You can’t beat the allure of Paris. Not only is it a fairly easy hop over the channel on Eurostar but there is enough to see and do to keep everyone happy. From the museums and art galleries to the parks and famous sights – Paris is jam packed with child-friendly attractions. Paris is also very easy to navigate either on foot or by its comprehensive metro system so you can discover the cobbled streets of the Marais in the morning and the street artists of Montmatre in the afternoon.
Our top suggestions for families:

1. The Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle is a must for little dinosaur fans with a whole building dedicated to palaeontology: mnhn.fr

2. Le Jardin du Luxembourg has puppet shows, pony rides, the city’s oldest carousel and a large playground to keep the kids entertained (no official website)

3. L’Aquarium de Paris is perfect for a rainy day with a large array of colourful fish to see and regular workshops and demonstrations – it’s also very close to the Eiffel Tower so you can easily combine the two attractions: cineaqua.com

4. Keep the children happy on a shopping trip by taking them to the observation deck at the top of Galeries Lafayette department store to check out the view: galerieslafayette.com

5. The Louvre museum is fascinating for adults but the little ones might find it a bit boring so why not add on an organised treasure hunt to your visit so you can enjoy the art while they search out the next clue: thatlou.com

6. La Cite des Sciences et de L’Industrie is ideal for inquisitive minds with permanent exhibitions on transportation, genetics, light, sound and energy: cite-sciences.fr

7. If the sun is shining head to the Parc de la Villette which is fantastic for old and young. Children will love the giant climbing frames, slides and open spaces and grown ups will enjoy wondering around the 10 themed gardens. There is also a children’s arts centre and an open air film festival in the summer months: lavillette.com

8. A trip down the Seine on a Bateau Mouche is great fun and usually takes in the major sites of the city from the comfort of a boat – you can even have lunch or dinner on board: bateaux-mouches.fr

9. If you prefer to have a more relaxed itinerary, there is nothing quite like sitting in one of the many street cafés and enjoying a strong cup of coffee and a croissant – kids might like to try a diabolo menthe – a refreshing mint and lemonade drink with a bright green appearance that might just keep little ones sitting still for a few minutes while you soak up the atmosphere and watch the world go by.

10. And if you get tired of all the culture you could add on a few extra days to take in Disneyland Paris or the fabulous Park Asterix as well!

Let me know your favourite Parisian spots by commenting below!

Love, Katie from team ParentVille