiting a city like Paris with family requires more than just sprinting from sight to sight. It’s rather the opposite, to avoid a possible cultural overkill.

No one wants to drag cranky kids through a staggering capital like Paris. It’s not fun for either of you.

Kids also need activities where they can be what they are: kids! Where they can run and play, be as loud as they want, and with the possibility to discover Paris on their terms.

For your family trip to Paris, you’ll also be interested in these posts:

• The best parks in Paris – beautiful gardens you need to visit!
• 22+ Activities Teenagers Love in Paris!
• Pack for Paris: Essentials you need in 2022!
• 15 Quick Tips for Visiting Disneyland Paris

My two boys are born in Paris. At first, I could hardly imagine raising them here; I am not a countryside girl, but Paris is truly something else. Well, it was a wee too much city for my idea of raising a child. But, with time I learned that Paris offers so much for children, you just need to know where to look for it.

Salut, I am Lena – travel planning expert and parisienne since 2006 🩷

If you purchase through links on this site, I may earn – at no cost to you – a small commission. This helps me cover my costs and keep my website running. Thank you so much for your support 🙂   Learn more

Family trip to Paris: Preparation is all!

If your family’s trip to Paris will be a success, heavily depends on how well your kids are prepared for their big trip. The more they know, the more excited they are and the more they are eager to engage in their destination.

Just imagine, they might even never have heard of Paris until now, and there’s absolutely no better time for some Paris hype than before actually leaving with your kids to Paris!

So, what about a Paris-themed movie night?

Movies about Paris your kids will love

See on Amazon

Books and Travel Guides about Paris for Children

To best prepare your family trip to Paris and show your children all the fantastic things to do in Paris for kids, get them one of these Paris travel guides for extra for kids.

Order on Amazon

Top Paris attractions your family shouldn’t miss

There are some attractions, you should not miss when visiting Paris – no matter if you have 5, 35, or 65 years under your belt.

However, a word of advice. Paris is at most times of the year very busy and tickets to attractions sell either out quickly or you stand in line for hours to get access. So, we all know that the patience of most kids is countable in minutes at best. Save your kids and yourself from standing in line and also a disappointment, and buy your admission tickets in advance.

Important: Book your attraction tickets in advance!

For your convenience, I listed below the sights and landmarks that are either often sold-out weeks in advance or require long waiting times. I also added a link to GetYourGuide , where you can easily purchase your tickets online.

Personally, I regularly use GetYourGuide for tickets for my family, and it was so far always a smooth experience. I find their 24h refund policy very reassuring because plans can change, and knowing that I won’t lose money, is peace of mind that I really like to have.

Anyway, here are the most popular sights in Paris where I can’t stress enough how important it is to get your tickets in advance:

• Eiffel Tower – reserve your tickets to the summit here
• Louvre – reserve your favorite time slot here
• Catacombs – book here well in advance
• Castle of Versailles – reserve here

The Best Activities & things to do in Paris with kids

#1 visit the jardin d’acclimatation.

Click here to get your day pass with unlimited rides

The Jardin d’Acclimatation is one of our favorite Sunday afternoon outing spots in Paris. It is a very versatile park with different themed areas that are super fun to discover if you are on a family vacation in Paris.

Firstly, there are several playgrounds , that are all a little different and sure keep your kids busy. But there is also a little zoo with goats, sheep, and birds and a big wildlife enclosure with deer. All those are included in the entrance fee.

And then there is the fun fair: various Merry-go-rounds and activities for all ages that are charged extra. You can buy a ticket for unlimited rides here, though

What we like about this park is that you can easily hang out there the entire day without spending more than the entrance fee. You can bring your picnics and relax in one of the deck chairs that are free to use, while your kids have fun on the playgrounds.

In summer, they even have a little water playground.

But it is not only for kids: In the Jardin d’Acclimatation is a café from the very famous Angelina Franchise and also the Foundation Louis Vuitton, one of the most popular Modern Art Museums in Paris!

Access: The Jardin d’Acclimation is located within the Bois de Boulogne area. During peak times between 2 and 5, it can be tricky to find parking if you’re coming by car. Otherwise, you can always take Metro Line 1 until Les Sablons . For more info, check out our post about the Jardin d’Acclimatation!

#2 Stroll along the Berges de Seine (Free Activity)

This public park along the banks of the Seine is located on a former freeway between Eiffel Tower and Louvre. The 2.3km long promenade is nice for having walks or going for a run. It’s also really great for skating!

The area is also equipped with several floating gardens, picnic areas, exhibition spaces, playgrounds, sports facilities, and some cafés (many are closed during winter though). The Berges are a great destination if you are looking for some less costly things for your family trip to Paris.

During summer, the Paris Plage is hosted on the Berges.

For more budget things to do in Paris with kids, also check out these posts:

• 70+ Free & Fun Things to do in Paris
• 5 most convenient Ibis Hotels in Paris
• 21 Simple Ways to Save Money in Paris

#3 Take a Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour in Paris

Book your this sightseeing bus tour here

When you arrive in a new and unfamiliar city and probably have to fight a jet lag as well, there is truly nothing better than a bus tour. Especially if you are traveling with kids.

Bus tours are great to familiarize yourself with Paris. But it’s also a really convenient way to really see everything without much effort.

Because let’s be honest – it’s very possible that your kids don’t share your sightseeing aspirations and rather visit the Disney store on the Champs-Élysée or the playgrounds at the Jardin du Luxembourg. And every trip is just as good as the mood of your unhappiest child.

You can book your bus tour directly here

#4 Cruise the Locks of the Canal St. Martin

Book this wonderful channel Cruise here

While it’s almost standard to take a cruise on the Seine while being in Paris , including the lesser-known Canal St. Martin, it is quite a unique experience . I took this Canal Cruise earlier this year with my younger son (he’s 10) and he absolutely loved it!

This very interesting and fun cruise sails you down the Seine until you enter the Canal St.Martin. After a first lock, you continue your journey through a 1.2 miles (ca. 2 km) long tunnel under the Bastille before following the channel until Parc La Villette.

Your journey leads through a non-touristic part of Paris, along with brides and chestnut trees, until Parc La Villette where you could continue your trip by visiting the Science Museum .

It was really a fantastic tour and my child loved the locks, while I was more blown away by all the interesting facts the live commentator shared.

For schedules and rates, check this tour here on GetYourGuide.

#5 Visit the Louvre Museum

Book your family & kid friendly Louvre Tour here

Believe it or not, the Louvre is great for families and kids because this famous museum is very accessible.

First, there is their audio guide, which comes in the form of a Nintendo DS and helps you navigate the massive exhibition and the different premade trails are making sure you’re not missing a thing.

The trails are actually a great tool to efficiently visit the museum. If you don’t get the audio guide, the Masterpieces Trail is also available as a free paper version directly at the museum. It’s a self-guided tour that doesn’t take longer than 1,5h and you see every important piece of art in the museum.

They even give out free little Louvre Passports with stickers, where the kids can check off what they’ve seen.

To show your kids what they should watch out for, see my article about the most famous paintings at the Louvre .

But whether you are opt-in for a family-friendly Louvre tour or you are visiting the world’s biggest museum on your own, do make sure to arrange your visit in advance. The waiting time at the entrance can be long, so booking ahead of time is definitely worth it. Click here to reserve your tickets.

(Kids under 18 have free access, so no need to get a ticket for them!)

Access: As the Louvre is very central, public transportation is your best choice: Metro Line 1, Palais Royal Musée du Louvre.

The museum is free for everyone under 18.

Tip : The waiting times at the security checks at the entrance through the iconic pyramid can be really long. There is another entrance inside that is usually less busy. If you are pregnant or traveling with a small infant, don’t hesitate to approach the security guards, you are entitled to priority access!

#6 Hunt down the Space Invaders of Paris

If you wander through the streets of Paris , you inevitably notice the little mosaics that you find attached to many houses and walls. It’s a street art project and currently, there are more than 1400 Space Invaders splattered all over Paris and the best: you can collect!

Just download the Flash Invader App to your smartphone and scan them as soon as you spot one! It’s super easy and fun, and I guarantee you it makes your child WANT to walk around Paris!

#7 Visit the Cité des Sciences et l’Industrie

Reserve your entrance Ticket here in advance

The name does not tell, but one section of this science exhibition is solely dedicated to kids; the Cité des enfants .

2 permanent exhibitions (one from 2-7 years and the other from 5-12) that are running in sessions of 1,5h are allowing your child to experiment and experience science in the most interactive way possible. An educational and fun way to spend a day.

Access: within Parc de la Villette, Metro Line 5 or Tram 3b, exit Porte de Pantin

#8 Take a Cooking Class

Activities are the best way to make memories – why not in form of a cooking class with your family?

If you are traveling with kids older than 10, you have plenty of options. What about learning how to bake Croissants and impress your family at home? Get more info here

You could also go on a Sweet & Chocolate Family Treasure Hunt, where you will not only be able to taste 10 of France’s best sweets, but your kids will also make their own chocolate bar! Click here for more info, prices, and schedules

⪼ also see the fun wishlist for family-friendly activities & attractions that I created for GetYourGuide

#9 The Natural History Museum: La Grande Galerie de l’Evolution

The Grande Galerie de l’Evolution is the Natural History Museum of Paris. This massive gallery was created as a museum in 1793 and has a huuuuge collection of species from all over the world, from all eras, and of all sizes.

Exploring the 5 levels of the exhibition can easily take you a couple of hours and more. It ́s dedicated to kids, and you can find activities all around to interact with the exhibits; there are puzzles, fun activities, or educational programs on iPads everywhere.

Access: The museum is located very centrally, close to St. Michel and la Sorbonne. However, the closest metro station might be Place Monge of Line 7 .

#10 Take a Miraculous Cruise on the Seine

Secure your spot on this family-friendly Seine Cruise here

Taking a Cruise on the Seine is one of the nicest things to do in Paris. It’s also an activity that adults and kids enjoy alike, and therefore perfect for families.

But when a normal Seine Cruise is already a great experience, there is also the family and kid-friendly version of it. Animated by two characters, Ladybug and Cat Noir, your child will discover Paris and solve immersive puzzles while you can enjoy the beautiful Parisian Panorama from the comfort of your seat. The tour is in English and French!

Click here for rates and schedules of this fun Seine River Cruise

#11 Have Breakfast on the Tour Montparnasse

The Tour Montparnasse – ugly as it is – is one of the nicest view points in Paris because you have a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower . But while you could just take the lift to the visitor’s platform, you also could enjoy a really lovely breakfast at the Restaurant Ciel de Paris , that is located just a couple of floors beyond the observation deck.

Budget Tip: The dinner is pricey, but the (delicious) breakfast is, in fact, cheaper than if you’d book a ticket to the observation deck. And the fact that you can enjoy your breakfast in peace and quiet while your children are watching the miniature life going on 53 floors below them? Priceless.

#12 Have a Photo Shooting with a professional Paris Family Photographer at the Eiffel Tower

Book your professional photographer for your unique souvenir here

Professional Paris Family Photos are a wonderful way to remember your family trip to Paris for a lifetime. They make a remarkable souvenir and quite frankly, they are beating your usual selfie stick photos by lengths! (no offense lol)

#13 Visit the Palais de la Découverte

This is the perfect place for every little nerd out there. This science museum has permanent exhibits and hands-on activities about chemistry, astrology, geology, physics. It even has a Pi-room! Just know that most explanations and animations are in French only. For more info, check here.

Access: Metro Champs Elysée Clemenceau – Line 13 and 1

#14 Aquarium tropical du Palais de la Porte Dorée

There are 2 Aquariums in Paris . This is the lesser-known one and in my opinion the nicest one. It’s maybe not as fancy as the big Aquarium in Trocadero, but the building is no less impressive. It has a broad selection of fishes, (little) sharks, turtles, and crocodiles. The Museum is also hosting partially free temporary exhibitions, cloakrooms are free of charge as well. Admissions are family-friendly, at the time of writing it’s 8€ per adult, kids under 18 are free.

Access: The Aquarium has no assigned parking places, and it can be tricky at times to find a place, especially if you are not familiar with the area (we always found a place though).

However, it ́s just next to Metro Station “Porte Dorée” on Line 8.

#15 Get enchanted at the Musée de la Magie

This rather small and privately run museum has a very interesting collection of historical magic devices and materials and entertains its visitors also with a magic show. It’s a big hit for most kids and inner kids – no matter if you are into magic or not.

Access: The Musée de la Magie is very centrally located between Notre Dame and Rue Rivoli with the best Metro accessibility; Line 1 exit St.Paul or Line 7 Sully-Morland. Click here for more information.

#16 Visit Disneyland Paris with kids

Buy your day pass for Disneyland Paris here and save time at the entrance

To visit Disneyland Paris when you are in Paris with children is of course the ultimate experience for every little Disney Fan out there. If Disneyland Paris is one of the things plan on doing with your kids, don’t miss our designated Disneyland articles to help you plan your trip:

• visit Disneyland Paris from Paris
• Disneyland to the Eiffel Tower – How to get there Best

#17 Visit the many Parisian Parks

Paris is full of exciting sights but lucky as well generous with its green spaces and parks . Perfect for a break for your kids between museums and attractions. But the Parisian Parks are also a good place for lunch picnics or for outdoor Apéritifs (read here what belongs to a typical French Apéro )

My favorite Parks in Paris to visit are these:

• Parc Georges Brassens (local vibes & Playgrounds and you can right away head over to the Petit Ceinture )
• Park Floral in the Bois de Vincennes, easily combinable with the Château de Vincennes
• Jardin Luxembourg for the traditional boats and as well a (not free) playground

What’s the best place to stay in Paris with Family?

I know that finding a hotel that accommodates the needs of a family can be so tricky! It needs to be easily accessible, clean, with enough space, and of course in a safe area, centrally located and close to the sights. Probably, you might even look for a hotel in Paris for a family of 5.

Below, I assembled for you a list of hotels that are great for families, and hopefully, you find them available on your travel dates.

Budget Hotels in Paris for Families

If you have trouble finding an affordable hotel in Paris, it can be the easiest solution to get 2 rooms. For Budgets Hotels in Paris, see this post: 5 most convenient Ibis Hotels in Paris

Aparthotel Adagio Paris Philippe Auguste – spacious Apartment with kitchenette, sleeps 4, calm street, and very close to public transport. Check your travel dates now on booking.com or Agoda .

MBM – Eiffel Tower – Spacious Appartment very close to the Eiffel Tower, with kitchenette & washing machine. Check your travel dates now on booking.com or Agoda .

Midrange Hotels in Paris for Families

Yuna Les Halles – Serviced apartment in the heart of Paris with kitchenette, AC, and separate bedroom. Check your travel dates now on booking.com or Agoda.

Hotel du Levant – located in the Latin Quarter close to Notre Dame, very central with AC and minibar. Check your travel dates now on booking.com or Agoda .

Upscale Hotels in Paris for Families

Hotel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées – Great central and safe location, a family suite with mini bar & AC, and swimming pool – Check your travel dates on booking.com or Agoda .

Hotel Opéra Richepanse – very spacious Family suit in central Paris with balcony and view of Paris, room equipped with all amenities – Check your travel dates now on booking.com or Agoda .

Hotels in Paris for Family of five

Hotels that cater to families of 5 are rare in Paris. Especially if you want to avoid booking 2 rooms. However, I could find a few hotels that fulfill the requirements and have enough room for larger families in Paris.

Budget Option: Altamira – Apartment with kitchen and washing machine for an unbeatable price. Close to transport, shops, and restaurants. Check your travel dates no on booking.com

Le Matissia – Cute Appartment with 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms, sleeps 6! With kitchen, incl. dishwasher. Check availabilities and rates on booking.com or Agoda

Les Jardins du Luxembourg – Parisian Appartment Hotel in the Latin Quarter with a small kitchenette AC and minibar, one double bed, and 3 individual beds. Check their availabilities now on booking.com or Agoda.

Voilà! If you have questions or need additional information, don’t hesitate to join the private Salut From Paris Facebook group !

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Must Have Paris Travel Essentials

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PS: Check out these posts, they will help you plan your trip to Paris

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• Paris hidden gems: 80+ well kept secrets you shouldn’t miss
• What NOT to do in Paris -23 (costly) Paris Mistakes you need to avoid!
• 14 Hotels with stunning Eiffel Tower views- for (almost) every budget!
• Your Perfect 2 Days in Paris! Itinerary & Insider Tips
• 5 ways to get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris – THE complete guide!
• Scams in Paris! How to avoid the most common cons

FAQ Paris with Kids

Paris is a great destination for families with children thanks to the many activities that are kid friendly. For example the Eiffel Tower (no brainer, is it?), the little train of Montmartre, or again the Jardin du Luxembourg.

I recommend staying with children in Paris for around 5 days. This gives you the opportunity to travel a bit slower and plan breaks and playtime, while still having enough time to explore the sights of Paris.

London is great for children, but Paris is as well. In Paris, most museums are free for children, and seeing the Eiffel Tower is a remarkable event. Paris has also many parks and pedestrian areas, which is good for kids to take a break.

While you can spend days visiting the Louvre, you can also follow the free masterpieces tour. It’s a self-guided tour that shows you the most famous artworks of the Louvre and lasts around 1h30. It’s perfect for families with children to see the quintessence of the Louvre without running out of patience. You get the itinerary for free at the museum.

Children from 0-3 pay no charge in the Parisian Metro. From 4 to 9 kids pay a reduced fare and from 10, the normal fee applies.

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Visiting Paris with Young Kids? Here’s How to Make it Fun for Everyone in the Family

There are plenty of wonderful things to do in paris with kids, even very young ones..

• I’m an American expat who lives full-time in Italy and writes about my expat life at itch.world .
• I planned a family vacation to Paris when my daughter was just three years old.
• I made some adjustments to my usual travel style and discovered Paris can be a delight even with a toddler (or two) in tow.

Our friends were shocked when they learned my husband and I were planning a trip to Paris with our daughter when she was just three years old. “But isn’t the City of Light meant for couples?” Au contraire ! There are plenty of wonderful things to do in Paris with kids—even very young ones. So wonderful, in fact, that we returned often as our daughter grew, and we included a baby son into the mix too.

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We certainly had to adjust to visiting as parents rather than as a couple, but finding things to do in Paris with kids brought a whole new side of the city to life. Kid-friendly Paris takes many forms, and can be a delight for parents as well. Here are my tips for making the most of your time there.

How I Made the Most of My Time in Paris

Approaching a trip to Paris with kids requires adapting to the local lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you should stick to your usual schedule at home. In fact, I advise against it.

1) Don’t recreate your schedule on the local time zone.

For our visit to Paris with our three-year-old, we were coming from California and had to deal with a nine-hour time difference. We decided to embrace an amorphous time zone rather than try to recreate our usual schedule on local time. We’d wake up around 11:00, have a late breakfast, do a mid-afternoon activity, go back and rest for an hour or so, and then go out for the long evening when the summer skies were light until 10:30. It turns out, Paris is somehow even more beautiful in the summer evenings than it is during the day.

QUICK TRIP : Only 2 Days in Paris? Here’s How to Make the Most of It

This adjusted time-zone approach allowed us to eat with the locals, who often dine at 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening; hang out in outdoor cafes; and take long, memorable evening walks. Everyone still got their normal amounts of sleep and we got to see Paris at its best … and not be as exhausted and jet lagged .

2) Stay at the same Paris hotel each time.

If you plan to return to Paris with kids, finding a hotel that you come back to again and again makes it feel more like home. We’ve stayed in rental apartments as well, which are handy for the kitchen and more space, but I love returning to the same spot that gave our kids a sense of place and the confidence of knowing a small corner of Paris when they were little.

Navigating the Food Scene in Paris with Kids

People go to Paris to eat, but figuring out how to navigate the world-famous food scene with kids can be daunting. Here are two strategies I’ve used to boost my chances of success with my own kids.

1) Picnics are the kid-friendliest dining-out option in Paris.

I’ve learned to travel with a picnic blanket tucked in my luggage. In Paris, most of the city seems to come out at dusk for a picnic. Some favorite spots are the beautiful Pont Des Arts footbridge over the Seine and along the banks at the point of the Ile Saint-Louis.

Dinner picnics in Paris are a relaxed and fun way to enjoy French food with zero restaurant pressure for kids. They’re also a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture—especially in summer, when groups of Parisians meet up for picnics and there’s abundant music and socializing. Along with a memorable meal, the kids can run around and come by for bites in the middle of one of the most beautiful places on earth.

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Part of our afternoon adventures would be to find an array of cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, bread, chocolate or pastries, and of course wine in the many specialty shops, getting our kids involved in the choices along the way. The added bonus is that when we’d return to these small bakeries or cheese stores a day or so later, the staff would often remember us and the children. The kids would ask questions and want to try new things, and would be greeted warmly.

It doesn’t hurt to pack some picnic essentials like a small cutting board, a picnic knife (be sure to put it in your checked luggage), melamine plates, and lightweight but unbreakable picnic glasses so you don’t need to worry about getting anything once you arrive, although any French grocery store is well-stocked with picnic necessities.

2) You can have a great time at restaurants with kids… if you plan it right.

The French have fairly high standards around children in restaurants (French kids are well-schooled in not misbehaving in restaurants), but we found that with a bit of attention and prep we could comfortably eat almost anywhere. It helps to dress up a bit, make a reservation, come on time, and have some activities for your kids. If my kids got antsy between between courses, one of us would take them out for a walk around the block and return in time for the next course—hardly a hardship in Paris.

It also helps if the kids are not picky eaters, which is the stereotype of American kids in particular. Being blessed with adventurous eaters almost guarantees you a warm welcome at restaurants in Paris. When she was three, my daughter decided that her favorite food was escargot, largely because of the copious amounts of butter and garlic. When she ordered a dozen in halting French and then eagerly consumed them all, she earned the admiration of the entire brasserie, both staff and patrons.

Things to Do in Paris with Kids

There are so many things to do in Paris with kids. Kid-friendly activities abound, and while you may have to adjust your pre-kid Paris dream itinerary, you’ll be rewarded by adventures that are fun for the whole family.

1) Visit the museums of Paris, but do it strategically.

When planning things to do in Paris, many people put Paris’ amazing museums at the top of their list. But museum visits can be a huge challenge with kids. If you’re willing to be flexible, though, you can boost your chances of the whole family having fun when visiting museums in Paris.

Get a museum pass. At larger museums, I found it best to get a museum pass and to not spend too many hours in a museum. Instead, my family would return more than once (easy enough to do with a pre-paid museum pass) and take in a small amount each time—a tactic that works for adults as well.  

Make each museum visit a treasure hunt. Take the kids to the museum bookshop at the beginning of the museum visit and let them pick out a few postcards of art they like, then turn the visit into a treasure hunt during which they search for the art on their postcards.

Choose your museums wisely. Paris has museums dedicated to topics that might be closer to your children’s heart than, say, Mannerism at the Louvre. My son loves swords, so we spent a morning at one of the best collections of armor and swords in the world, the Musee de l’Armee . He was three at the time and we let him take the lead in showing us around. He walked with a confidence and purpose I hadn’t seen in him before, like this was the first place he’d been in his life that truly made sense to him. It’s one of my favorite memories. Plus, lesser-known museums tend to be much less crowded than the Louvre.

2) Discover the many Parisian parks that are a wonderland for kids.

Paris is a city of fantastic parks that are perfect for kids. I’ve spent hours at the Luxembourg Gardens , which features a fountain where you can rent tiny sailboats to push out into the water, go on pony rides, watch puppet shows, and ride a tiny carousel on which kids can try to hook rings with small lances to practice their knight skills.

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Beyond that, there are hundreds of gardens in which to take a break and let the kids run around, although take care to respect off-limits areas like many carefully groomed grass lawns. To combine a museum visit and a picnic, try the Rodin Museum garden grounds. The Jardin des Plantes (literally the Garden of Plants) features a small zoo, and kids will find endless delights at the the Tuileries and Palais Royal parks.

Pro tip: Most Paris parks feature little cafes where you can relax and enjoy a coffee or snack while the kids run around.

4) Take the metro with your kids.

The metro sounds like an odd attraction, but my kids found it pretty fascinating. And when they were slightly older, I taught them the basics of public transit navigation and let them help plan journeys and lead the way underground.

5) Enjoy one of the Paris summer festivals as a family.

Paris has a rich variety of summer festivals. One very popular Paris one is Paris Plage. Paris closes the expressway lining part of the Seine and turns it into a beach, complete with sand, bands, outdoor chairs, and food.

The Summer Solstice brings the Fete de la Musique, when bands and singers are out on every corner. It can get crowded, so you might want to consult with locals on where the best neighborhoods are for families.

On the night before Bastille Day in July, the local fire stations host balls called Bals des Pompiers , with dancing from around 9:00 p.m. until the wee hours of the morning. It is very local, great fun, and exactly when you’ll be glad you didn’t try to get on local time so that you were in bed at 10:00.

We’ve had some of our most relaxed, pleasurable, and memorable family moments traveling with babies and kids in Paris. It’s totally possible, and easy, to create your own family memories and treasured time in this magical city.

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How Our Family Spent 4 Days in Paris (itinerary, hotel, tickets, tips)

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our family just returned from spending almost 3 weeks in Europe , and I am so excited to share EVERYTHING with you! As I organize my photos and start to get blog posts up, I plan to go city by city, including London and Amsterdam . Today, it’s all about France and how my family spent 4 days in Paris, France , and our 4 day Paris itinerary.

Our Visit to Paris, France

We were in Paris from May 29th – June 2nd. I want to clarify that because I know how crowds and costs vary by season. Historically, summer is the busiest and most expensive time to visit Europe.

But we may have dodged a bullet heading there as soon as school got out. Most of the European schools go into June, and many into July. So, it wasn’t quite as busy as I expected. It was packed by the time we wrapped up our trip, leaving London in mid-June!

4 Days in Paris, France | June 2023

Paris was just as magical as I expected! And while I truly loved all six towns (four countries) we traveled to, Paris was my favorite. It could be the perfect weather: 75 degrees and sunny every day. Or maybe it was the Parisian cafe culture. Indulging in coffee, croissants, red wine, and people-watching are some of my favorite vices. And this was the perfect place to treat myself!

So, without further ado, I will share a little information about where we stayed and what we had to plan in advance. Then, I will jump into a day-by-day itinerary.

In the end, I will share a few more trip-planning resources and welcome you to leave any questions on this Paris itinerary post. I reply to each and every comment left on my blog.

Also, make sure to read my 10+ Must Have Europe Travel Essentials list so that you are well prepared!

Where Should You Stay in Paris?

If you google where to stay in Paris , you will get all kinds of answers! And that makes sense because everyone’s travel needs are different. We prioritize walkability and budget over luxury and serenity when we travel. For this reason, we chose to stay on Rue de Richelieu in the 1st arrondissement, right next to the 2nd.

If you are unfamiliar with how Paris is mapped out, 20 arrondissements or districts are laid out in a spiral from the city’s center. They generally get larger and more spread out the larger you go.

The 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th border the Seine River and are generally relatively walkable to many famous landmarks. We found Uber to be fairly expensive as streets in the center of the city are often one-way and disjointed, making a quick trip longer than it should be. We walked everywhere on this trip and could do that because we stayed right there in the heart of the city.

Where Do We Want to Stay on Our Next Trip to Paris?

I loved the 6th arrondissement and the Saint Germain des Prés . I would love to stay there on our next trip! I just loved the upscale shops, and the cafes in this area were extra charming if that is even possible!

That said, some people love to stay in the 7th, near the Eiffel Tower, and take the metro into other parts of the city.

Others enjoy the Montmartre area, home to The Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show and the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur . While this area looks charming, it’s a bit of a hike to the city’s center. Therefore, I don’t love it for a first-time visit to Paris. I would prefer to visit this area for a half day. But I have heard that the Sacré-Cœur offers incredible views over Paris and the Montmartre Food Guided Tour is a lot of fun.

But everyone has their own taste! My advice for first-time visitors to Paris is to find a place close to the heart of the city. On your trip, you will learn so much about the area and pinpoint where you’d want to stay on a future trip. After all, most of us are, in fact, tourists wanting to do touristy things!

Our Airbnb Rental For 4 Days in Paris

I want to point out that there are not many hotel options for a family of four in Europe. So many rooms accommodate only two, and occupancy is very strict. This may come as a surprise for first-time visitors to anywhere in Europe. So, don’t rule out Airbnb, VRBO , and apartment rentals for your family trip to Paris. Getting two hotel rooms would have added up fast for four days in Paris.

Booking.com is also a very good option, as many options are vacation rental-style apartments! This website is very popular in Europe, and the reviews tend to be spot-on. We used Booking.com in both Amsterdam and Santorini in the past year.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom Paris Airbnb with a sleeper sofa . As I mentioned above, we loved the location, and I liked the amount of space we got. My priority is ample room to spread out, especially on the first stop after a long-haul flight. I want my family to be able to decompress and get a great night’s sleep.

For reference, this Airbnb costs us $1975 for the 4 nights. I consider this a great deal for summer and a 3-5 minute walk from the Louvre and Seine Rivers. There was a grocery store and a cute cafe across the street, and everything was easy to walk to.

That said, it did have several maintenance issues. As an Airbnb host myself , we are easygoing, and I did share them with the host. She did ensure somebody repaired them, but I noticed previous guests mentioned the same issues in their reviews and a reply from her saying she fixed them. We had booked this back in January as a new listing with 2 reviews, meaning those reviews all came in during the Spring.

I didn’t want to strongly recommend staying here without disclosing that. Here is a view of the street we were on. This cafe was just steps away from our rental.

What Do You Need to Plan in Advance for Paris?

Speaking of booking in advance, there are some things that you need to plan far in advance for! I am not saying to plan out every minute of your trip—we don’t do that—but both The Lourve and the Eiffel Tower need an advance timed entrance ticket. So, here is the scoop on that.

The Lourve Tickets

You can book your Louvre Museum timed tickets to The Lourve up to 90 days in advance. I recommend getting the first slot of the day, which was 9 a.m. for us. As the day goes on, it gets busier. Just set yourself a reminder for 90 days ahead of your visit and grab that first slot.

Even if you are entitled to free admission through a city pass, Paris Museum Pass , or another program, you must ensure your time slot is secured in advance through the museum directly or the 3rd party ticket provider/guide. Basically, if you don’t know what time you are going, then you probably need to get your museum timed entrance nailed down.

There is always the possibility of getting same-day tickets, but the lines will be long and the hassle more immense. So, if the Lourve is on your Paris bucket list, plan ahead!

Eiffel Tower Advance Tickets

The Eiffel Tower is the other Paris landmark for which you should buy advance tickets, especially if you want to use the elevator or visit the Eiffel Tower summit.

You can buy Eiffel Tower tickets online up to 60 days in advance for elevator tickets and 14 days in advance for stairs tickets to the second floor. We didn’t book elevator tickets, and there are a lot of stairs. It’s still worth it, but take the elevator if you can.

RELATED POST: 11 Must See Landmarks in Paris

Also, these Eiffel Tower views are from the 2nd floor. Many say they can take or leave the summit, so this is entirely up to you. The summit was actually closed when we went. I don’t know if that is common, but I wanted to mention that. You can also purchase a variety of tickets through Get Your Guide, which often includes a host or a skip-the-line feature.

Other Things To Buy Tickets For in Paris

If you want to visit the Arc de Triumph , buy those tickets in advance, even a few days ahead. We tried to get them a day ahead, but none were left.

Any walking tours, food tours, or special events are also best when planned in advance of your Paris trip. Click here for a wonderful selection of Paris tours!

Our 4 Days in Paris Itinerary

I want to get into our actual 4 day Paris itinerary, so I will move on now. However, I will share some more tips and answer some questions I’ve been asked at the end of the post.

Day 1: Getting Settled and Strolling Around Paris

The first day of any trip for us is go-with-the-flow. It’s a chance to get settled and allow for any travel delays. On this trip, we flew on a red-eye 11:30 pm non-stop flight from Atlanta that arrived in Paris at 2 pm.

The timing worked out perfectly for us. We slept enough on the plane, rallied that afternoon, and were in bed by 10 p.m. Somehow, we woke up feeling great the next day and had little to no jet lag on this trip overseas!

We checked into our Airbnb, ventured out to a cute cafe, and enjoyed our first (of many) Croque Monsieurs. A must-have in Paris, this delicious French ham and cheese sandwich varies a bit from place to place. Generally, cheese (typically Gruyère) is broiled on top of the bread.

After eating, we strolled around our neighborhood, passing past the Louvre’s pyramids, golden in the early evening. We continued through the Jardin des Tuileries. We found ourselves on a bridge overlooking the River Seine with a lovely Eiffel Tower view before heading back to get some rest.

Day 2: Covering Ground and Soaking Up Culture and History

Since we had four full nights in Paris, I also left the second day unplanned. There is no need to jam-pack your 3, 4, or 5 day Paris itinerary. I specifically booked both the Lourve and the Eiffel Tower for the third day and factored in an afternoon nap. This left every other day wide open for my family to explore Paris.

We woke up surprisingly refreshed and headed out in search of crepes. Creperie Parisienne fits the bill perfectly! We then strolled past Louis Vuitton headquarters and the famous Yayoi Kusama sculpture on rue du Pont Neuf.

Pont Neuf, the Île de la Cité and Notre-Dame

From there, we crossed the Pont Neuf. Completed in 1607, this is the oldest stone bridge in Paris. It’s the gateway to the oldest part of the city – Île de la Cité . We weaved through the streets and past the Sainte Chapelle before finding ourselves at the Notre Dame Cathedral.

How near would we even be able to get to Notre Dame as fire restoration work is diligently underway? Surprisingly, it was close. The interior is closed, but there are tasteful displays along the barrier surrounding it, sharing the restoration efforts. I would love to see it again one day, as it once was!

Luxembourg Gardens and Saint Germain Des Pres

Our feet were already a little tired, so we grabbed a snack and drink and secured an Uber to take us to (relatively nearby) Luxembourg Gardens . We only spent a little bit of time here but enjoyed relaxing and people-watching in this picturesque park.

And we did work up an appetite! We made our way to La Palette , a charming French bistro cafe that just so happened to be featured in a Taylor Swift video. The song Begin Again, was the soundtrack to my time in Paris. So, if you are heading to Paris for the Eras Tour in 2024, make sure to stop by this Paris Taylor Swift connection!

Every time I saw another chic cafe, the lyrics “on a Wednesday in a cafe” spontaneously emerged from my lips!

We strolled back across the Seine River and made our way back to our Airbnb for some rest. After that, we let Abby rest and took Jake to explore the Palais Royal Gardens next door. Somehow, we ended up aboard a permanent boat nearby on the Seine, enjoying sunset cocktails with the most beautiful view!

And for dinner? The kids each got a bag of Madelines from the grocery store next door, and Matt and I had a wonderful dinner at the Cafe de Richelieu across the street. Everybody wins! I actually think these short breaks from each other help keep everyone’s spirits up.

Day 3: Lourve and a Change of Plans

I mentioned above that I planned both ticketed activities for our third day. And it worked out great. Well, almost!

A Morning at The Lourve

We started the day at the world-renowned Louvre Museum. Our family checked the Mona Lisa off our bucket list, and Abby particularly enjoyed seeing Hammurabi’s Code in person. The museum is HUGE, and we only covered a quarter of it in the 4 hours we were there, but we hit each of the must-see pieces at The Lourve.

Planning To Visit The Eiffel Tower

After a good lunch of French sandwiches and pastries, we took some rest and then headed off to the Eiffel Tower. I booked 7 p.m. tickets to see the city during the golden hour and stay for the sunset.

We even used the metro to get there. Although we used the subway and train systems in many major cities, most places in Paris were more manageable to walk to.

As ideally as you plan things, you always have to be prepared to pivot. Not 15 minutes after we got off the subway near the Eiffel Tower, I received an email saying that all Eiffel Tower tickets were canceled for that day. It was closed at the last minute. They issued a refund, and I panicked!

Luckily, I could get on their website and buy the same tickets (stairs to the 2nd floor) for the following night. Luckily, they were still available online. For this reason, I advise you not to plan the Eiffel Tower for your last day!

A Last Minute Seine River Cruise

We scrambled and decided to do a Seine River Cruise . We were doing it on the fly and found it overwhelming trying to figure out which one to book and where they each departed from. Finally, we found Vedettes de Paris , whose cruises leave from the riverbanks near the Eiffel Tower. We enjoyed it, and in hopes of helping someone else who finds themselves in our shoes, I wrote an entire blog post about our Seine River Cruise , complete with photos of the entire experience.

Dinner was at their cafe while we awaited our cruise, and it was low-key and really relaxing! We did get an Uber back to our Airbnb so that we didn’t have to mess with metro transfers and called it a night.

Day 4: Shopping, Charming Cafes, and Eiffel Tower Take Two

I had left our last full day empty to get in anything we hadn’t yet done. That was a plus because it allowed us to rebook the Eiffel Tower.

We spent the morning in pairs. Abby and I headed over to Saint Germain Des Pres for some shopping. We found the cutest shop for her called Brownie , based out of Spain. The culottes she bought are adorable!

Matt and Jake enjoyed a late breakfast before joining us at the nearby Cafe de Flore . This is an iconic Parisian Cafe frequented by many icons in years past, including Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, and Picasso. We had a late lunch at this historic French restaurant.

What came next? More downtime! The kids rested up while Matt and I strolled around Paris, enjoying afternoon drinks at several places. I miss this already! Nowhere to be and everywhere to go!

We had a little deja vue as we returned to the Eiffel Tower. We put in our steps, climbing the 674 stairs to the 2nd floor. It was, in fact, worth it for the captivating views of Paris! The Iron Lady and all her glory are iconic. You have to appreciate the historical significance and pre-grandeur that a visit to the Eifell Tower brings!

You Don’t Have To Go Home, But You Can’t Stay Here

I could have stayed, though. I was excited to move on to Belgium but would have loved a few more days in Paris. Can you ever spend too much time in Paris?

I booked our Thalys Train Tickets to Brussels for 12:22 p.m. We slept in, packed up, and locked the doors precisely at the 11 a.m. checkout time. We took an Uber to Paris Nord Train Station. I am glad I allowed extra time because there was a lot of traffic heading up that way, and we didn’t have much extra time.

It was our first time taking a European train trip and was very straightforward. You walk into the station, and this train leaves from the track right in front of you! No security or ticket line. Just download the Thalys App , and they can get your tickets as you board. Make sure you have the app downloaded for any of your train travels. It is the most accurate way to keep up and manage your booking.

Book train tickets in advance during peak travel seasons, as many are sold out. We were able to book a 4-seat group with a table and had a comfortable train trip to Brussels . I also have posts up all our time in Belgium – Brussels and our fairytale day trip to Bruges !

What Didn’t We Do During Our 4 Days in Paris?

We didn’t get too many recommended stops on this trip to Paris . Consider these for your visit if any of them interest you! I do regret not getting to the Musée d’Orsay . I would have loved to see Blue Water Lilies and all of the Van Gogh. Same-day tickets were available, and we walked by numerous times but couldn’t squeeze it in.

Arc de Triomphe: Admire the grand arch and its historical context

Musée d’Orsay: Admire impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces

Sainte-Chapelle: Marvel at the stunning stained glass windows

Champs-Élysées: Stroll along the famous avenue, shopping and dining

Montmartre: Soakin the bohemian atmosphere and visit the Sacré-Cœur and Moulin Rouge

Latin Quarter: Experience the vibrant student atmosphere and enjoy delicious French cuisine

Palace of Versailles: Venture out on a day trip to the opulent royal residence and its gardens

FAQ and Tips for a Memorable Trip to Paris

Overall, our visit to Paris was everything we wanted and more! I fell in love with this incredible city; one visit is certainly not enough! I did come away with a few Paris travel tips to share with you.

Was 4 Days in Paris Enough?

It was a good start! We had enough time to get a feel for the city and check many things off our list. Two to three days is almost too short of a stay in Paris, especially if you are susceptible to jet lag. Don’t be afraid to spend an entire week in Paris !

What is the Best Way to Get Around in Paris?

As long as you are staying somewhere central, walking is the best way to get around. The metro is very convenient if your route doesn’t involve multiple transfers and you are near a station. But be prepared to take Uber at times, especially to and from the airport. And plan for Paris traffic!

What Are the Best Times To Visit Popular Attractions and Avoid Crowds?

Hands down, morning and evening are the best time to visit busy attractions. Everyone is out mid-day, and ticketed stops often have overlapping groups at that time. If you are traveling during summer, expect it to be consistently busy everywhere. Use that post-lunch window for a nap! The summer sun sets at almost 10 pm in Paris, leaving you a long day to work with.

Do You Tip in Paris?

There are some local customs and etiquette to remember when visiting Paris. The tipping culture we are accustomed to in the United States does not exist here. It is common to round up or leave a few Euros for a server – enough to buy them a beer. However, you do want to tip private tour guides and services along that line, similar to what you are used to in the USA.

Also, always pay attention to the bike lanes in these large European cities!

How Can You Avoid Jetlag When Traveling to Europe?

I am a major fan of the 9 pm – 12 am long-haul flights. This provides the best opportunity to be tired enough to sleep on the plane. Also, arriving in Europe around 11 am – 3 pm offers a half day to explore a new city and get to bed at 9 pm or 10 pm. This sets the tone for the rest of the trip!

How Much Does 4 Days In Paris Cost?

The cost should be easy to calculate. The majority of your budget will go toward airfare and accommodations. After that, add up your ticketed Paris activities, and you’ll have a good ballpark figure. Walking around Paris is free, as is visiting many gardens and strolling the Seine River. The only other thing you need to account for is food and drink. And the good news is the wine is cheap in Paris .

We found food in Paris to be much cheaper than we first anticipated. Part of it is because the tax is included in the price, and the tipping culture is unlike what we see in the US. We would often grab chocolate croissants and coffee for breakfast, and the total bill for our family of 4 was 10-12 Euro. Even the sit-down dinners were roughly 30% less than I would have paid for a similar experience in the United States.

Are You Planning A Trip To Paris?

I hate to rub it in that I 100% predicted this in my What to Expect in 2023 Travel blog post from last November. But I see so many people traveling to Europe. Bucket lists were put on hold during the pandemic, and what once was a lifelong dream is now a real possibility. Overseas travel does not have to feel overwhelming.

We do not use travel agents, and to be honest, all I do is book flights and accommodations. The day-to-day aspects of a trip can be planned slowly, and truthfully, you don’t have to plan everything out. Plan those ticketed Paris attractions that sell out, such as The Lourve and Eifell Tower elevator tickets.

Then, fill your days with walks along the Seine River and red wine in cute cafes. And in the City of Light, you can always catch the Eifell Tower lights twinkling at night. To be exact, they twinkle for the first five minutes of every hour after dark.

You can not see all of Paris in 4 days. Still, you can create a Paris itinerary perfect for your family! And you can easily stretch my recommendations into a Paris itinerary 7 days or 10 days long. It just means more time for cute cafes and lazy afternoons in the garden of Paris.

Happy travels, and thank you for coming along on our trip to Paris! You can catch the entirety of our time in Paris in this Instagram Story Highlight . There are so many things to do in Paris!

Are you inspired to plan your own trip to Paris? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Here are some other fun activities to consider for your Paris vacation!

PIN This 4 Days in Paris Itinerary Blog Post

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6 Comments on “How Our Family Spent 4 Days in Paris (itinerary, hotel, tickets, tips)”

Click here to read more about our European Travels: https://ourlittlelifestyle.com/category/travel/europe/

If you ever go back, try the ThatLou Scavenger Hunt in the Louvre. It was pretty awesome.

It does take a few visits to Paris to know what areas you might want to stay in. Each area has so much to see local to the area. But I agree with staying close to the heart of the city for easy access to many spots. Good idea to plan the key sites you want to visit and get your tickets in advance. You certainly covered a lot with your family on a 4 day visit.

Some great tips here! Love the idea of the river cruise!

I’ve been dying to go back to Paris. Excellent itinerary, brings back some memories 🙂

You covered so much in 4 days! I like to prioritize walkability/budget as well when I’m looking for places to stay—thanks for your honesty on the Airbnb!

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Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Sarah

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19 Best Tours + Experiences in Paris for Families (Using Tripadvisor)

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This article on the best tours in Paris for families was done in partnership with + sponsored by Tripadvisor.

Families planning a trip to Paris should also search for the best tours and experiences in Paris for kids! Whether you want to cruise along the River Seine, see famous art at the Louvre, or get an aerial view of the city from the iconic Eiffel Tower , there are so many must-visit attractions in the City of Light! When you’re looking for tours, Tripadvisor has a selection of options for kids of all ages, from little kids who want to see the city via bike to teens in search of their own scavenger hunt. Choose between half-day tours, full-day options, and even day trips outside of Paris, like to Versailles.

On this list, we’ve put together a list of the 19 best tours and experiences in Paris for families and why we love them so much. Keep reading to find out more and plan your next Parisian adventure! To top it off, save 10% on any Tripadvisor tour with our code: FLT10 .

Best Sightseeing Tours in Paris for Families

When visiting Paris with kids, it’s only fair you visit iconic destinations like the Eiffel Tower , Notre Dame, and the Louvre. Here are our favorite picks for the best sightseeing tours in Paris for families! 

Click here to discover Fantastic Things To Do In Paris With Young Kids ! 

Eiffel Tower Reserved Access Tour With Summit Access By Elevator

Photo Courtesy: Tripadvisor

Why wait in a long line to see the Eiffel Tower when you can skip the chaos with an Eiffel Tower Reserved Access Tour With Summit access ? With this 1 hour tour, families can head straight to the second floor. From there, you can appreciate views of the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame Cathedral, which your guide will all point out. And, though most tours only visit the second floor, with this one you’ll be able to continue to the summit. This will give you an even better perspective! Kids will love getting to see this iconic monument from the inside. And, parents can even stop for a celebratory glass of champagne. This is definitely one of the best Paris sightseeing tours for families (please note that kids must be age 4+ for this tour)! 

Paris Must-See Sites Tour for Families and Kids With Child-Friendly Guide

Families looking for the best Paris tours to take with kids will love this Paris Must-See Sites Tour For Families and Kids With Child-Friendly Guide ! Lasting around 3 hours, this tour is ideal for all ages . In fact, this kid-friendly tour covers some of the most major landmarks in Paris! You will get to see fantastic spots like the Tuileries Garden, Champs Elysées, and Place de la Concorde. It’s led by an experienced art historian who will bring the city to life in a unique way that entertains kids and keeps them interested the whole time. You’ll even get to start your tour at the Garnier Opera House, which inspired the Phantom of the Opera! Plus, you’ll finish the tour at the Champ de Mars, where you can appreciate the Eiffel Tower. 

Paris Highlights Bike Tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame

One of the best experiences in Paris with kids is seeing the city by bike! With its wide streets and abundance of bike lanes, this is a great way to see the city in a new way. It’s an especially great option with active tweens or teens. This Paris Highlights Bike Tour With Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame is available to all ages who have the physical ability to ride a bike. Though it’s around 4 hours long, so younger kids may get tired. See iconic landmarks like the Champs-Elysées or the Louvre and cover more ground than on foot. You can also pass by Ile de la Cité, where you’ll spot Notre Dame Cathedral, and stop to take pictures at the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, your guide will teach your kids some fun facts you may not have known about Paris! 

Paris Sightseeing Family-Friendly Guided Electric Bike Tour

Families who want the benefits of a bike tour without all of the labor can take a Paris Sightseeing Family-Friendly Guided Electric Bike Tour ! Lasting around two hours, it is recommended for all ages . Surely, this is one of the best things to do with kids in Paris. You’ll get to see or pass by landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Place Vendome, Point des Arts, and more. All the while, you’ll enjoy some entertaining commentary from your guide. Since it’s an electric bike, you can save energy and let its motor do the propelling for you, which makes it a better choice for younger kids. And you’ll definitely get a few good pictures out of it! 

Paris City Sightseeing Half-Day Guided Segway Tour with a Local Guide

Looking for the best day tours in Paris with kids? You’ll love this Paris City Sightseeing Half-Day Guided Segway Tour With A Local Guide ! Recommended for ages 12 and up , this flexible tour offers families a 45-minute, 90-minute, or 3-hour option. This way, you can fit it into your schedule as you see fit. Even if you’ve never ridden a Segway before, it’s fantastic for beginners. Before starting, you’ll get instructions beforehand and, of course, a helmet. During your tour, your guide will take you to places such as the Grand and Petit Palais, Place de la Concorde, and the Arc de Triomphe. Plus, you’ll also get to stop for pictures at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. All of this makes this one of the best Paris sightseeing tours for families! 

Montmartre Walking Tour: Paris’ Best Art, Culture, and Food

If you’re looking for a quick and entertaining option for the best tours in Paris for families, check out this Montmartre Walking Tour: Paris’ Best Art, Culture, and Food ! On this hour-and-a-half-long tour for all ages , families can explore Montmartre, one of the city’s most charming and creative districts. Start your tour at the iconic Moulin Rogue before proceeding to Cafe Des Moulins and even seeing the streets where Van Gogh, Pissaro, and other famous artists lived and worked. Kids will love the neighborhood’s colorful street art, and there are lots of photo opportunities along the way. Plus, your guide can teach you more about the neighborhood and how it became the bohemian hub it is today. You’ll conclude your tour at the highest point in Paris, at the steps of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica! 

Remember to use our special code: FLT10 to save 10% on any Tripadvisor tour!

Best History + Museum Tours in Paris for Families

Paris is a city filled with history and culture, from its cosmopolitan streets to its many museums. If your kids are interested in learning more about this vibrant city, check out these best history and museum tours in Paris for families! 

Louvre Highlights Tour for Kids with Skip The Ticket Line

Kids who want to learn more about art in a fun and engaging way will love this Louvre Highlights Tour For Kids with Skip The Line Ticket ! Around 2 hours, it’s ideal for all ages . This tour lets you use the priority entrance for visiting the Louvre, saving you the hassle of waiting in line. Then, you’ll get to explore the museum with a professional art historian guide, who will bring the paintings to life for your kids. Learn more about iconic works like the Mona Lisa and other Renaissance masterpieces while your guide explains a little more about the work. They’ll also motivate your kids with special prizes and materials to keep them engaged the whole time. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best tours in Paris for families!

Family Treasure Hunt at the Louvre Museum

Nothing makes a family vacation to Paris quite as interesting as a Family Treasure Hunt at the Louvre Museum ! Ideal for kids 3 and up , this family-friendly tour lasts around 2 hours. On the tour, the entire family will enjoy a visit to the Louvre on a family treasure hunt. Tours are usually tailored to your kids’ ages (between 3 and 6 years old or 7 and 12 years old). They also feature an activity booklet to keep kids engaged. Not only will your guide tell them more about famous works like the Mona Lisa or the Venus of Milo, but they’ll also be encouraged to look at the famous works and create their own interpretations (like: Why does the Mona Lisa smile?). It’s a fantastic way to mix up your museum experience in Paris with kids! 

Versailles Bike Tour With Palace Timed Entry Ticket & Marie Antoinette’s Domain

One of the best day tours in Paris to take with kids is this Versailles Bike Tour With Palace Timed Entry Ticket & Marie Antoinette’s Domain ! This 7 to 9-hour tour, which is usually in a small group, offers families with kids of all ages a chance to visit the breathtaking Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris. Your ticket will include round-trip train tickets from Paris, so you won’t have to worry about arranging your travel. Once you arrive, you’ll get to tour the gardens on a bike. This way you can see even more than you would on foot. You’ll also get access to the Hall of Mirrors, Le Petit Trianon, and other areas of the palace, which you can explore at your own pace. 

Fast Access Paris Catacombs and City Highlights Tour for Kids and Families 

Descend into the Paris underground on a Fast Access Paris Catacombs and City Highlights Tour For Kids and Families . Ideal for kids of any age (unless they’re sensitive to subject matter such as death), this 2-hour tour lets you skip the line and gain access to the Paris Catacombs. Explore the underground tunnels and tombs as your guide explains the history of the Catacombs and more about how they came to be. Plus, you’ll get access to areas of the Catacombs that aren’t open to the general public. Certainly, this is one of the best experiences in Paris with kids! 

Best Food Tours + Cooking Classes in Paris for Families

Foodie families can’t get enough of these food tours and cooking classes in Paris! Whether you want to learn how to make macrons or taste your way through the city’s culinary scene, there are lots of options for families visiting Paris. Here are some of our favorites! 

Paris’s Flavors: Customized Food Tour for the Whole Family 

Taste the very best of French cuisine on Paris’s Flavors: Customized Food Tour For The Whole Family ! From chocolate to cheese and even oysters, this two-hour tour is designed especially for families with kids of all ages ! With your gourmet guide, you’ll get a private tasting tour through Paris’s best markets and bakeries, including eight tastings, drinks, and even a few sweet treats for kids. Along the way, you’ll learn more about the Parisian culinary scene and what makes French food so special. Kids will also receive puzzles and treasure hunts to keep them entertained the whole time. Parents will even get to stop for some wine! 

Pastry & Chocolate Family Tour in the Marais

Sugar lovers can’t get enough of this Pastry & Chocolate Family Tour in the Marais ! From Brittany to Lille, this 2-and-a-half-hour tour takes you through the various regions of France as you eat your way through Paris’s chic Le Marais neighborhood. Kids of all ages will love getting to learn all about the different regions and their various desserts, as your guide provides interesting commentary. Plus, you’ll also get to know more about the neighborhood and how it pulls from all these national influences. In total, you’ll get to try eight different kinds of pastries and chocolate. And, your tour will even end with a chocolate fondue experience! 

Paris French Bakery Behind the Scenes Experience

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at a Parisian bakery? With this Paris French Bakery Behind The Scenes Experience , you can find out! This is certainly one of the best things to do in Paris with kids of all ages , as you’ll get to experience a small-group, authentic class at a wonderful French bakery. This two-hour class begins with breakfast, and then kids can get their hands dirty and learn how to make exceptional baguettes, croissants, and ‘pain au chocolat.’ It involves lots of rolling, kneading, and mixing, which is sure to keep kids’ attention, and they’ll even get a glimpse at some industrial machines! 

Paris Cooking Class: Learn How to Make Macarons

One of the best tours and experiences in Paris for foodie families is surely a Paris Cooking Class: Learn How To Make Macarons ! This 3-hour tour, which is recommended for kids 12 and up , will teach families how to create one of the city’s best delicacies. Your instructor will walk you through the process, from choosing your shells to filling them with buttercream, to help you create the perfect macaron. Plus, once you’re done, you get to sample your creations with coffee or tea! You’ll also learn more about French culture, cuisine, and the role macarons play in both. If you’ve taken a class before, you can also upgrade your booking to an advanced class and learn how to sharpen your skills. 

Use our Families Love Travel special code: FLT10 to save 10% on any Tripadvisor tour!

Best Private Family Tours in Paris

Want to experience Paris in a personalized and intimate way? Check out these best private family tours in Paris! Your kids will get personalized attention and have plenty of opportunities to ask questions, not to mention learn and have fun! Stay tuned for more options on the best tours and experiences in Paris for families! 

Wondering Where To Stay In Paris? Here are the 12 Best Arrondissements & Why Families Love Them !

Paris Private Day Tour & Seine Cruise for Kids and Families 

Want to cruise the Seine in style on one of the best private tours in Paris? Check out this Paris Private Day Tour & Seine Cruise For Kids and Families ! This seven-hour tour is ideal for families with kids of all ages , especially young kids, who want to see the sights without having to do all the arranging and traveling. From visiting the famous Parisian flower market to seeing Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the streets of Le Marais, you’ll get to see the highlights across the city with a guide who will make the experience fascinating for your little ones. You’ll also get to embark on a 1-hour cruise down the Seine! Your ticket also includes admission to the Jardin des Tuileries and a complimentary breakfast or snack. 

Private Eiffel Tower Elevator Tour with Summit 

If you’ve ever wanted to feel like royalty with a private tour of the Eiffel Tower, this two-hour Private Eiffel Tower Elevator Tour With Summit is one of the best options for families with kids ages 4+ ! You can choose between multiple times and then take in landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and Notre Dame from the ground level. Then, you’ll get to visit the second floor, which has an observation deck and somewhere to get snacks and drinks. You’ll also get to ascend to the 905-foot summit, where you’ll enjoy epic views over Paris! Throughout the tour, families will get to learn more about the history of the tower and its unique architecture. Kids can even browse the exhibits and see a model of the Eiffel Tower before it was built!

Paris Chocolate and Pastry Private Tour with Secret Food Tours 

Paris is known for its delectable pastries, and there’s no better way to sample them than on a Paris Chocolate and Pastry Private Tour With Secret Food Tours ! This two-and-a-half-hour tour, which is recommended for ages 3 and up , takes families through the busting Montmartre neighborhood, where you’ll learn how to satisfy your sweet tooth like a local! Since it’s a small-group setting, it’s perfect for families who want to get intimately acquainted with the city’s dessert scene. You’ll get to sample a variety of sweets, including chocolates, macarons, crepes, pastries, and hot chocolate or ice cream, depending on the season. This is surely one of the best tours and experiences in Paris for families! 

Paris Seine River Private Boat Tour 

Get an exclusive view of the Seine River and all its attractions on a Paris Seine River Private Boat Tour ! Lasting around 2 hours, this tour is perfect for all ages because it passes by some of the city’s most iconic landmarks without dwelling too much on any particular one (and making your kids too bored.) You’ll get views of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum , and Pont-Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city. Plus, kids will even get to see the original Statue of Liberty! The captain is very energetic and will make them feel right at home too. You can choose between a daytime tour or an evening tour, where you can see Paris illuminated by twinkling lights. Passing by the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles in the moonlight will be a truly unforgettable experience!  

Private Louvre Teens Tour

Teens who want a new and interactive way to explore Paris can’t miss this Private Louvre Teens Tour . As one of the best private tours in Paris for teens, this two-and-a-half-hour tour includes an immersive scavenger hunt throughout the museum, where teens will have to unmask which “thief” committed the crime. They’ll complete a series of challenges with different instructions to get to the next step, and your Louvre guide will be there to help. Each game/puzzle relates to the artwork in the museum, so it’ll help them engage with the subject matter while having fun at the same time! 

Happy Travels!

Photo Courtesy (L-R) Sabeen Reza Burnette , Veen Huffnagle , Jigna Patel Munver

We hope you liked this list of the 19 Best Tours + Experiences in Paris for Families (Using Tripadvisor)! From the iconic Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum , there are so many things to do in Paris with kids. Enjoy your family vacation in Paris! 

*This post may contain affiliate links that may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links in no way inform the hotels, sights, products, or other recommendations included in our articles. All opinions and recommendations expressed here are that of the Families Love Travel Team.

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"There's nowhere quite like Paris and it's amazing to watch our guests light up when they see bucket list icons like the Eiffel Tower in real life. Don't forget to slow down and savour the freshly baked pastries from the local boulangerie and mingle with the locals in the sidewalk cafés and markets."

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See the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the Louvre

You can’t take a Paris trip without visiting the Louvre. It’s the both the largest art museum and the most-visited museum in the world, and you can soak it all in with our special evening experience at the Louvre. You’ll discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa with your Local Specialist and enjoy the quiet atmosphere without the crowds. Simply magical.

Visit the remarkable church of Saint-Sulpice

Paris is full of spectacular architecture, and the church of Saint-Sulpice may be one of the best. This medieval cathedral is the second-largest church in the city and your Paris travel guide will show you around the stunning facades, stained glass windows, impressive fountains, unique sundial, and the breathtaking organ, one of the largest in the world.

Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the River Seine

As the scenic centrepiece of Paris, you can’t miss exploring the iconic River Seine. We’ll wander along the pretty riverbank by day and take you on a special Seine cruise by night, when the City of Light is illuminated in twinkling lights. Look out for icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame, and relax as you drift along this enchanting river.

Explore the Latin Quarter of Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, you’ll join a Local Specialist to discover the Latin Quarter, the city’s epicentre of culture, learning and creativity. See the ancient Sorbonne University, one of the world’s first universities, soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this student hotspot, and perhaps even stop by the legendary Shakespeare and Co bookstore.

Experience a traditional Parisian Cabaret

You’ve probably seen the Parisian Cabaret in dozens of movies and photos, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing the real thing. We’ll take you to the world-famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret, where you’ll enjoy dinner, champagne and a dazzling show of 60 dancers and over 1,000 costumes, for an incredible evening you’ll never forget.

Our top 5 things to do in Paris

With so many incredible Paris attractions to choose from, we’ll show you the very best things to do in Paris, from the beautiful Saint-Sulpice to the original Parisian cabaret.

Musée Rodin

Located just steps away from the Eiffel Tower, you can’t miss the spectacular Musée Rodin. Founded in 1916 by Auguste Rodin himself, the museum features the artist’s incredible sculptures within an 18th-century rocco mansion and a stunning three-hectare garden, along with his personal collection of paintings, photographs and ancient artefacts.

Paris Opera & Palais Garnier

If you want to experience the height of Parisian opulence, it’s got to be the Palais Garnier. This extraordinary building is a 1,979-seat opera house constructed in the late 19th-century, and is renowned as the setting for The Phantom of the Opera. Today you can discover its magnificent treasures or even spend a glitzy night at the opera or ballet.

Grand Palais

Located right across from the Champs-Élysées, the Grand Palais is an icon of Paris with its giant glass ceiling and Beaux-Arts style architecture. Its interior is even more thrilling, with national art galleries, science museums and exhibition halls all held under the famous dome, and you can easily spend a day or two here.

Best museums in Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, we’ll make sure you get your fill of the best Paris museums, from the iconic Louvre to the magnificent Opéra Garnier.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is the ultimate French vegetarian dish, loved by all for its heartwarming local flavors. It’s essentially a vegetable stew, made with a rich tomato sauce and a rainbow of veggies like zucchini, eggplant and squash, and herbs like basil, garlic and thyme. One bite and you’ll fall in love with the home-cooked ratatouille of Paris.

One of France’s most famous recipes, Coq au Vin features wine-braised chicken served alongside ingredients like mushrooms and bacon. Across the country you will try many regional versions of this comforting dish, which translates fittingly to “rooster/cock with wine”.

French cuisine celebrates both savory and sweet ingredients, not just in the form of croissants. Find true street-food joy in the popular dessert of crêpes, with strawberries, Nutella, bananas and lemon curd just some of the toppings loved by locals and travelers alike. Or, try the national specialty crêpes Suzette with orange zest and caramelized butter.

Best food in Paris

Our Paris holidays are filled with the legendary Parisian cuisine, and we’ll show you all the best places to try your French favorites from fresh croissants to delicate desserts.

What to pack for Paris

French phrasebook

It’s a good idea to learn some common French phrases before arriving in Paris, and the locals are sure to appreciate your efforts to learn their mother tongue.

Camera & extra SD card

Paris is full of soul-stirring moments you’ll want to capture forever, so be sure to pack a few extra SD cards for all those special snaps and videos.

Comfortable shoes

Whether you’re wandering through the Louvre, or strolling along the River Seine, you’ll need a comfy pair of shoes on your Paris tour.

Formal wear

If you want to hit the town in Paris with a Moulin Rouge show or a night at the opera, be sure to bring a glamorous outfit to fit in with the chic locals.

All-weather clothing

Paris is known for its unpredictable weather, with rain one day and sunshine the next. It’s best to pack both warm and cooler layers so you’re prepared for everything.

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Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

3 Days in Paris: The Perfect Paris Itinerary

Last updated: July 25, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 107 Comments

Thinking about spending 3 days in Paris? Great choice! We think that’s the perfect amount of time to spend in one of our favourite European cities, giving you the chance to see many of the top sights and attractions and really get a feel for the city.

Of course, if you have longer, that’s even better, but three days in Paris is certainly enough to see a lot, and works well either as a long weekend, or as part of a longer Europe trip itinerary like this .

To help you with your planning, we’re going to share with you everything we think you need to know to spend three days in Paris. We’re going to give you a suggested itinerary, tips for getting around, advice on where to stay in Paris, our thoughts on when is best to visit and even some suggested ways to save money in Paris.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents:

3 Day Paris Itinerary

This three-day Paris itinerary has you hitting all the major sites and attractions in the city. Naturally we suggest you use this as a guide, and add to or remove from it as necessary.

We also suggest you check the opening times and days for each attraction. For example, the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, so depending on when your trip to Paris is, you might need to re-order the days to get everything in.

Paris Itinerary:  Day 1

Eiffel tower.

What better way to start off your trip to Paris than with a visit to the Eiffel Tower . This is without doubt the most iconic landmark in Paris (if not France!), and a visit here is a must for any visit to Paris. When we visit Paris, we always visit at least once, and every time we are amazed at the sheer scale of this beautiful building.

There are a number of ways to enjoy the Eiffel Tower. First, you can just enjoy the views of the tower, which we think are particularly good from the Trocadero Gardens across the river, or the Champ de Mars gardens behind the Tower.

You can also go up inside the Eiffel Tower to one of the different floors, for expansive views of the city. We do like the experience of going up inside, but we don’t think it offers the best view of the city – because the view from inside the Eiffel Tower is missing the most famous part of the skyline – the Eiffel Tower itself!

Still, if this is your first visit to Paris, we highly recommend the experience. We do suggest that if you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, that you book your tickets in advance from the official website . The queues here for tickets can be very long, and with a pre-booked ticket you can skip the wait.

Alternatively, if you are feeling fit, you can also take the stairs up to the first level. There is not usually a very long queue for the stairs, which have their own ticket line, and it is also slightly cheaper. See our guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower to help you plan your visit.

There are other options for visiting as well. A guided climb of the Eiffel Tower is included on the Paris Pass . This runs in the middle of the day, so if you want to take advantage of this, you will likely want to switch the Eiffel Tower and Seine River Cruise around in this itinerary. It’s also included on the Paris City Card , with a choice of timeslots.

Finally, this tour includes a guided visit (with elevator) to the second floor with the option to visit the summit if you want. It also includes free cancellation, which the official ticket does not.

Seine River Cruise

Another must-do experience in Paris is a river cruise on the Seine. This is a very popular activity, with multiple operators offering cruises up and down the river.

We’ve taken many of these cruises and have actually written a post about the various Seine River sightseeing cruise options which goes through the majority of the operators.

If you’d prefer a dinner cruise, check out our guide to the best Seine River dinner cruises . We’ve done a few evening dinner cruises in Paris and really enjoyed that experience.

For a daytime cruise we can definitely recommend the Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise . These depart from just next to the Eiffel Tower, so fit in nicely with this itinerary. They are are  also included for free if you pick up a Paris Pass or a Paris City Card .

The cruise takes in all the highlights from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame, and there’s commentary included. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and let the scenery float by.

Hop on Hop off Bus

Talking of sitting back and relaxing, we find that a great way to get oriented in a new city and get an idea of the sights we want to see is to take a Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) bus tour.

Paris is no exception to this rule, and you can pick up a HOHO bus in Paris from right next to the Eiffel Tower, which will then take you around Paris’s key attractions.

There are multiple operators running different routes around the city. If you pick up a Paris Pass, it includes a 1 Day Big Bus Tour . We took this tour and enjoyed it – it’s both an easy way to get around the city, plus you can learn about many of the sights as you go.

However there are a few different HOHO options in Paris, so pick the one that works for you!

Paris Walking Tour

All this sitting around on buses and boats is great for getting oriented, but at some point you’re going to need to put your feet on the pavement! Paris is a wonderful city to explore on foot, and a guided walking tour is an excellent way to do that.

We think that if you are going to do a walking tour in a city, the first day is the best, as you can ask your guide for local recommendations such as their favorite places to eat or get a coffee, as well as get suggestions for hidden gems you might not find in the guidebooks.

There are lots of operators offering tours in Paris. We’ve taken a number of walking tours with Context Travel , and have always loved their detailed tours. They have a number of tours available in Paris, and you get 10% off with this link . We particularly enjoyed their Hemingway themed walking tour of Paris.

We also love Take Walks walking tours, and they have a number of Paris Tours . For example, they have a full day Paris tour , although this would require you to significantly alter this itinerary. They also have a number of excellent Paris food tour, including the Ultimate Paris Food Tour which is our personal favorite.

If you have a Paris Pass, it comes with a choice of free walking tours , which is worth looking into.

Tour Montparnasse

Last on our list for your first day in Paris is a trip up the Tour Montparnasse . I recommend this to everyone going to Paris, as it is, in my opinion at least, the location with the best view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

This is particularly the case at sunset, so if you can time your visit for sunset, you will get to witness a wonderful sunset across the Eiffel Tower, and then watch the city lights come to life.

The observation level is across two levels, one is inside and one is outside. The outside area is surrounded by glass, but there are cutouts so you can get reflection-free shots of the view. You can also bring a tripod up here! No wonder therefore that it’s on my list of favorite Paris photography locations .

There’s a fee to go up Tour Montparnasse, but it’s free for holders of the Paris Pass . You can also buy individual tickets online in advance  here .

Paris Itinerary:  Day 2

Our second day in Paris takes in some more iconic sites including some of Paris’s most famous museums and churches. It’s quite a full day, so do feel free to edit the itinerary to suit your particular interests, pace and needs!

Sainte Chapelle

It took me multiple visits to Paris before I finally made it to Sainte Chapelle . Now I urge everyone to make it a priority on their trip to Paris!

This is a relatively small chapel that is not too far from Notre Dame, but the interior, which consists of almost floor to ceiling stained glass, is absolutely outstanding. It will definitely take your breath away.

The 13th century Saint Chapelle is quite popular, and the small size and mandatory security checks mean that the line to get in can be long. This is why I have put it on my list as the first thing for your second day in Paris – you want to get here early, ideally get in line ten – fifteen minutes before the opening time. After all, no-one wants to spend their time standing in lines.

There’s a fee to enter Saint Chapelle, which is free to holders of the Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass .

You can also buy your ticket online in advance from GetYourGuide here , which is highly recommended as the ticket line can be very long. At time of writing the GetYourGuide ticket also includes access to the nearby Conciergerie, which is also well worth a visit.

Alternatively, you can buy a standalone ticket on the official site here .

No more than ten minutes’ walk from Sainte Chapelle is Paris’s most famous religious building, known for her flying buttresses, twin towers and, of course, hunchback resident.

You will definitely see two out of those three when you visit Notre Dame , the major Catholic cathedral in Paris. Construction of this magnificent building took nearly two hundred years, and was completed in 1345.

Unfortunately, on April 15th 2019 a devastating fire seriously damaged Notre Dame. The cathedral will be closed for the foreseeable future as a result of this tragic incident.

We certainly think it is worth visiting the facade, but as you can’t go inside at the moment, you might wish to visit another nearby attraction like the Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned) as well. You can get a combined ticket for that and Sainte Chapelle here

Musee d’Orsay

If you like museums, Paris has definitely gotten you covered. Our next stop is the Musee d’Orsay , but before you get here, you’re going to take a walk along Paris’s iconic left bank, from Notre Dame to the Musee d’Orsay.

This isn’t too far, but you’ll see the booksellers and get a feel for this part of town.

Paris’s museums are quite logically set up, with three main art museums covering three distinct time periods.

The Musee d’Orsay, first on our list, covers art dating from the middle of the 19th century up to the early 20th century, and is home to masterpieces from the likes of Duchamp, Kandinsky and Picasso, to name but a few.

The Louvre (see below), covers the time period before this, whilst the Centre Pompidou covers the time period afterwards, right up to the modern day. The Centre Pompidou isn’t on this itinerary, but you could fit it in if you wanted to of course!

The Musee d’Orsay is absolutely stunning. It’s set in what was once one of Paris’s main train stations, and the grand central atrium is gorgeous – almost worth visiting in of itself.

There’s a fee to get in here, but holders of the Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass get free entry as well as skip the line privileges.

You can also buy tickets and tours online in advance here or on the official site here .

If you only visit one museum in Paris, I can highly recommend making it the Louvre . This is one of the world’s most famous museums, and is home to an incredible collection of art, including Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and Michelangelo’s Dying Slave, to name but a few.

Obviously, seeing the Mona Lisa is on the wishlist for many visitors, but this museum, which covers art from ancient times up to the middle of the 19th century, has obviously got a great deal more to offer. True art lovers could lose themselves for days in the vast collection here!

Of course, if that’s you, you are welcome to do the same, although for the purposes of this itinerary we’d probably recommend you try and limit your time to two to three hours so you can fit more of Paris in.

We’d also highly recommend that you pick up either a Paris Pass , Paris City Card or a Paris Museum Pass , which will give you fast-track access to the Louvre.

Note that in the busy times, which tend to be the summer periods especially, the Louvre gets very busy. In fact, it is not uncommon for the museum to completely sell out, and only holders of advance purchase tickets or timed reservations will be able to enter the museum.

If you have a Paris Pass or Paris Museum Pass , you must reserve your entry online on the official website . This is mandatory for holders of these passes in order to guarantee entry, and we highly recommend you do this in advance. If you do not reserve your slot in advance, you are not guaranteed entry even with the pass.

If you have a Paris City Card , you’ll book the timeslot you want when you book the card.

If you do not have a pass, you can buy your ticket and reserve your entry time either on GetYourGuide here (where we normally get our tickets), or online on the official website here .

We’ve sometimes found that GetYourGuide has availability even when the official site is out, so it’s always worth checking if you want to visit and can’t find tickets on the official site.

Whichever ticket you buy, you will still have to queue for security, but the line for people with tickets is a lot quicker moving than the general admission line. In addition, when the Louvre sells out on its official website, tickets will usually not be sold on site, so you may not be able to just turn up and queue – only holders of advance tickets will be given entry.

Note the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. See opening times and more on the official site here .

Wine tasting

When you think of France, a few things likely come to mind, and I suspect that wine is likely one of them. So why not take a break from the sight-seeing and museums, and indulge in a little wine tasting.

Conveniently located just by the Louvre Museum, the Caves du Louvre  is a wine-tasting experience which will guide you through the French wine making process and introduce you to a number of different French wines. Which you get to drink.

The tour is set in an actual 18th century wine cellar which originally housed the wine collection of the French King. Not a bad setting to learn about French wine we think!

There’s a fee for the tour (which includes the wine tasting), and it is included for holders of the Paris Pass. You can also book it separately here .

If you aren’t into wine tasting, there are a number of nearby cafes and restaurants where you can refresh and revive.

We can recommend afternoon tea at Le Meurice , the Ritz or the Hotel de Crillon if you like afternoon tea (see our guide to the best afternoon tea in Paris if so).

For a shorter and less expensive experience, the hot chocolate at Angelina Cafe is also superb.

Arc de Triomphe

We’re going to finish off the second day of our three-day Paris itinerary with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe , another of Paris’s iconic landmarks. From the Louvre you can either take public transport here, or you can walk up the Champs Elysees, Paris’s most famous shopping street.

The Arc de Triomphe, built in memory of those who died in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, is wonderfully photogenic.

From the top you get an excellent view of the city, which includes the roads spanning out into the distance and the Eiffel Tower.

As you journey up into the monument, you will also come to a museum which details some of its history. Below the monument, you will also find the tomb of the unknown soldier.

To get to the Arc de Triomphe, don’t try and cross the traffic roundabout. Head to one of the underpasses, and cross in safety.

Going up inside the Arc de Triomphe carries a fee, holders of the Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass get free access with skip the line privileges.

You can also book a ticket online in advance here , which is worth doing as the lines can get quite long.

Paris Itinerary:  Day 3

On the last day of our 3-day Paris itinerary, we’re heading out of the city centre to take in one of Paris’s most famous Royal Palaces. We’re also including some extra sights in the city at the end if you can tear yourself away.

The really nice thing about having 3 days in Paris is that you have the flexibility to go a little further out of the centre.

My suggestion for your third day is to visit Versailles , the incredible palace that was the seat of French political power and home to French Royalty, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

To truly appreciate Versailles, I would suggest allocating at least half a day of your third day in Paris, if not more. There is easily enough to see here to fill an entire day, which is why we don’t recommend coming here on our two day Paris itinerary .

We suggest starting off by touring the Palace. You’ll want to get here for opening time, as this is a really popular tourist attraction and it gets busier as the day goes on. Once you have toured the Palace and seen such highlights as the incredible Hall of Mirrors and the Kings Grand Apartments, you can head outside, where there is a great deal more to see.

A walk in the incredible (and vast!) gardens is a must. We particularity enjoy heading over to Marie Antoinette’s estate, which is a slightly quieter part of the gardens, and home to a small model farm, tucked away temples, and walking paths.

It’s very easy to spend a whole day exploring Versailles and the grounds, and don’t feel bad if you do, it’s totally worth it.

Visiting Versailles is quite easy, you can get a train (RER C) from central Paris to the Gare de Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche, and from the train station to the Palace it is a well sign-posted ten to fifteen minute walk.

Fast-track entry to the Palace, Gardens and other Versailles attractions is included on the Paris Museum Pass – although you will still need to join the security line. You can also book tickets online here or book a guided tour online here .

If you manage to tear yourself away from Versailles, my suggestion for finishing off your last day in Paris is to head to the Montmartre region. This is home to a large hill, atop which sits the glorious Sacre Coeur de Montmartre, another of Paris’s iconic buildings.

This area of Paris was particularly famous as being home to artists, and folks like Dali, Picasso and Hemingway all either lived or frequented this area.

It’s still popular with artists, and the Place du Teatre is the place in Montmartre is the place to go to get your portrait or caricature painted. Fans of Dali will also want to visit the Dali Exhibition , home of the largest collection of works by Dali in France.

Montmartre is a maze of cute little streets, cafes and shops. The Basilica is free to visit, if you get here in time, although there is a small fee if you want to climb the tower.

Montmartre is also a popular place to watch the sunset across the city, and what better way to finish your 3 days in Paris than by watching the sun set across this magical city from atop Montmartre?

3 Days in Paris Itinerary Map

To help you visualise our 3-day Paris itinerary we’ve put together this helpful map which shows the attractions for each day. You can access this on Google Maps here .

3 Days in Paris Itinerary Overview

Here’s a quick day by day breakdown of all the sights this itinerary covers:

• Day 1 : Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise, Hop on Hop off Bus, Paris Walking Tour, Tour Montparnasse
• Day 2 : Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, The Louvre, Wine tasting, Arc de Triomphe
• Day 3: Versailles, Montmartre

Where to Stay in Paris

As you would expect from a major European capital city, Paris has no shortage of options when it comes to accommodation. We’ve stayed in a variety of places, from hotels to homestays to apartments.

Ideally you want to be fairly central if you can, to minimise your travel time. Our suggestion is to take a look at the listings for Paris on booking.com . They’re our favourite booking engine when we travel, usually giving us the best choice and the best prices. They also have everything from apartments and hostels to high end hotels. Here are some options we suggest, depending on your budget.

• Hotel Dress Code & Spa , a highly reviewed centrally located 4 star hotel right a few hundred yards from the opera house
• Hôtel Eiffel Turenne , a well rated 3* hotel within a ten minute walk of the Eiffel Tower
• Ateliers de Montmartre , an apartment in Montmartre with views of the Sacre Coeur
• The People – Paris Marais , a well-reviewed hostel in the Marais, one of our favourite parts of Paris to stay
• Hotel le Compostelle , a highly rated 3* hotel centrally located near the Louvre Museum

If you prefer an apartment, then we recommend Plum Guide or Vrbo .

Plum Guide carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. We’ve stayed at a number of their properties around the world, including a beautiful apartment in Paris with spectacular Eiffel Tower views. See their listings for Paris here .

If you can’t find what you want from the above choices, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the  best alternatives to AirBnB  which you should check out!

We also have a page full of travel resources, which includes our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find  here .

When to Visit Paris

We’re actually happy to visit Paris at pretty much any time of year, and this Paris itinerary would work at any time of year.

Summer brings sunshine and warmth, although of course the city is a lot busier at this time of year, so if crowds aren’t your thing, you might want to skip the summer months.

We also love Fall and Spring in the city, when the temperatures are a bit cooler and the crowds less. In the run up to Christmas, the city is beautifully decorated and some of the stores in particular are worth visiting just to see the elaborate decorations they put up. After Christmas the city is a lot quieter, and of course temperatures are at their lowest.

Ultimately, we think Paris is worth visiting whenever you can, so just decide how busy you can handle, and if you’d prefer it to be warm or cold, and go from there!

How to Get to and From Paris

As the capital of France, Paris has multiple options for visitors looking to visit. There are three major airports in Paris. Charles de Gaulle is the main airport for international arrivals, with Paris Orly being the second most popular international airport. Both of these airports are easily reachable by public transport from the city centre.

Paris Beauvais-Tille airport is where you will likely arrive if you are flying with a budget airline. This is some way out of the city centre, but regular shuttle buses are available to take you into the city.

Paris is also connected to the high-speed French and European rail network, and there are a number of train stations in central Paris. You can even travel from the UK by train, taking the channel tunnel to do so. See our guide to getting from London to Paris for more suggested options.

Finally, of course, you can reach Paris by car from France and the rest of Europe. Our advice would be to park your car in a secure long stay car-park on the outskirts of Paris and take public transport to the centre.

We recommend against driving in the city centre, as public transport is cheap and fast, and a lot easier than stressing about driving around the crowded city streets, and trying to find a parking space.

How to Get Around Paris

Paris has an excellent public transport network, and in particular the Paris Metro system is really good, getting you around all the major parts of the city at minimum cost. There’s also a good bus network, as well as local trains.

For public transport, you can purchase t+ tickets which allow for one-off travel on the Paris bus, RER trains and metros. These are available at train and metro stations using the ticket machines. These machines accept both credit cards and cash, and can be configured for English language.

Each ticket can be used for a single journey of up to 2 hours on the metro (including transfers) and 90 minutes on buses (including transfers). For more information on these tickets, see the official page .

From 2019, the Paris transport system has introduced the Navigo Easy Card. This is a rechargeable card system which is designed to replace the cardboard T+ tickets. A card costs €2 to buy, but allow you to buy a discounted pack of 10 tickets which will save you money if you do quite a bit of travel.

Other than being electronically stored, the tickets work the same, so we would recommend visitors to Paris using the Navigo Easy system as the most cost-effectivee method of paying for transport as a visitor to Paris.

For more on getting around Paris, see our detailed guide to how to get around Paris , which should help you plan all your transport in the city.

Walking Tours of Paris

If you’d like to take a guided tour of Paris, the two companies we usually use are Take Walks and Context Travel . These both offer small group walking tours in Paris, which are a great way to learn about some of the sights and history of the city. Of course, if you decide to take a walking tour you will have to adjust the itinerary accordingly to suit.

If you were interested in a tour, Take Walks has this  Paris in a Day tour which includes the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre & a Seine River Cruise – an excellent introduction to the city! They also run one of our favourite food walking tours in Paris, the Ultimate Paris Food tour .

Context travel offer a number of very focused tours of Paris , and these offer very specialized insights into particular subjects. We’d suggest maybe taking one of these for a specific area of interest that you really want to learn about, perhaps for Versailles . They also offer an introduction to Paris tour .

There are of course other options for various tours in Paris, including all the tours on this page , which offers a variety of things to do from different providers.

For example, there’s this delicious looking food tour ,  this in-depth tour of Hemingway locations in Paris or this tour of Montmartre .

So definitely check out the options to figure out what is best for you!

How to Save Money in Paris

Being a major European city, Paris is definitely not a budget destination. There are a few ways to save money of course, even on an itinerary as packed with attractions as this one is. Food is one way – rather than eating out for every meal for example, you could stay in an apartment or hostel that lets you cook your own meals.

If that’s not an option, consider having picnic lunches or breakfasts, and eating out in the evenings. Also, keep an eye out for the “menu du jour”, most restaurants offer a fixed lunch or evening menu which includes a number of dishes at a fixed price.

You can usually get a meal for between €12 & €25 which includes two or three courses, bread, and sometimes even wine or coffee. Check out our guide to the best restaurants in Paris for lunch deals.

The cheapest way to get around Paris is to walk of course, followed by the excellent public transport system. We usually walk as much as we can, and then take the metro for the longer trips. Taxis can be convenient, but they will eat into your budget very quickly.

One of our favourite ways to save money when we visit a major city where we want to see a lot of sights is to invest in a city sightseeing pass. In Paris there are three main passes that we recommend, the Paris Pass ( buy yours from the official site here ), the Paris Museum Pass (buy here ) and the Paris City Card .

Calculating if a pass is worth it for you will of course depend on exactly which attractions you want to visit.

From our itinerary, here’s what’s included on which passes, as well the cost of individual tickets as of July 2024 and links to book each attraction directly.

• Eiffel Tower (€39 for guided tour, €14.20 for standard stair access ticket) – tour included on Paris City Card, Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book tickets on the official website here
• Seine River Cruise (€18) – included on Paris City Card, Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Hop on Hop off bus (€47) – included on Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Paris Walking Tour (~€36) – various options included on Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Tour Montparnasse (€25) – included on Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Sainte Chapelle (€13) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .
• Musee d’Orsay (€16) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .
• Louvre Museum (€22) – included on Paris Museum Pass and Paris City Card. Book on GetYourGuide here , or on the official site here .
• Wine Tasting (€36) – included on Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Arc de Triomphe (€16) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .
• Versailles (€21) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .

Adding all the above together and you are looking at around €289 in entry fees.

Our recommendation is to consider a 3-day Paris Pass.

We suggest the 3-day Paris Pass because it actually comes with a 2-day Paris Museum Pass.

With that, you get access to pretty much everything on our itinerary, as well as many more activities and attractions including more museums, walking tours, and even dining activities!

You just have to plan your itinerary so you visit the sites covered by the Paris Museum Pass on two out of your three days in Paris. Hint – we’ve already done that for you in our itinerary!

As of July 2024, a 3-day Paris Pass costs €224 for an adult, saving you around €65 per person if you do everything in our itinerary.

Of course, your individual situation will vary, and you might have different attractions you want to visit. In addition, you should be aware that if you are an EU citizen under the age of 26 that many attractions are free or discounted to visit (you need ID!).

Also, on the first Sunday of every month, many museums are free to visit – although very crowded as a result!

We think the Paris Pass can be good value for money ( click here to buy ), but do feel free to check out our detailed reviews of both the Paris Pass and the Paris Museum Pass , and come to your own decision as to what works for you!

You might also decide that purchasing individual tickets makes more sense. In that case, we highly recommend booking online in advance, especially for major attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, which can get very busy and even sell out a long time in advance.

Finally, we can also suggest checking out the Paris City Card . This includes a guided Eiffel tower ticket, Seine River cruise and access to the Louvre. It also comes with an audioguide to Paris, as well as a further 10% discount on other Paris attractions.

This is a good option if you aren’t planning on visiting everything in our itinerary. It also has the advantage that you book the timeslots for the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower when you book the card, so can be convenient.

Practicalities for visiting Paris

Paris is a safe city in our experience, although it does have a reputation for being home to a number of scams. Most of these are easy to avoid once you know about them (read up on some of the common scams in Paris here ).

As with any major city, of course you need to keep your wits about you – keep your possessions in view all the time, keep your wallet or phone in a front pocket (with a zip if possible), and don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do at home.

We’ve not had any problems in Paris, although there are a few scams to be aware of – check our guide to avoiding common Paris scams so you are prepared in advance.

Electricity in Paris is of the 220v standard, with the 2 pin European style plug. Travellers from countries like the UK and the US will need an adapter like this . See more on travel adapters and how to choose one for your trip in our guide to the best travel adapters .

US travellers need to check their equipment supports the 220v standard – it will be written clearly on the power adapter. As a general rule, we have found that laptops, phone and camera chargers and other small electronics are universal, whilst larger devices like hair dryers and hair straighteners are not.

Paris is part of the Eurozone, so the currency is the Euro. You can get Euros from ATM’s, banks and currency exchanges, although credit cards are of course widely accepted, and there is no need to carry large quantities of currency.

Internet Access

Internet access is widely available in the form of WiFi all around the city and in hotels and coffee shops, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting online. You can also pick up local SIM cards if you have an unlocked phone. If you are travelling from the USA, consider a Google Fi package which lets you use your data overseas.

Alternatively, consider an eSIM service like Airalo .

For more options on getting online when travelling, check out our guide to getting online when travelling to help you figure out the best options. We also have a guide to picking the best travel router , which can help you extend a weak WiFi network and share it across multiple devices.

Water 

The water in the taps in Paris is safe to drink unless otherwise indicated. If you don’t like the taste, bottled water is widely available. We usually recommend you travel with a re-usable water bottle like one of these  to save on having to buy water bottles.

We love our Klean Kanteen water bottles for travel as they are lightweight, easy to clean and the company is a certified B-Corp.

Eating in Paris

If you want to eat at one of the more popular restaurants in Paris , we recommend that you book in advance. We recommend and use La Fourchette (the fork), which is the most popular online restaurant booking website in France.

It’s easy to use and makes booking restaurants a breeze, especially if you don’t speak French. Check it out here to find reviews, sample menus and book a table.

Further Reading for your 3 Days in Paris

We have visited Paris on a number of occasions, and have written a good deal about our experiences in the city. To help you further plan your stay in Paris, here are some of our favourite posts and external resources.

• A detailed guide to 2 Days in Paris , should you be there for a shorter period or are looking for some alternative options
• We also have a guide to spending a day in Paris , if you’re on a really tight schedule and just want to focus on the highlights
• We have a detailed guide to attending the famous Moulin Rouge show in Paris
• Our guide to the  best photography locations in Paris , to help you get the best shots on your trip
• A guide to  choosing a Seine river cruise , choosing a Seine River dinner cruise , buying Paris opera tickets ,  attending a fashion show in Paris  and our tips for  the best restaurants in Paris for lunch .
• Our  review of the Paris Pass  and the Paris Museum Pass to help you decide if these might save you money during your time in Paris
• Galeries Lafayette is one of the most well known stores in Paris. However, there’s more to do here than shop! See our complete guide to visiting Galeries Lafayette for more information.
• A guide to  Airbnb Alternatives  to help you find the right accommodation
• If you like afternoon tea, check out our definitive guide to the  best afternoon tea locations in Paris
• If you are heading out of town, check out our itinerary for 2 Days visiting Normandy and the D-Day beaches
• We have reviewed many travel related products you might find useful. Check out our guide to the best travel routers , best travel cameras and best travel wraps to get started!
• If you want a book, we always like to recommend the Rick Steves guides – here’s the  Rick Steves Paris  edition

And that’s it for our guide to spending 3 days in Paris! As always if you have any feedback or questions, just let us know in the comments below.

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Deidre Smith says

22nd December 2023 at 6:04 pm

We arrive at the paris airport at 8am on a Sunday, will have to get our luggage and take it to our hotel. I was hoping to be to hotel by 10am. I thought of doing: Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise, Hop on Hop off Bus, Notre Dame, Tour Montparnasse.

Monday: Sainte Chapelle, Musée d’Orsay, The Louvre, Catacombs, Arc de Triomphe (do Tour Montparnasse this day if didn’t have time on Sunday)

Tuesday: Versailles in the morning, leave to go get our luggage at hotel at 3pm, get to hotel at 4pm, get to airport by 5pm for 7pm flight to Venice.

I had to move Notre Dame on your days to Sunday, since it’s closed Monday. So my question is, is this doable? Second, I was going to get the Paris Pass but it seems that wouldn’t work on Versailles if I use it on Monday at Notre Dame, so is there a better pass for me to buy. I was worried if I bought the paris pass, and then used it to book Versailles, it might not work since it’s not consecutive days.

Laurence Norah says

22nd December 2023 at 6:47 pm

So, Notre Dame itself is not due to re-open until the end of 2024. The only area you can currently visit is the Crypt, which you are correct, is closed on Mondays. So I just wanted to clarify that that was what you meant.

For the general timing, if you don’t mind having quite a long day on the Monday you should be ok. My main concern would be that the Hop on Hop off bus is likely going to take a while (it’s a sightseeing experience rather than a quick way to get around the city). Also if you plan on using the Paris Pass or similar pass, you should be aware that some attractions are visited with a guided tour, specifically the Eiffel Tower. Those tours only run at specific times.

Given your schedule with Versailles on the Tuesday and the fact that the Paris Pass only comes with a 2 day Paris Museum Pass, you are correct that this might not be the best pass for you as the 2 day Musuem Pass would expire by Tuesday. One option would be to just get a 2 day Paris Museum Pass and use it for the Monday / Tuesday attractions. From your list it should cover everything except the Catacombs I believe. Then you could just book individual tickets for the other sights. There are passes which include some of the sights on your list such as the Go City Explorer Pass . However I honestly don’t think that it is going to offer better value than just booking individual tickets for each attraction.

I hope this helps, have an amazing time in Paris and let me know if I can offer any more help!

Catrina says

24th November 2023 at 3:13 pm

My husband and I will be celebrating our 20 year anniversary in March and are planning a trip to Paris! I love the 3 day itinerary, giving us a couple days to visit Disneyland Paris. I am interested in a budget friendly-ish stay that allows for a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower as in your photo above. Any way to narrow down my hotel/apartment search? Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks for all the info already given. Super excited for our trip 🙂

24th November 2023 at 4:47 pm

Congratulations and your anniversary and what a lovely way to spend it 🙂 So there are definitely quite a few hotels and apartments with views of the Eiffel Tower. The downside is that properties are aware that this is a desirable feature, so these rooms tend to cost a bit more. We actually have a complete guide to the Eiffel Tower which has a section on recommended hotels , with many of them offering views.

We cen definitely personally recommend the Pullman , which has lovely views from many of the rooms.

Otherwise, your best option is going to be to search properties in the region of the Eiffel tower (like this search I’ve set up for you ). Any hotel or apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower will definitely make that obvious in it’s description. You just want to be sure you book a room with a view of it, which should also be pretty clear in the room description!

I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris and if you have any more questions please let me know 🙂

Catrina Baugus says

28th November 2023 at 9:43 am

Thank you so much! This gives us a great place to start 🙂

G. Heartwell says

20th March 2023 at 4:32 pm

Thank you so much for the details on the 3 day Paris tour. Sounds perfect for starting a 7 day first visit.! My granddaughter and I are planning to go after the end of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris! Any helpful travel do s and don’ts for that time period?

24th March 2023 at 6:29 pm

It’s my pleasure. So the main advice I would give is to book any attractions you want to visit as far in advance as possible. This is especially the case for popular attractions like the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, which can book out months in advance at busier times of year. I’d also recommend picking a hotel with air-conditioning. It’s not always included, but summer in Paris can be hot so be sure to pick somewhere that specifically states it has A/C for a more comfortable stay.

Otherwise have a great time in Paris!

27th January 2023 at 12:07 am

Hello from snowy Toronto, Canada

My son (almost 18) and I would like to travel to France end of July for perhaps a week or so then on to England. With respect to France he wants to see the Eifel Tower and Louvre and from what I read a sunset river cruise would be great too. We can visit the Notre-Dame and anything else you suggest. I personally would then like to go south to Nice, Cannes etc. If we base ourselves in Paris for sites would you suggest base in Nice and branch from there to surrounding areas? Are Roven, Marselle and Carcassone (sp) worth visiting? Would you suggest other areas? Bordeaux looks beautiful but being that this isn’t a wine tour for myself I don’t want to visit this time. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

29th January 2023 at 9:21 am

It’s great to hear from you. So for Paris I think this guide should cover most of the highlights of what you want to see. For the south of France, it is definitely a good option to pick one or two locations as a base. However, it’s worth pointing out that France is quite a big country, so you will want to plan what you want to see. Carcassone is very pretty and definitely worth visiting, but it’s about 350 miles from Nice for example. So I think you would want to work out exactly what you wanted to see and then decide which location or locations makes the most logical sense. You will also want to figure out how you want to get around. The train network in France is very fast and good value, but it doesn’t go everywhere, so you might also consider hiring a car for example. With only a week total, I’d suggest picking one other location outside of Paris and focusing on that. Bordeaux would actually be a great option as it’s about 3 hours by fast train from Paris and there is plenty to see (lots of which doesn’t involve wine!).

Have a great trip 🙂

jacques Martial says

9th January 2023 at 3:26 am

Interesting site.. we have some friends visiting Paris for 3 days and we found your site.. Being a Parisian myself, I was surprised that you included Versailles and a Wine Tasting visit into your planning. Nothing against Versailles, it is a beautiful place but there is more to see in Paris that spending time in Versailles and tasting wine when you are not a drinker. Suggest that you give these visits as alternate. One suggestion: why don’t you have a Romantic 3 days in Paris planning? Many young couples may appreciate more for honeymoon, wedding anniversary or other. Thank you Jacques from Vancouver in Canada

11th January 2023 at 9:02 am

Hi Jacques,

Thanks for your input! We definitely appreciate that this itinerary will not work for everyone, and of course we always suggest folks adjust for their own personal interests and tastes. Many visitors to France do want to try French wine, hence the wine tasting. We also think Versailles is worth visiting with three days in Paris, but of course, everyone can make their own choice 🙂 Thanks for the idea about the romantic visit to Paris as well, we shall definitely consider that!

Marybeth says

5th January 2023 at 10:00 pm

Your information is fabulous! I will be traveling to France in June for a wedding. The wedding will take place in Provence. I plan on starting in Paris for at least 3 days. Then off to Lyon, Avignon and Provence. I am open to suggestions on what to see between Paris and Provence. Lastly, 3 or 4 days for Paris? My travel dates are a bit flexible. Thank you for any suggestions you may offer.

11th January 2023 at 9:32 am

Thanks Marybeth, and sorry for the slow response, we’re currently traveling in Uganda with limited internet!

Given your planned route from Paris to Avignon with a stop in Lyons, a few suggestions that might work for you are below. However, this depends on if you are driving or traveling by train.

Fontainebleau – most famous for Fontainebleau Palace. A nice quieter alternative to Versailles if you are not already visiting that on this trip.

Guédelon Castle near Treigny, France which is a 13th century castle they are building using traditional materials and methods

Dijon – heart of Burgundy region so lots of vineyards in area, city has a number of attractions like Musée des Beaux-Arts

Beaune – lovely walled town with cobblestones, distinctive tiled roofs and the Hôtel-Dieu Museum

3rd January 2023 at 3:09 am

Hi, Your itinerary is so great! Thank you for doing this as I plan to follow it. I’m going in February. I’d like to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up what’s the best time to get there? Thank you

3rd January 2023 at 4:46 pm

So the Eiffel Tower automatically lights up within 10 minutes of it getting dark. It’s an automated system that is based on the light. In February, the sunset in Paris is normally around 6pm (6.30pm at the end of the month), so anytime around then if you just want to see it lit up. It’s also worth noting that the tower also sparkles for five minutes every hour on the hour once it’s been lit up, so that would likely take place at 7pm when you are there. I’d definitely recommend watching that as well!

Have a great time in Paris, let me know if you have any more questions! We also have a detailed guide to the Eiffel Tower you might find useful 🙂

Andrej ands Heather says

5th July 2022 at 4:58 am

Hi Laurence and Jessica Norah

We were planning the Paris trip, actually a trip to Europe, with the first stop in Paris. We found your web blog, read it carefully and decided to follow your advice in the detail. We stayed for 4 days and used 3 days Paris pass, it is good value for the money we paid for. That was the best decision we made!

We create our own itinerary, we scheduled our trips and we made it even more than we predict. We bought a weekly Navigo on arrival( it is good to have two photos with) and travel all around by public transport, a lot of walking up and downstairs( we are 50 and 51), but we managed. We are extremely grateful for your work and effort. Thank you, guys!

5th July 2022 at 11:12 am

Hi Andrej and Heather,

I am so pleased that you had a good time in Paris (and Europe!) and that you found our sites useful. It is very kind of you to take the time to stop by and let us know, it is very much appreciated. Also for the tip on the Navigo. Here’s to many more years of adventures ahead!

All the best,

6th June 2022 at 11:03 pm

So can I upgrade the Eiffel Tower tour to an elevator one all the way to the summit with the Paris pass? That says guided climbing tour only to the second floor. Thanks

7th June 2022 at 11:45 am

This is a great question! I reached out to Experience First who handle the tour that comes with the Paris Pass, and they responded as follows:

You can First book your tour with Paris pass through: https://www.exp1.com/paris-tours/book-with-pass/

Then, after booking you will receive an email with a Booking reference number which you can use it to upgrade to summit.

To Upgrade after booking : https://upgrade.exp1.com/

So in summary, yes, you can upgrade to the summit access tour with the Paris Pass, although obviously this will be subject to availability.

Have a great time in Paris!

13th November 2021 at 7:57 pm

My husband and I will be visiting Paris in a couple weeks for 4 days (Sun – Wed). This is our first time visiting France and working on a draft itinerary. I plan on getting the Paris Pass for the 1st 2 days so to include all the museum visits. Also your thoughts on doing the river cruise at night (Bateaux Parisiens Seine River) instead of during the day one.

Sunday – Bus hop, Eiffel Tower and late afternoon head to watch the sunset…Arc de Triomphe and do Tour Montparnasse Monday – Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, The Louvre, Wine tasting, River ride at sunset Tuesday – The catacombs or Montmartre then Versaille in the afternoon

Thanks in advance!

14th November 2021 at 11:10 am

Great to hear from you! Your plan sounds great to me. The only thing I’d mention, which might be obvious, is just to remember that in winter the sun sets around 5pm in Paris. I’m sure you factored that in, but just something to remember if you’re wanting to catch the sunset from the Tour Montparnasse.

It definitely sounds like you have arranged everything in a sensible order. I am not sure how busy Versailles is at the moment. In the old times visiting in the afternoon without a guided tour booked was a challenge due to the long ticket lines, but now they have timed tickets I suspect it’s less of an issue – we’ve not been since they introduced the time slots.

For the Seine River Cruise, we’ve done both day time cruises, sunset cruises and an evening dinner cruise. I think sunset is a good time as you get the mix of the city at day and at night, with the potential for a nice sky as well. If it was my first time, I’d probably not do a tour at night, just because it’s obviously dark and so harder to see everything. But that’s just my personal preference. Seeing everything lit up is lovely as well!

Let me know if you have any more questions, I’m happy to help! Have a wonderful trip to Paris – we’re planning to be there at the start of January 😀

amanda Pimm says

31st October 2021 at 4:12 pm

Hi , my husband and I plan to take my daughter and her friend to Paris next may 2022 for her 16th birthday. We have never been before and can’t speak any French, will this be a problem. I also wondered what pass would be good to buy for our 3 day sight seeing please. Would be very great full for any advice.

31st October 2021 at 6:33 pm

Great to hear from you. Let me do my best to answer your two questions.

In terms of not speaking French, this shouldn’t be a major problem, especially in Paris. It’s a popular part of the world with visitors, and English is widely spoken. However, I would say that you will likely have a better experience if you learn a few basic phrases, such as hello (bonjour), thank you (merci) please (s’il vous plait), and do you speak English (parlez vouz anglais). The Parisians have developed a bit of reputation for being rude to foreigners, but in my experience, if you start off with a simple “bonjour”, they will pretty much instantly realise that you are not a native speaker, and nine times out of ten they’ll respond in English. However, if you start in English, they’ll be less receptive. I guess you could imagine the reception if it were reversed, and a French person arriving in the UK or USA and trying to start a conversation in French. So even learning “hello” can be a bit step in getting things off on the right foot!

For city cards, this will very much depend on what you want to see. For most visitors, a trip to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and a Seine River Cruise are popular, so the Paris City Card is a good starting point as it includes those things. You then get a 10% discount for additional attractions you book through the site. If you plan to see more sights, then you might instead consider the Paris Pass , which includes a lot more attractions and activities, but it will definitely depend on what you plan to do to make sure it is good value. For example, if you plan to do most of the attractions in this itinerary, it will likely offer cost savings.

I hope this helps, have a great trip to Paris and let me know if you have any more questions!

21st April 2020 at 11:55 pm

Exploring the City of Love is such a dream come true! This 3-day Itinerary in Paris is such a great help to those who are planning to discover Paris. Thanks for sharing, nice article.

22nd April 2020 at 10:36 am

Thanks James!

rj digma says

11th February 2020 at 7:08 pm

Great site. Very helpful. One question, if I buy the paris museum pass but want to hire a private guide to take us to the museums and give us art history info, would you know someone.

11th February 2020 at 11:20 pm

Thanks very much! We don’t know any private guides personally, however we have regularly used Context Travel , who do provide private guides, so that would be worth looking into.

Good luck, and have a great time in Paris!

Veronica Webster says

1st February 2020 at 11:36 pm

Hi Laurence, We have already cleared doubts with Jessica about our London trip, and now we’re working on the Paris part. We will be visiting Paris from March 27th to April 1st. Arriving on Friday around 11:00 am. We know that being a weekend everything will be more crowded, but it is what it is. We have made our numbers and we’re thinking that the Museum Pass will work better, given that the Paris Pass 3 days only includes 2 days museums, and we have actually 4.5 days, so not really need to fit all museums in 2 days (and we’re visiting Versailles too) My question is: The delivery options for the Museum pass is pick up at arrival or Fedex (24euros to Canada). If we arrive on a Friday, if I want to reserve time slot for Louvre on Saturday, is there’s a risk I won’t find available the time I’m looking for? Same for Orsay on Sunday morning (we want to be there for both at 9:00 am) Given that we would be already saving time by avoiding lines and buying the tickets, the 24 euros fee to have the pass with us sooner and book weeks ahead sound like a reasonable option. Your thoughts please?

here’s a draft of our trip: Friday after 1 pm: Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise (we pay for those 2) Sat: Louvre (9am, museum pass), Hop OnOff (we pay) Champs E./Arc the T (mpass) Sun: Orsay (9am mpass) Montmartre Mo: Saint Chapelle (mpass), Notre Dame (just views), Pantheon (mpass), Invalides (mpass) Tu: Versailles (mpass) – We think Versailles will be less crowded on Tu, but we could switch this to Sunday.

Thank you in advance to you and Jessica! your blog has been very useful to plan this trip!!

2nd February 2020 at 3:32 pm

Hi Veronica,

Thanks for your comment. To answer your question, for the Louvre, it has become very popular, and if you want to guarantee a particular time for your entry, then paying for the delivery of the museum pass is definitely going to be the way to do that. You need the number on the pass in order to make the reservation, which obviously you will need the pass for. If you decide to do this, make sure you bring both the pass and proof of reservation with you, and then join the correct line at the Louvre for those with reservations.

Of course, Paris in March / April is not as busy as it is over the summer months, so it may be that the Louvre has plenty of availability. However, it’s all down to your personal risk preference 😉

For the Musee d’Orsay, as far as we know you can’t book in advance with this museum, you just turn up with your pass. This is the case for most of the museums in Paris, it’s only the Louvre that has the timed requirement due to its popularity.

For Versailles, the weekends are usually very busy, however, bear in mind that many sights in Paris are also closed on Tuesdays (like the Louvre), so this also means more folks head out to Versailles. We would urge you to arrive early at Versailles, as the lines can get very very long for entry. Again, March / April should not be *too* busy, but it is best to err on the side of caution in our experience!

You have done a great job with the itinerary, putting the busiest places first 🙂 Let us know if you have any more questions and we’ll try to help. Have a fantastic trip – do feel free to join our facebook group and share your experiences in our friendly facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelloversandphotography/ 🙂

Afitha says

31st August 2019 at 12:47 pm

Hi Laurence, Me and my husband will be going to paris-switzerland-italy for 11 days trip..pls gve me an advise regarding howmany days we will stay per country…eagerly waiting for ur reply..TIA

2nd September 2019 at 6:12 am

It really depends on which cities you want to visit and your personal interests. I haven’t visited Switzerland for a while but I would say if you were to do something like Paris for 3 days, then Switzerland for 3-4 days, then Italy for 4-5 days. I would suggest with that much time that you could visit 2 cities in Italy, so I’d say maybe Rome and Venice. You could also base in Rome and do day trips to places like Florence.

Have a great time!

19th August 2019 at 11:55 am

Hello Laurence and Jessica, I’m planning to go on a solo trip on January 2020 to Paris (and going to Italy). It will be my first time in Europe, and I’m very excited. I know it’s winter and it will be very cold, but I was wondering if you have any tips for a 21 year old solo female traveller? I’m planning to book an AirBnB so I can also cook some meals to be able to save some money. How much do you think I need for the three day sightseeing in Paris alone? I’m hoping to hear from you guys soon. Thank you.

19th August 2019 at 12:01 pm

So I will briefly answer your question on solo female travel. We definitely aren’t experts in that area as we usually travel as a couple, however, Paris is no more or less safe than other major western European cities, so if you practice the same sort of safety precautions that you would in your own home cities, then you shouldn’t have any problems.

For budget, January is not too busy in Paris so you should be able to find an apartment on AirBnb in the region of $60 – $100 a night. The other main costs will be food and sightseeing. For food, lunch is the best time to go out for meals generally as restaurants tend to have fixed price menus. So if you do choose to dine out during your stay, we’d recommend doing so at lunch. Otherwise we suggest croissants from a bakery for breakfast and there are lots of supermarkets for picking up supplies for cooking 🙂

Sightseeing will be your other major costs. The price will obviously vary depending on exactly what you want to do and see. If you plan on going inside many museums and attractions, then we recommend either the Paris Pass or Paris Museum Pass. The best one for you will depend on what you want to see. Note that neither of them includes Eiffel tower access. If you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, the cheapest way is to buy second floor tickets with stair access. You can do this online or in person – see our full Eiffel Tower guide for more on that.

https://independenttravelcats.com/eiffel-tower-paris-france/

Overall, I would say that if you budget $60 – $100 a day for accommodation, $20 – $50 a day for attractions and $15 – $30 a day on food that would be reasonable. Of course, you could go above or below these figures based on your own preference, but that is a ballpark.

Have a great time in Paris, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any more questions!

29th July 2019 at 4:15 am

I am looking into going to Paris July 3-5 2020. I have never traveled or anything else like that how would I go about making sure I had enough money. Thank you in advance.

29th July 2019 at 7:42 pm

Well, that’s quite a big question 🙂 It will depend a bit on your travel style (hostel – luxury hotel), what attractions you want to see and what sort of food you want to eat. Also how you get around, from walking -> taxis. The main costs will be your flight to and from Paris, your accommodation, and then your sight-seeing and food costs. It’s hard to give an exact number as everyone will be different, but if you take a look at my guide to the costs for travelling in the UK, this will give you an idea of what to estimate. Paris will be a bit more expensive, as capital cities often are, but you should at least get a rough estimate. You can see that guide here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

Let me know if you have any more questions!

29th July 2019 at 9:34 pm

Thank u so much I’ll check that link in just a few when I have a bit more time ????????

7th July 2019 at 3:57 am

Hi Laurence!

My husband and I will be going to Paris for six days in October. However, it’s our first time there, and I’m starting to think that we might have too many days in Paris and we might run out of activities.

Any suggestions or thoughts on that based on your experience?

9th July 2019 at 3:42 pm

You definitely won’t run out of things to do. I have just covered the major highlights in this post – there is so much more to the city! We usually visit for 5-7 days at a time, and have done so multiple times, and have never run out of things to do!

9th September 2019 at 11:13 pm

My sister and I who are in our 70 are going on a river cruise with Viking on Oct 6 an want to come in a few days early.. What hotel and tours . Is the show mon la rougue still there as I saw it 20 years and want to see it again.

11th September 2019 at 5:50 pm

Thanks for your e-mail. So the hotel you choose will very much depend on your budget, but we have some suggestions in this post for you to choose from. If you’d like to stay near the Eiffel Tower, we also have a lot of suggestions in our guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower, which you can read here . Of course, you might want to find out where your cruise departs from so you are not too far away.

The Moulin Rouge is still very much in operation, and we visited quite recently. You do need to book in advance, I have a full guide to the Moulin Rouge here which you might find helpful.

Rupali says

25th June 2019 at 2:47 pm

Hi I really like the detailed itinerary. It very good to look if you are planning the trip to Paris in advance. I would like to know if the Paris pass includes guided tours or some discount on guided tours in the museums? Also, if now do you think it is worth to take the guided tours to know about the significance of that place.

25th June 2019 at 3:20 pm

Thanks very much 🙂 So some city passes do include discounts on walking tours. However, the Paris Pass does not include many discounted guided tours. Looking at the inclusions, it includes a Montmartre walking tour, as well as discounts on a Segway tour, cycling tour and Citroen 2CV tour. It also includes the guided Opera Garnier tour. You can see some of the tours it includes on this page – just filter by Paris tours.

So if you want to do a guided tour of the museums, or a guided tour in Paris in general, then you would want to book that separately. I do think that a guided tour is a good way to learn about the city, and I link to some suggested walking tours in the post. It’s really up to you though if you want to do that. If you take a full day walking tour of Paris, then you might not find the Paris Pass offers such good value as most tours include entry to a number of attractions.

Let me know if I can be of any more help!

9th June 2019 at 7:07 pm

Hi Laurence, We stumbled across your blog recently while planning for our trip to Paris in September this fall. We enjoyed reading it. We will be arriving Paris on a Wednesday morning and leaving by plane on a Saturday 5:50pm flight. On Thursday we’ve booked a Versailles morning tour that ends 1:45pm and on Saturday morning we’ve booked the Louvre tour that ends 12:45 pm, then we will retrieve our luggage from hotel and on to the airport. Questions: Should we stay at a hotel that is near the Louvre for our convenience of Saturday’s luggage retrieval before airport Or should we stay at a hotel that is a short walk to the Hop on Hop off bus route so we can visit most of the top attraction via the bus and not to let the luggage retrieval limit the hotel location ? Could you please give us a few hotels suggestions and what top attractions we can fit in our schedule?

9th June 2019 at 8:53 pm

Thanks for your comment!

So, I think it’s up to you in regard to the hotel location. However, as the Louvre is a popular location for visitors, most Hop on Hop off buses will have a stop close by. So you can do both – just pick a hotel close to the Louvre and it will also be close to the Hop on Hop off bus.

In terms of specific hotels, it’s hard to give advice without a budget. I’d suggest using this link to start , and then narrowing your filter by price, date and what type of accommodation you are looking for. I’d generally also suggest looking for properties with a good review score, ideally an 8 or higher 🙂

PS – sorry about the slow response, we’ve been travelling for the past few days with limited internet 😀

Angela B says

9th June 2019 at 3:30 pm

Laurence & Jessica, Such an amazing and thorough explanation. My daughter (13) and I will be arriving into Paris next Sunday (16th) to watch USA play in the World Cup. My husband will be working the Paris Air Show, so my daughter and I have 3 days (17-19) to ourselves, meeting my husband at night for dinner and sightseeing. I think we will do the 3 day tour with Versailles on the last day. Based on this itinerary, does the 3 Day Paris Pass still make the best option? I am guessing it does since it includes travel, entrance, and skipping lines. We are sooooo excited!!!!! Angela

9th June 2019 at 8:57 pm

Thank you so much Angela – sounds like you’ve got a great trip coming up!

So I would say that the Paris Pass would make sense if you intend on using the various additional features it offers like the Seine Cruise, transport and so on. The one thing to be aware of is that whilst the pass is three days, it only includes a 2 day museum pass. And that pass is what you will use for places like the Louvre, Versailles and so on.

I have structured this itinerary to account for that, however, if you want to move things around, it might make less sense, and instead you might consider the 4 day Paris Museum Pass, and then a separate travel card. Of course, it’s up to you.

We have a full review of both types of pass if you would like some further reading to help you decide! They are at the following links:

https://independenttravelcats.com/tips-buying-using-paris-museum-pass/ https://independenttravelcats.com/buying-paris-pass-review-worth-it-tips/

Sumona says

30th May 2019 at 5:31 pm

Thank you so much for writing this. Really helpful and very well written!

30th May 2019 at 5:38 pm

Thank you very much Sumona – have a wonderful trip to Paris and do let us know if you have any questions 🙂

17th May 2019 at 4:52 pm

Hi Laurence and Jessica! I am travelling to Paris soon and your elaborate writing and practical tips is what exactly I was looking for. Brilliant! Thanks : )

17th May 2019 at 5:53 pm

Thank you very much Jasma – have a wonderful time in Paris! Do let us know how you enjoy the city 🙂

17th May 2019 at 7:27 pm

I will sure have a good time in the City of love . Also, Your expert advice on the accommodation pls- the place I am planning to stay is at Courbevoie. Per the owner it says 10 mins to Paris. Do you think during my stay at Paris for 3-4 days this place will be in proximity to the list you had advised in your blog. Thanks Jasma

17th May 2019 at 7:33 pm

It’s hard to tell as Courbevoie is a little bit outside the city centre, and so it will depend on which metro or train station you are near, and how far it is to the metro station. In a best case scenario it will be 10 minutes to the Arc de Triomphe, in a worse case scenario, more like 40 minutes. The Arc de Triomphe is the closest attraction in our itinerary though to Courbevoie, other attractions are further away. So it is definitely not the most convenient location, but it will work. However, if you can find somewhere more central it might work out more easily for you.

18th May 2019 at 3:33 pm

Thanks a million Laurence. You are doing a great job and I truly appreciate it. Regards, Jasma

Godfrey says

29th March 2019 at 8:41 pm

You guys are amazing..just about saved me hours of research into finding things to do in 3 days…This is exactly what fits within our 3 day visit..Keep up the great work!

30th March 2019 at 12:12 am

Thanks Godfrey – we will certainly try! Have a lovely trip to Paris and let us know if we can be of any help!

22nd February 2019 at 5:50 pm

hi! I like your blog,it’s very informative and easy to follow. but can I just know, roughly how much do we need to prepare? I mean if Im a big spender how much money will I probably spend for the tours? excluding the food. I would really appreciate if you could give me the figure so we can save for it. thanks! ☺️

23rd February 2019 at 7:25 am

It’s really hard to give figures as budgets vary greatly between people. So you can see from the tours I have suggested what they cost, and also if you buy one of the passes then many of the attractions will be included. So then your other costs will be accommodation and food. For this itinerary, including food and accommodation, you would probably be looking in the region of €500 – €1000 per person, but that would vary hugely depending on your tastes and accommodation quality.

I hope this helps a bit!

Anjana says

12th February 2019 at 11:17 pm

Hello. I liked the itinerary you suggested. We are planning to be there by mid April. Can you please guide us for weather. Also, I am an artist and wish to visit art gallary, can you please suggest?

13th February 2019 at 9:05 pm

The weather in Paris in April will be fairly warm, like around 17 – 22C. It might be cooler in evenings. Rain is always a possibility, but you would be unlucky if it rained a lot.

If you want to visit an art gallery, I would suggest the Louvre, or the Centre Pompidou if you prefer modern art!

12th February 2019 at 4:52 pm

How to get Paris Pass and the bus passes. Required details about the inclusions and exclusions of the Paris Pass .

12th February 2019 at 5:28 pm

You can buy the Paris Pass with this link .

You can see the inclusions here .

Enjoy your time in Paris!

12th February 2019 at 5:31 pm

Thank you so much.. I will sure be in touch with you if i require any more details .

Regards Shree

13th February 2019 at 7:45 am

Hi Is it mandatory to get the paris pass before hand or the same can be availed after reaching the destination as well..

13th February 2019 at 7:09 pm

You can buy the pass in Paris as well, but they don’t offer sales as they sometimes do online,

Amanda Che says

19th December 2018 at 3:09 am

If I want to visit Montparnasse will I need to purchase tickets if I have the Paris pass? Or do we just show up and they will let us in at whatever time?

19th December 2018 at 8:03 pm

If you have the Paris Pass the Tour Montparnasse is included, so you can just turn up at any time and they will let you in. It’s best at sunset if you can make it them!

Have a great trip

19th December 2018 at 10:02 pm

Thank you for responding!! I’m glad I got he passes! Does this apply to the wine tasting as well?! I’m just not sure about the places that have specific times that need reservations when visiting.

19th December 2018 at 11:10 pm

My pleasure! The wine tasting was the same when we used the Paris Pass – we just turned up and it was fine. However, if you have any doubts you can always reach out to either the attraction or Paris Pass folks to confirm 😀

24th October 2018 at 9:29 pm

Thank you so much for making my life easy!!! You have the best detailed itineraray in Paris. I purchased the 3 day Paris Pass. 🙂 I’m so excited to visit next month!

25th October 2018 at 8:13 pm

Thanks so much! Have an awesome trip 😀

Evelyne says

23rd October 2018 at 10:23 am

Hello, I am a Parisian and I read your post. I think this itinerary is very heavy (espécially days 2) unless you don’t visit the museums and just shoot the buildings. It is just an accumulation of monuments to visit but it does not give the feel of what is Paris. Fortunately, Paris is not just an opan air museum.

23rd October 2018 at 1:03 pm

Hey Evelyne!

Thanks for your feedback. I definitely make that clear at the beginning that this is a very busy itinerary, and people should adjust to suit their own pace 🙂 We usually visit Paris for no less than seven days at a time when putting these posts together, but we know not everyone has that luxury, so we try to fit everything in that people might want to see, based on our conversations with folks planning a trip 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

kunal gupta says

30th September 2018 at 10:45 am

After having read so many posts, I felt this is the best post. It has all the tips, recommendations and anecdotes that I was looking for to create an itinerary. I am visiting Paris next month and will surely provide you guys my feedback on the experience.

Any tips on finding Indian or vegetarian lunch/dinner will be extremely helpful too !

1st October 2018 at 2:26 pm

Thanks Kunal! I’m not personally an expert on vegetarian dining, but the search engine happycow.net lists vegetarian restaurants around the world, so that would be a good place to look 🙂 Have a great trip!

Kritika says

13th September 2018 at 8:22 am

Hi, Your blog is one simple answer to all the queries I had while planning for my trip. 🙂 We are a couple visiting Paris from 29 Sept to Oct1. We would like to visit a vineyard and taste wine over there. Do you have any information regarding any vineyard nearby and how to commute? Also, We would be going to Lyon for a day. Can you suggest me a short itinerary for the same?

Regards Kritika

13th September 2018 at 11:47 am

Hi Kritika!

Thanks very much, we are happy to have been of help 🙂 We would suggest that the closest wine region to Paris is going to be the Champagne region, and the easiest way to get there would be to take a tour from Paris, which will save you figuring out transport. Plus someone else will drive, leaving you to enjoy the wine 🙂 I found this one which has good reviews so that would be my suggestion, although there are sure to be other options!

For Lyon, we haven’t visited there yet, so I can’t make any recommendations unfortunately 🙁

Have a great trip!

9th September 2018 at 7:25 am

Hi! Just read your wonderful article helps out a lot we are a family of 6..would metro\bus be cheaper or renting a car..staying in a hotel near cdg since all the good/affordable ones are taken near the center….and how I the weather in the end of September? 6 days all Together and Disneyland is included please let me know confused about driving and or bus thanks 🙂

9th September 2018 at 11:38 am

I would recommend against hiring a car as driving in Paris is not so much fun, plus you will have to spend time finding parking and paying for it. Instead I would recommend either taking the metro, or hiring a taxi to take you in. For a group of people, you would have to find the right size of taxi of course, but it should be possible. For Disneyland, the easiest way is the RER from Paris.

The weather in Paris in September should be quite good, not too hot but not too cold, I would say around 12 – 22C, so you will want to have some warmer clothes for the evenings. There is always the possibility of rain as well, so a rain jacket or umbrella would be wise 🙂

Hope this helps!

Susan Morris says

30th August 2018 at 4:14 am

Hi, I have just read your 3-day itinerary for Paris, and I thought it was awesome. Very clear and easy to follow. I look forward to following it when we head to Paris next year! My husband is also keen to visit the area of the D-Day landings at Normandy (Omaha Beach I believe). Do you have any similar itineraries or advice for a 1 or 2 day visit to that area? Many thanks

30th August 2018 at 10:50 am

Thanks very much Susan. We certainly do, we have a two day itinerary which we think you should find useful 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/normandy-2-day-itinerary-d-day-beaches-mont-st-michel/

24th August 2018 at 9:15 pm

Hi I am traveling to Paris in second week of oct 18… what would be the climate that time? Do I need to carry a lot of winter clothing?

24th August 2018 at 9:26 pm

October in Europe varies. I’d say the best option is to bring layers, and to have sufficiently warm clothes for cold weather and rain in particualr. The temperature will likely be between 5 degrees C and 15 degrees C, although if it is windy it might feel a lot colder. So it’s not like visiting Iceland or Finland in winter, but you’ll want to be prepared.

I don’t have a guide for Paris, but we do have a packing list for London at any time of year, which should help a bit:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/london-packing-list-what-to-pack-for-london-and-the-uk-at-any-time-of-year/

Qinwan says

22nd July 2018 at 1:02 pm

Hi Laurence, I am planning my visit to Paris in Oct 2018, the blog of 3 days itinerary is very much helpful and perfect for my plan. Where do you recommend to proceed after Paris for a 10 day Europe trip?

22nd July 2018 at 9:31 pm

Awesome! Well, if this if your first time in Europe, I’d probably recommend some of the other capital cities, like London or Rome, and then maybe Barcelona, depending on how much time you want to spend in each location. You can easily spend three or four days in both Rome and London. From Paris to London it’s an easy journey, as you can take the train direct. Then there are mutliple flights from London to Rome. If you like the sound of Barcelona, there’s an overnight train from Paris straight to Barcelona. Another idea might be to do Paris – > London, Edinburgh and then a bit of Scotland as well.

I’d definitely suggest not trying to see too much, and spending a bit longer in each location. Three days is a nice amount of time to see a city 🙂

Have an awesome trip!

Elizabeth Higgins says

22nd July 2018 at 5:26 am

This post is just so detail-oriented, Laurence! Any reader would not be having a difficult time browsing because you have also included hyperlinks to the sub-sections. Everything has just been written so wonderfully that I felt spoon-fed with information, in a really great way. I am so glad to find your blog! Thank you so much!

22nd July 2018 at 8:54 pm

Hi Elizabeth – thanks so much! It’s always wonderful to hear that people are finding our posts helpful! Hopefully you have a great trip, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Laurence

Tisaygwapa says

9th July 2018 at 9:56 am

Hi, I am a fan of your blog. My planning for my euro trip makes it easier. I have an inquiry though, can you tell me what is the difference between and Paris Pass and a Paris Explorer pass? What airport is near to the attraction on day1?

We will be in Paris for 3 days.

9th July 2018 at 10:03 am

Hi Tisaygwapa 🙂

Thanks very much! The Paris Explorer Pass is a much more limited pass, and instead of giving you free access to all the attractions, it lets you choose from 3, 5 or 7 attractions. For our itinerary, we definitely suggest either the Paris Pass or the Paris Museum Pass for cost saving.

For airports, Paris has three major airports. The two closest to the city and that most people arrive at are Paris Orly and Paris Charles De Gaulle.

From Paris Orly to the Eiffel tower you can take the Ouibus, it only takes around 16 minutes: https://www.ouibus.com/routes/paris-paris-orly-sud-airport

Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is a little further away, you can take the RER train from the airport – it’s probably more like an hour.

Shashank says

20th June 2018 at 5:11 pm

Hi, would like to know if we can walk in directly to Bateux Parisiens any time with the Paris Pass? Do we need to reserve online even if we have the Paris Pass?

20th June 2018 at 7:03 pm

Hi Shashank!

In our experience you can just walk up and show your pass at the ticket booth, no reservation required 🙂

Hope this helps – have a great trip!

18th June 2018 at 9:29 am

I would like to know more details of 3 day Itinerary . In the mentioned Places , how long it will take? that is regarding time span we can spent there comfortably .Can u pls suggest

20th June 2018 at 7:10 pm

IT’s really up to you and your interests as to how long you want to take. The itinerary as laid out is doable, but if you spend four hours at each location, obviously not so much 🙂 So my advice would be to look at each location and decide how much time you would like to spend their. As an example, Sainte Chapelle is quite small, so 15 – 20 minutes would be fine. The Louvre is gigantic, so will take a bit longer! But it’s really up to you 🙂

Karuna says

11th June 2018 at 5:31 pm

Thanks a lot, we are planning to visit Paris, and Italy for 12 days of vacation and this is very helpful for Paris. Can we have an advice on Hotels where we can stay like 4* hotels work walk around to these attractions if possible or nice evening walks?

And can we have an itinerary for Italy for 9-10 days trip,

Thanks a lot

11th June 2018 at 11:29 pm

Thanks very much! In the post I do link to a centrally located 4* hotel, under the accommodation section. The hotel is this one, but I’m sure you can find some other options 🙂

http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/dress-code-amp-spa.html?aid=385205&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1&label=FTU3DaysinParis

I will update the post in the next few weeks with some more specific recommendations. For the Italy guide, I will add an itinerary to the to do list, you should subscribe to the blog so you get notified of future posts and don’t miss out.

Sunil Chawla says

31st May 2018 at 8:44 am

I will be travelling to Paris with my wife in the month of August. This detailed information will surely be helpful to plan our trip Thank you very much Sunil Chawla India

31st May 2018 at 7:23 pm

Thanks Sunil! Have a great trip 🙂

Chitra Shah says

16th May 2018 at 8:36 pm

I am travelling with my husband and 2 kids ( 7 years and 1 year) to Paris in June. This is exactly what I was looking for, Thanks you. Do you think Paris is stroller – friendly or you recommend a baby carrier.

17th May 2018 at 9:26 am

Thanks Chitra! I must preface my response by saying that we don’t have kids, so haven’t faced this problem 😉 Certainly, part of Paris would be stroller friendly, but things like the metro for example are definitely not easy for stroller access as there are often only stair entrances and exits. So a baby carrier might be easier, depending on how you want to get around the city. I hope this helps a bit – have a great trip!

3rd May 2018 at 7:51 pm

This is one of the best, well elaborated and detailed article. Thank you for putting up so much effort and sharing your experience. It is indeed a great help!

3rd May 2018 at 8:35 pm

Thank you very much 😀

Nitin Bansal says

21st April 2018 at 7:15 pm

That’s a brilliant detailed summary of 3 day Paris itinerary. I am travelling to Paris soon although for a short time and will be looking forward to cover most of the places from your list here.

22nd April 2018 at 10:17 am

Thanks very much Nitin – have a great trip 😀

kristin says

28th March 2018 at 2:25 pm

I envy you guys living in Edi and being able to jet away for so many long weekend trips for cheap! I was pricing Europe from Nashville this summer, and I can’t find anything for under $1000, no matter the hub I fly into =/

29th March 2018 at 9:49 am

We are lucky on that front for sure 😀

Matheresa says

21st March 2018 at 7:49 pm

To go through in u’ll article/blogging i find it very informative and the easiest way for me to make my itinerary,,, specially i saw the Spain article but i didn’t leave a comment there coz of wanted to check for paris too,,, Spain features was fantastic keep it up LOVERS all the best in your Wanderlust started to following u’ll…

22nd March 2018 at 9:19 am

Thanks very much Mathresa 🙂 Have a wonderful trip!

kazim Gurmani says

19th March 2018 at 1:53 pm

The amazing place for the lovers. You guys are so lucky enjoying all this

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Fraser Suites Harmonie Paris La Defense is a 5-star hotel located 2 miles from the airport, and just a 15-minute drive from landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Roland Garros Stadium. It boasts a 24-hour fitness center and bar/lounge. The garden and terrace are a verdant haven in the city.

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The Victoria Palace Hotel is a luxury establishment in Paris some 4 1/2 miles from the airport and a 15-minute walk from the Tour Montparnasse and Luxembourg Palace. There is a bar/lounge, and a daily buffet breakfast. Rooms have deep tubs, soft bathrobes, and slippers. The hotel arranges airport transfers.

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Often called the city of light, Paris captures the hearts of everyone. Standing prominently, the Champs-Elysées connects the Arc de Triumph to the Place de la Concorde. While visiting, enjoy some time at the Tuileries Garden on either side of the Seine River. Paris is also known for having world-class galleries, such as the Musee d’Orsay or the Louvre, with the Mona Lisa. King Louis VII commissioned the Notre Dame Cathedral, a well-known Gothic cathedral. Take a day trip to see the Palace of Versailles and Marie Antoinette’s estate. Once the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of French fanfare and a great place to capture views of the city.

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The major tourist season in France stretches from Easter to mid-September, but Paris has much to offer in every season. If you're dreaming of Paris in the springtime, May is your best bet, not rainy March and April—regardless of what some songs say about the latter. Paris in the early spring can be disappointingly damp, though it's relatively tourist-free; May and June are delightful, with good weather and plenty of cultural and other attractions. July and August can be sultry, stuffy, and uncomfortable. Early autumn is ideal. Cultural life revives after the summer break, and sunny weather often continues through the first half of October. The ballet and theater are in full swing in November. The weather is part wet and cold, part bright and sunny.

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Top Experiences

Eiffel Tower : Built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, this iron structure is one of the most visited monuments in the world. There is a bird’s eye view of Paris from the top and there are two restaurants in the lower structure.

Cruise the Seine : Many monuments of the city can be seen from a leisurely cruise along the river. At night is especially beautiful as the monuments are lighted and gives a very different perspective.

Louvre Museum : An historic landmark, one of the most visited museums in the world, home to Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, over 300,000 objects are housed inside from all corners of the globe.

Café Society : The ultimate expression of French culture, sit in a sidewalk café and sip on a coffee while watching the world bustle past. Perhaps enjoy some pastries or macarons also.

Musee D’Orsay : Housed in a former train station, the space is light filled from skylights. Not as large as the Louvre, houses an impressive collection of Impressionist works.

Arc de Triomphe with Champs Elysees : The arc is one of the most famous monuments of the city and lies at the center of the convergence of twelve avenues. It is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI, with an eternal flame. The Champs Elysees is an avenue that stretches just over a mile. It is known for luxury shopping and hosts the finish of the Tour de France bicycle race.

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Mont Saint-Michel: Day Trip From Paris

Nestled in the heart of Normandy, the enchanting island of Mont Saint-Michel beckons travelers with its timeless medieval charm. Embarking on a day trip from Paris offers a chance to take in this UNESCO World Heritage Site , where cobblestone streets wind through a captivating village crowned by a magnificent abbey . Whether marveling at the striking architecture, browsing local artisanal shops, or capturing the panoramic vistas, this excursion promises an unforgettable escape from the hustle and bustle of the French capital. With flexible booking options and a comfortable journey in a premium Mercedes, the stage is set for an adventure that will leave a lasting impression on even the most discerning of visitors.

• Convenient round-trip transportation from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel in a premium Mercedes E-Class vehicle with a professional chauffeur.
• 5 hours of free time to explore the medieval village, browse the arts and crafts market, and capture panoramic photos of the iconic abbey.
• Discover the spiritual significance and dramatic tides of Mont Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Immerse in the timeless character and artistic traditions of Normandy through the winding cobblestone streets and handcrafted local products.
• Flexible booking with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, allowing for a hassle-free experience.

More tours and experiences nearby.

• Eiffel Tower Guided Climb Tour by Stairs
• Louvre Museum – Exclusive Guided Tour (Reserved Entry Included)
• Paris: Louvre Masterpieces Tour With Pre-Reserved Tickets
• From Paris: Day Trip to Champagne With 8 Tastings & Lunch

Trip Overview

This Paris to Mont Saint-Michel day trip provides an immersive and convenient experience to explore the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site .

Priced at $985.67 per group (up to 1 person), it’s a captivating 5-hour journey that allows you to discover the medieval village and its stunning natural surroundings at your own pace.

The trip includes round-trip transportation from Paris in a premium Mercedes E-Class vehicle , ensuring a comfortable and hassle-free journey.

With the option to cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance and a reserve now, pay later policy, this excursion offers flexibility and peace of mind.

Whether you’re seeking a culture or a breathtaking scenic adventure, this day trip is an excellent choice.

Transportation Options

Travelers can relax in the comfort of a premium Mercedes E-Class vehicle that ensures a smooth and convenient journey from Paris to the iconic Mont Saint-Michel. The round-trip transportation includes a professional chauffeur service, providing a hassle-free experience. Guests will be picked up from their desired location in Paris and dropped off directly at the entrance of Mont Saint-Michel, allowing for easy access to explore the historic site.

Itinerary Highlights

After being transported to the iconic Mont Saint-Michel in comfort, visitors can enjoy the rich history and captivating sights that this UNESCO World Heritage site has to offer during their 5 hours of free time.

They’ll start with a leisurely stroll through the medieval village , exploring the charming streets and soaking in the unique architectural wonders.

Along the way, they’ll have ample opportunities to browse the arts and crafts market , capturing stunning photos of the panoramic vistas and the abbey’s striking silhouette against the bay.

With so much to discover, from the abbey’s spiritual significance to the dramatic tides that surround the island, visitors will be enthralled by this one-of-a-kind destination.

Exploring the Village

Visitors can enjoy the charming ambiance of Mont Saint-Michel’s medieval village , where winding cobblestone streets lead them through a captivating maze of unique architecture and quaint shops.

As they stroll along the incline, they’ll discover centuries-old houses, bakeries, and artisan workshops. The village’s main street, Grande Rue , offers an array of local crafts , souvenirs, and traditional Breton delicacies.

Visitors can duck into small alleyways to find hidden gems , such as the abbey’s refectory, the Tombe-Goulpilliére, and the Logis Tiphaine. At every turn, they’ll be enchanted by the village’s timeless character, where the past seems to come alive before their eyes.

Shopping and Arts

The village of Mont Saint-Michel offers a vibrant shopping and arts scene, with a bustling market that showcases the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Visitors can browse a variety of stalls selling handcrafted local arts and crafts, from delicate lace and embroidery to intricate woodcarvings and pottery. The market is also a hub for traditional Normandy cuisine, with vendors offering a tempting array of regional specialties like crepes, cider, and cheese.

Discover unique souvenirs and artisanal products

Enjoy the artistic traditions of Normandy

Indulge in local culinary delights and regional flavors

As you stroll through the charming streets, the opportunities to shop and appreciate the arts are endless, making for a truly memorable and enriching experience at Mont Saint-Michel.

Panoramic Photo Spots

With its awe-inspiring architecture and breathtaking natural landscapes , Mont Saint-Michel offers an abundance of panoramic photo opportunities that captivate visitors.

From the bridges and ramparts, one can capture stunning vistas of the medieval abbey perched atop the rocky outcrop, surrounded by the mesmerizing tidal flats and the vast, shimmering bay beyond.

The iconic silhouette of the island monastery, framed by the sky and the sea, makes for postcard-worthy shots .

Ascending the village’s winding streets, you’ll discover picture-perfect viewpoints that showcase the abbey’s majesty and the dramatic interplay of light and shadow across the ancient structures.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or an avid sightseer, Mont Saint-Michel’s panoramic splendor is sure to leave you awestruck.

Included Amenities

Aboard the premium Mercedes E-Class, travelers embark on a comfortable journey from Paris to the captivating island of Mont Saint-Michel, where they’re greeted by a professional chauffeur who ensures a seamless experience.

The round-trip transportation allows visitors to focus on seeing the rich history and breathtaking scenery of this UNESCO World Heritage site without the hassle of driving.

Upon arrival, travelers are dropped off right at the entrance, providing easy access to explore the medieval village, browse the charming arts and crafts markets, and capture stunning panoramic views at their own leisure.

The convenient return to Paris or direct transfer to the airport completes this comprehensive day trip experience.

Round-trip transportation in a premium vehicle

Professional chauffeur service

Drop-off at the entrance of Mont Saint-Michel

Booking and Cancellation

To book this day trip , travelers can conveniently reserve their spot now and pay later , with the option of free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund .

This flexible booking policy ensures customers can secure their tour without committing to immediate payment. The process is straightforward – simply select the desired date and number of passengers, then complete the reservation.

Once the booking is confirmed, customers can relax knowing their spot is secured. Should plans change, they can cancel their reservation at no cost up to a day before the scheduled departure, providing peace of mind.

This hassle-free booking experience allows travelers to focus on anticipating their exciting day trip to the iconic Mont Saint-Michel.

Here's a few more nearby tours and experiences we think you'll like.

• From Paris: Reims and Champagne Tasting Full-Day Tour
• Paris: Musée D’orsay Guided Tour With Pre-Reserved Tickets
• From Paris: Versailles Guided Tour by Deluxe Minibus
• From Paris: Versailles Palace & Garden Bike Tour W/ Tickets
• From Paris: Small-Group Champagne Tour With 3-Course Lunch
• Paris: Loire Valley Chambord Castle, Wine Tasting & Lunch

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i visit the abbey located on mont saint-michel.

Yes, visitors can explore the iconic abbey located atop Mont Saint-Michel. The abbey is a highlight of the island, offering stunning medieval architecture and breathtaking views over the surrounding bay. Access to the abbey is included in the general admission fee.

Are There Any Guided Tours Available for the Day Trip?

Though the day trip from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel doesn’t include a guided tour, visitors can explore the medieval village and abbey at their own pace. Private guided tours are available upon request for those seeking a more in-depth experience.

What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Mont Saint-Michel?

The best time to visit Mont Saint-Michel is typically during the spring or fall months. These seasons offer milder weather, fewer crowds, and the chance to fully take in the abbey’s medieval splendor without the summer’s heat or winter’s chill.

Are There Any Dietary Restrictions for the Food Options?

The day trip from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel doesn’t include any pre-arranged meals, allowing visitors to choose from the various dining options in the town that cater to a range of dietary needs and restrictions.

Can I Extend My Stay at Mont Saint-Michel Beyond the Included Time?

Yes, travelers can extend their stay at Mont Saint-Michel beyond the included 5 hours. Additional time can be arranged directly with the tour operator, though any extensions would be at the traveler’s own expense and subject to availability.

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• Paris: Montmartre Highlights Guided Walking Tour
• Treasure Hunt : the Burglar of the Hill of Montmartre
• Paris: Luggage Storage Service Close to the Eiffel Tower
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• Paris Behind the Scenes- Snack N Walk Tour
• Bohemian Paris Tour by Night
• Drive From AIRPORT CDG to Paris
• Beauvais Airport Transfer – Arrival or Departure
• Paris Gourmet Food Tour: a Local Delicacies Culinary Journey
• Paris : Walking Tour Notre Dame With Local Guide
• Paris: Lunch & Dinner for Groups
• Paris: Louvre Ticket With Audio Guide and Seine River Cruise

The day trip to Mont Saint-Michel from Paris offers a chance to take in the enchanting medieval ambiance of this iconic French landmark.

With a comfortable ride, ample time for exploration, and flexible booking options, this tour provides an unforgettable escape from the city and the opportunity to capture stunning panoramic views of the abbey-crowned island.

Whether you’re admiring the local arts and crafts or simply wandering the charming cobblestone streets , this experience promises to leave a lasting impression.

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