While past trips filled with romance and exclusive dining may be a distant memory, the City of Lights can take on a new role in your life as a city to visit avec infants. Whether for museums and culture, anytime and outdoor activities, rainy days or arts and crafts, Paris has always something to keep your every- family-member entertained. To simplify things in choosing ‘everything that’s kid-friendly in Paris,’ we have done extensive research and identified the best way to give your children a truly incredible experience.
Disneyland Paris
This is what Brady MacDonald says about Disneyland Paris: ‘Opened in 1992 as Euro Disney Resort, the theme park is bigger than the original in California, smaller than the first reproduction in Florida and contains more beautiful details than either.’ And he is quite right. Conveniently located in Marne-la-Vallée, the park is the most visited attraction in all of France and Europe, boasting no fewer than 52 attractions, a 7-hotel complex, two parks, a ranch, endless eateries and shops, a golf course and gardens. The only thing you should do is to smile and let the Disney magic take over. From Fantasyland and Discoveryland to Frontierland and Adventureland, get ready to experience sensory overload.
Tour Montparnasse
Another must-do activity your kids will surely appreciate is to get panoramic views of Paris. This can be done from the top of several famous spots, including Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Notre Dame de Paris and so on and so forth. The lines to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame de Paris are long nearly all the time, so it’s natural that kids will soon get bored. So instead, you’d better make your way over to the Tour Montparnasse. What you’ll discover when getting to the place will be an ugly 59th -floor iron and steel modern office building, but the views of Paris from atop the tower are something that will definitely take your breath away.
Natural History Museum
There is no lack of family-friendly museums in Paris, covering a variety of topics from sciences to history to the arts. One of them is the Natural History Museum, located in the Jardin des Plantes (with its 17th-century gardens and zoo), in the 5th Arrondissement of Paris. Created in 1793, the museum became the site of significant scientific research in the 19th century, and comes with a number of galleries scattered around the sides of the garden. Expect to see a thorough and systematic exhibit of marine habitats; fossils and dinosaur skeletons; meteorites and crystals; life-sized stuffed animals that look as though they are queuing two by two to get in to Noah’s ark; as well as exhibits on endangered species, the diversity and evolution of life, and the man’s role in evolution. Enjoy!
Workshops for Kids at Louvre
Among favorite kid-tested tours and activities in Paris are educational workshops in the Museé du Louvre that give kids an opportunity to see artworks from a new perspective and gain a better understanding of them by exploring the artistic techniques used. Walking through the museum, children play ‘I spy,’ searching for clues hidden in the artwork to find a buried treasure. When you’re all done, there is an excellent kid’s bookstore near the main bookstore, selling toys and interesting books. Workshops are available for ages 4 and up.
Luxembourg Gardens
Open daily, 7 am to 1 hour before sunset, the picture-perfect Luxembourg gardens is a beautiful park with great playground, a fountain pond for sailing small boats, a marionette theater (puppet shows at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 during the summer months), an old-fashioned carousel, and many statue-lined paths to explore. If you happen to find yourself on the right bank instead then a visit to the Tuileries Garden is equally fantastic.
Berthillion
You can recognize the Berthillion ice-cream parlor and tearoom from the queues of people outside. Wonderfully located on the Little Isle of Saint-Louis, Berthillion has been serving the best ice-cream and Sorbets in Europe since 1954. If you visit on a day when Berthillion is closed, look for their ice-cream in the nearest shops.
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