20 Things To Know Before Visiting Paris with a Toddler + Fun Things to Do

We recently visited Paris with our young kids (3 years + 7 months) and had a great time. But let me tell you, visiting Paris with a toddler is not for the faint of heart 😅.

We were totaly exhuasted after one week in Paris with a toddler. However, a trip to Paris with young kids can be enjoyable if you plan well and set proper expectations.

This guide is to give you the top things to know before planning your trip to Paris with a toddler and a few of the toddler-friendly things to do in Paris.

I’ll let you know what we learned, what we’d change, and what we’d do again.

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✨2-3 Hour Paris Kids and Families Private Louvre Tour:We haven't booked this tour, but the reviews are amazing and it seems like a great way to see the Louvre with kids.

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Is it possible to visit Paris with toddlers?

Yes! You can definitely visit Paris with a toddler. As long as you go in with proper expectations, a simple itinerary, and a good attitude, you can have a great family trip to Paris.

I will say, that we’ve traveled all over Europe with our three kids to all kinds of places and Paris (along with other large cities) don’t sit on the top of their favorites list.

For example, our young kids constantly talk about our trips to places like Mallorca, the Isle of Skye Scotland, Malta and the Faroe Islands (to name a few). But hardly ever bring up our trips to London, Amsterdam or Paris.

That being said, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go if visiting Paris is important to you. We chose to go because my husband and I had never been to Paris and really wanted to experience it.

However, if you’re just looking for a great place to take toddlers in Europe, there are other destinations that could be less tiring and potentially more memorable for them (but that’s just my opinion).

You can find more destination ideas here.

If you’re set on Paris, keep reading to discover things we wish we had known that would have made our holiday in Paris a toddler and baby less stressful from the start.

Check out my article: 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions (it’s a lifesaver).

20 Things to Know Before visiting Paris with a toddler or a baby

1. July and August are By Far the Busiest/Most Expensive Months in Paris

July and August are the busiest travel months in Paris which shows by the crowds and hotel prices.

We’ve visited Paris in the shoulder season and we’ve also visited in August, and let me tell you, it was MUCH busier in August.

In August, people were waiting in THREE HOUR line to be able to climb the Eifffel Tower (these are people that hadn’t purchased tickets in advance). It was absolutely insane. With saw parents with young kids in that line and I just can’t even imagine.

If you want nice weather but fewer crowds, I recommend visiting Paris in May/June or September.

2. You can Get an Airport Transfers with car seats!

By the time we visited Paris with our toddler and baby, I was so done with managing luggage along with our kids and a stroller on crowded trains or busses. We had done it in other large cities in Europe but I hit my breaking point after our arrival in Paris.

Let’s just say what is expected to be a quick 45-minute train ride quickly turns into a 2-hour excursion when you are doing it with two little kiddos and luggage in tow.

I knew that we needed to catch a taxi/airport transfer when we had to go back to the airport but I was so worried about the kids not being in carseats.

Thankfully, I found an AMAZING taxi service in Paris called Baby Cabs that SPECIALIZES in families. They have all the types of car seats/boosters seats you may need and pick you up, carseats already installed, carry your luggage for you and drop you off right where you need to be.

I felt like I was living in a dream compared to all of our other expereinces on public transit with luggage, kids and a stroller. Baby Cabs took away SO MUCH STRESS. I cannot recommend it enough.

We paid €80 to be picked up at the front door of our Airbnb, comfortably driven to the airport with two comfy car seats (they asked ahead of time what car seat sizes we’d need) and our driver helped us bring our luggage into the terminal. It was seriously so amazing.

I highlyyyyy recommend booking via Baby Cabs whenever you need a transfer in Paris. They have all different sizes of vehicles & car seats and will be able to accommodate what you need (I sound like I’m getting paid to say this, but unfortunately, I’m not 😝).

Keep in mind you need to book your ride at least 24 hours in advance.

3. There are So Many Travel Passes To Choose From that It’s Confusing

One of your biggest questions is probably how to use public transit in Paris with a toddler.

Paris has different passes set up so that don’t have to purchase tickets before each journey and you can instead tap on and off. However, there are multiple pass options and your head may start spinning as you consider each one.

Keep in mind that children under 4 years old travel for free and kids aged 4-9 years old travel at a discount.

• Navigo Easy Pass: My top recommendation. The Navigo Easy Pass is a reloadable pass that you can purchase at ticket offices or counters but you can reload it at counters, stations or even on the app. This is a great option if you just want to add a few tickets at a time and don’t want to commit to the full price of the Paris Visite Pass. We’ve done this on a following trip to Paris and it worked great.

• Paris Visite Pass: Could be more or less expensive than the pass above depending on how often you use public transit. This pass has a set price that can be purchased for 1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days and it can easily be purchased at ticket machines at stations. Generally this could be the msot expensive option.
• Navigo Discovery Pass : Less expensive than the Paris Visite Pass for week-long passes. However, these passes require you to bring a small headshot to tape to the card. We did this on our first trip to Paris and I don’t actually recommend it because it was a hassle. However, it was less expensive.

Overall, which pass you choose it up to you, however, I highly recommend purchasing a pass to be able to easily tap on and off of public transit and not have to think about purchasing tickets before each journey.

It’s much easier doing it with a pass than by paying bus drivers while trying to help your family board a crowded bus (so stressful).

4. Ditch the Metro and take the Bus instead

I highly recommend taking the bus with a toddler in Paris rather than taking the metro.

After taking the train and metro a few times, we were so done with navigating unending underground stations with stairs on stairs on stairs.

My husband had the genius idea to choose the ‘bus’ option as our preferred mode of transportation on Google Maps rather than ‘metro/train’ and it was a total game-changer.

It was so nice to wait on the side of the road for the bus and step right on rather than going underground for the metro via stairs (and if you’re lucky, multiple elevators).

Plus, there are designated stroller spots on buses so even when it was busy we were still able to find space (even with our double stroller!).

And stepping right off the bus and being right where we wanted to be was amazing. It so beat getting off the metro and navigating unending stairs/escalators and elevators to get to the street level again.

We noticed that even if the Metro said it was a shorter journery than the bus, by the time you navigate the stairs and elevators and potential transfers, the bus rided ended up being faster or at least the same.

Just try the bus- trust me.

5. Try to Visit a Playground (or two) Each Day

Before making our itinerary for Paris with young kids, I was sure to do SO much research on playgrounds in Paris.

I found playgrounds right near (or on the way to) all of the places we wanted to see in the city. We had 1-3 playgrounds on our itinerary every day that we played at with our toddler.

It was so nice for our daughter to look forward to our playground visits if we were doing things that she wasn’t as interested in. And honestly, some of our favorite trip memories come from playing at these Paris playgrounds.

I wrote post with details about each of the playgrounds we played at and where to find them: 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions

6. Prioritize seeing 1-2 Sights Per day

Before our trip to Paris, we had also visited London and Amsterdam with a toddler.

On our first trip to London we realized we had added way too much to our itinerary, so we made sure to cut down on our Amsterdam itinerary.

However, in Amsterdam, we realized again that we had still added too much to our itinerary and cut it down even more by the time we visited Paris.

By the time we traveled to Paris, we knew that we needed to choose just one major thing we wanted to see/do each day (with 1-2 bonus things to do if things were going well).

For example, on one day our priority was to see the Eiffel Tower but we were also able to take a 1-hour Seine River Cruise (which felt like a bonus!). Plus, we played at two different playgrounds and ate loads of ice cream and slushies.

Managing our expectations by setting realistic sightseeing goals was a game changer for us.

7. Consider Spending Time at Disneyland Paris

Some of the best parts of our trip to Paris, France with a toddler was during the two days we spent at Disneyland Paris.

Disneyland Paris is just as magical than Disneyland in California. The castle is my favorite of all the Disney castles, the theming is spot on and the French language make it feel like you are in a real-life fairytale.

However, there is no Galaxy’s Edge at this Disneyland and it’s not really a foodie destination compared to some Disney Parks.

Disneyland Paris is only a 40-minute train ride from the center of Paris and pretty easy to get to.

I recommend spending 1-2 days at Disneyland Paris (we spent two days and it was perfect). Staying near Disneyland Paris is much more affordable than Central Paris and obviously makes visiting much easier.

However, if you do want to do it as a day trip from Central Paris, check out my guide to taking a day trip to Disneyland Paris.

Check out everything you need to know about Disneyland Paris in this post.

8. Book accommodations with a kitchen

I am no expert on what areas of Paris to stay, however, I do suggest you book accomodations with a kitchen, like Airbnb or Aparthotels, rather than a traditional hotel room.

We stayed at this Airbnb just a 5-minute walk from Sacré-Cœur (which was an area we were very excited to explore). It was sooo nice to have a fully stocked kitchen, full living room and two bedrooms.

We grocery shopped nearby and had breakfast at the Airbnb, packed lunch or snacks for on the go (at least for our toddler) and most nights went back for a relaxing dinner at home.

We had some friendly recently return from a trip to Paris with their kids and they wished they had chosed an Airbnb rather than a hotel room. They said it felt like too much keeping the kids out through dinner each day and wished they had had a kitchen to make dinner themselves.

While it was nice to be close to Sacré-Cœur, I would love to stay closer to Luxembourg Gardens or The Louvre on our next trip to Paris.

9. Consider Skipping the Louvre or Book a family-friendly tour

If you really want to see the Louvre, I’d recommend booking a family-friendly tour to ensure you maximize your time. The Louvre is massive and you can get easily lost which isn’t ideal when traveling with a toddler.

You can also book a private Louvre tour created specifically for families. You can choose between a 2 or 3 hour tour and have it catered to your children’s interest. It can be pricey, but could definitely be worth it. The reviews are really great.

🎨✨ Click here to see the Paris Kids and Families Private Louvre Tour! 🎨✨

Another option is this family-friendly experience in the Louvre directly through the Louvre’s website. It’s much less expensive, however, it has very limited times available.

If you feel like it’s too much to go inside with your young ones, you could always split up and have one adult play with the kids at the playground near the Louvre while the other one sees some of the Louvre on their own.

We knew that there was no way our toddler was going to want to stroll through any museum for an hour or two.

However, the one museum exhibition I really wanted to visit was Monet’s Water Lillies exhibit at Musée de l’Orangerie. It was absolutely perfect.

The Musée de l’Orangerie’s main focus are just two, circular white rooms featuring some of Monet’s Water Lilies. There are also some exhibitions in the basement of the museum, however, we were there just to walk through these two rooms.

Unlike the Louvre, there was no line to get in, and our daughter loved walking around the large white rooms taking photos on our phone of Monet’s Water Lillies.

We couldn’t have asked for a better art museum experience. I mean, it’s only two rooms- the perfect size for a toddler’s attention span. We were literally in and out in like 20 minutes but were able to see some artwork we had really wanted to see.

10. You Can Skip the Montmarte Stairs and Ride the FUnicular Instead

If you want to get up to Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, you can either climb 200+ stairs (no thank you) or you can catch an easy, fun ride on the funicular.

The funicular is adjacent to the Sacré Coeur carousel and you can tap on and off with your Navigo or Paris Visite transit passes (or you can pay at the window for a one-time ride).

We used the funicular multiple times and never waited more than a couple of minutes. Our toddler loved riding it and often asked to take it again (which we did since our Airbnb was near here). It is far superior to climbing over 200 steps with a toddler and baby in tow (obviously).

Another fun option we saw but didn’t get the chance to take is called The Little Train of Montmartre. It’s a little tourist train that takes you up the Montmartre Hill with some commentary and music along the way.

It looks quite affordable, a fun way to learn a little bit about the area, and a great idea if your kids love trains!

11. Know that Not EVeryone Speaks English

This may come as a surprise ( it did to us) but only 39% of the French population speak English proficiently (compared to 90% in the Netherlands).

You can still get by only speaking English, however, be aware that if someone only responds in French, it may just be because they aren’t confident in their English.

The Americans in us absolutely loved being greeted by everyone with ‘bonjour!’ And we loved teaching our toddler how to say hello, goodbye, excuse me, and thank you in French.

Some of our favorite memories were playing at the playground with local Parisians and getting along with only a few French phrases and smiles and nods.

We were absolutely charmed by their kindness towards us and our kids in Paris and we were offered assistance so many times we lost count.

I do recommend always gretting storekeepers in French and using goodbye and thank you in French as often as possible. It goes a long way!

12. Bring some of your toddler’s favorite snacks with you

Our kids have a few things that we know they will always eat so we like to make sure we keep some on hand whenever we travel.

The grocery stores in Paris carry most of the things you need, however, if there are specific brands your kids like, I recommend throwing some in your luggage to make sure you have them.

For example, if your American and your kids basically lives off Goldfish, be sure bring some along with you.

We brought some specific baby food and sauce pouches with us to Paris that our kids are picky about, however, we easily picked up everything else from the local grocery store.

13. There are So Many Cute Carousels Dotting the City

A very magical thing about Paris is that you’ll find beautiful little carousels dotted all over the city

. We were sure to let our toddler take a ride every time she asked. The carousel rides usually cost €2.50 in cash which seemed very reasonable for a fun little moment in Paris.

Our two favorite carousels were one at the bottom of Sacre-Couer and one next to the playground in the Jardin des Tuileries.

14. Remember that meltdowns are inevitable

Just like at home, meltdowns and tantrums are going to happen while you are sightseeing in Paris with kids.

I often think about how we are asking a lot of our toddler and baby to be away from their home and routine for so long doing activities they aren’t used to doing. However, with a lot of planning and so much food packed in your bag, you can make precious memories.

We try our best to have proper expectations of the day to have as few meltdowns as possible, but meltdowns definitely still happen.

Just know that all is not lost if anyone loses their cool at some point. Usually, some food and a break at one of the Paris playgrounds was the reset our fam needed 😉. Also, just say yes to ice cream ha ha.

15. Book a Seine River Cruise for a relaxing way to see a lot of the city from the water

One of our favorite things to do across Europe is to hop on a boat to see the city from the water. Whether that’s a canal tour in Copenhagen or a family-friendly canal tour in Amsterdam– we’ve enjoyed them all.

So, in Paris, we were sure to book a 1-hour Seine River cruise which was very family-friendly and a great way to see a lot of major Paris attractions like Notre Dame and Musée d’Orsay. We were even able to push our double stroller right onto the boat and keep it to the side during the cruise.

The most convenient thing about the Seine River Cruise we booked was that the loading area was right by the Eiffel Tower which made it easy to do those two things on the same day. Or if you could also book an evening cruise to see the lights on in the city. Either way, I definitely recommend booking a river cruise on the Seine!

16. Make plenty of stops for crepes, croissants, baguettes and other goodies

We had a friend give us some tips for visiting Disneyland with toddlers (since we were heading to Disneyland in Paris) and he suggested saying ‘yes’ anytime your toddler asks for a treat. We took this to heart and it was honestly a great suggestion.

We used this tactic our entire time in Paris and it was great (not to mention that I just love to pick up loads of goodies anyways when we travel). A few of our favorites we tried were pain au chocolat, madeleines au citron, chocolate crepes, and ice cream.

We were worried that our kids would constantly be asking for sweets, however, they really only asked 1-2 times a day whereas I think if we had said no they would have constantly been asking until we did say yes.

17. Bring a great stroller and Carrier

This probably goes without saying, but if you are going to Paris with a toddler or baby, you definitely will want to bring along a reliable stroller and if you have a baby, also a carrier.

We visited Paris with an almost 4-year-old and a 7-month-old and we brought with us our Zoe double stroller, plus our baby carrier for when our little babe was tired of being in the stroller.

Our toddler hasn’t taken naps for about a year, however, she took a nap every afternoon in our Zoe stroller and our baby took 2-3 naps each day in the stroller.

If you’re looking for a great double stroller to take to Europe, we absolutely love our Zoe stroller. Check out my post here about why it’s the best double stroller for travel to Europe. Zoe also sells an awesome single travel stroller that we love. It folds SO EASILY.

The one area of Paris that was a little tricky with a stroller was the Montmartre area (and the entire Metro underground metro system as I mentioned above ha ha).

Montmartre is a heavily cobbled area which was doable with our stroller but a stroller really isn’t the best option.

Since our Airbnb was near Monmartre, we visited the area twice and opted to have our toddler walk and our baby carried in the carrier on our second visit. However, we did do it once with a stroller and it wasn’t all that bad (probably just comical to watch).

18. Pick easy-to-eat food while out and about

We love picking up yummy food when we travel, however, that can be a little tricky when traveling as a young family.

This means we usually opt for street food or counter-service type food that will be ready quickly and can be taken on the go if needed.

Our first favorite spot was Carette, in the square Place du Tertre of Montmartre. We picked up a delicious quiche, a galette a crepe, and some ice cream. It was so yummy and fast that we actually visited twice during our time in Paris.

We also were sure to bring a packed lunch along for our toddler that we knew she’d eat in case we couldn’t find anything that she wanted while we were out for the day.

And we always had plenty of healthy snacks to make up for the loads of goodies we were eating😅.

19. You can Find Public Water Fountains throughout the city

We are huge water drinkers and we also love to keep our kids hydrated. In many European cities, it can be tricky to find free drinking fountains.

However, Paris has these beautifully ornate drinking fountains ALL over the city. In fact, there are 1,200 fountains (some more ornate than others) all managed by the city and safe to drink.

If you see the small plaque at the bottom of the fountain that says ‘Eau de Paris’, then you are good to fill up your bottle. It’s amazing! It’s like the beautiful Parisian answer to America’s water fountains.

20. There are 400 Free Public Toilets in Paris

Paris has 400 automatic public toilets (sanisettes) dotted throughout the city. The toilets are all free and open from 6 am- 10 pm or longer.

The toilets are like little pods on the sidewalk with (get this) self-cleaning cabins. After you close the door to leave, a 60-second wash cycle starts with water jets and disinfectant before it shows as availble for the next guest.

You can learn more and see a map of the toilets here.

Quick List of Fun Things to do in Paris with a Toddler:

If you are looking for what to do in Paris with toddlers, the good news is there is quite a lot! Like most major cities, you’ll still be able to see most of the major sites in Paris with your toddler in tow.

However, you’ll also want to add some special sites and stops just for your little ones to help them have a great time. And remember, to keep your itinerary SIMPLE. We like to have a goal of one to two things to see each day when traveling with a toddler.

1. Eat all of the yummy baked goods you can (pain au chocolate, madeleines, cream puffs, croissants, crepes, etc.)
2. Rent a toy sailboat or watch a puppet show in Luxembourg Gardens
3. See the Eiffel Tower
4. Ride the elevator to the top of the Arc de Triomphe (yes, they have an elevator you can use with young kids)
5. Snap a pic in front of the Notre Dame
6. Play at all of the super fun playgrounds in Paris
7. Ride the Little Train of Montmartre
8. Experience the magic at Disneyland Paris
9. Ride carousels throughout the city (find some of the ones we loved here)
10. Stroll along the Seine and tip street performers
11. Take a relaxing, 1-hour Seine River cruise past top city sights
12. Visit the children’s area of The Centre Pompidou art museum (closed until 2030)
13. Ride the funicular up to take in the views of Paris from Sacré-Coeur Basilica
14. Get your portrait painted in Place du Tertre
15. Play among the columns at Colonnes de Buren
16. See Monet’s Water Lilies exhibit at Musée de l’Orangerie
17. Take a family-friendly tour of The Louvre
18. Shop for picnic goods on Rue Cler Market Street
19. Pick up a kid’s book from Shakespeare and Company bookshop
20. Ride the rides at Jardin d’Acclimatation

And that’s everything I think you need to know to have an awesome trip to Paris with a toddler! I hope these Paris toddler activities and tips and tricks for visiting Paris are helpful to you.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about visiting Paris with young kids- I’ll be sure to get back to you.

🇫🇷 VISITING PARIS WITH KIDS? 

🛝 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions

➡️ 15 Things to Know Before Planning a Trip to Disneyland Paris

❗ 27 Essential Paris Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Paris

⛵ Luxembourg Gardens Sailboats: How They Work

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