Paris with kids: a day out
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 3 of 5 free; paid: Seine river cruise, Eiffel Tower
- Duration
- 8 h 10 min · 09:30–17:36
- Start and finish
- Tuileries Garden → Trocadéro
- On foot
- ≈ 37 min in total
- Transport
- 1 ride, ≈ 19 min
- Lunch
- around 13:07
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- April to October; in summer, the tower in the morning and the boat after lunch.
The plan, stop by stop
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Paris09:30–17:36 · 5 places · 8 h 10 min
Tuileries Garden
· 1 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Seine river cruise
· 1 h · ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more
- 18 min on foot
Champ de Mars
· 1 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 6 min on foot
Eiffel Tower
· 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs
- 13 min on foot
Trocadéro
· 40 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
3 of 5 are free; 2 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Tuileries Garden | 51 | 1 h | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Seine river cruise | 34 | 1 h | ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more |
| 3 | Champ de Mars | 46 | 1 h | Free |
| 4 | Eiffel Tower | 65 | 2 h 30 min | Timed ticket, lift or stairs |
| 5 | Trocadéro | 47 | 40 min | Free |
| Total | 6 h 10 min | 3 of 5 free |
Tips for each stop
- 1
Tuileries Garden. Le Nôtre's royal garden between the Louvre and Concorde: ponds, green chairs, statues. Free.
- 2
Seine river cruise. An hour on a sightseeing boat past the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the bridges. Ticketed.
- 3
Champ de Mars. The long lawn at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for picnics and the evening lights. Free.
- 4
Eiffel Tower. The 330 m iron tower: lift or stairs, sparkling every hour after dark. Timed ticket online.
- 5
Trocadéro. The Palais de Chaillot esplanade with the best Eiffel Tower view and the Warsaw Fountain. Free.
Who this route is for
- Children aged 3 and up
- A family trip to Paris
- Views and downtime in one day
- The Louvre with toddlers: keep it short
- Disneyland needs a day out of town
April to October; in summer, the tower in the morning and the boat after lunch.
How the family day works
Children are freshest in the morning, the perfect time for the Eiffel Tower: book the lift ahead to skip the queue. Come down to the Champ de Mars for a picnic, then cross the Pont d'Iéna to the Trocadéro, where the fountains play on warm days.
After lunch, board a boat at the foot of the tower: in an hour you'll see the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the bridges while the children rest. In the evening, take the metro to the Tuileries to sit by a pond and ride the carousel.
You can remove any stop with the cross, reorder with ≡ or add another nearby, and the timings update.
Where to eat with kids
For a Champ de Mars picnic, buy a baguette, cheese, fruit and pastries on Rue Cler, lunch and entertainment in one. The boats and the tower have snack cafés, and the Tuileries has ice-cream and crêpe kiosks.
Many bistros have children's menus and high chairs, and cafés are relaxed about kids. Dinner starts from 7:30 pm, but the cafés by the gardens serve earlier.
Tips for Paris with kids
The metro has lots of stairs and not every station has a lift, so with a pushchair buses or walks along the Seine are easier. Pushchairs are allowed on the Eiffel Tower, but the lifts are crowded at peak times, so fold it in advance.
Entry to most national museums is free for under-18s, so a short visit to the Louvre or the Orsay costs nothing for them. In the Tuileries and the Luxembourg Gardens children sail toy boats and ride carousels, a great break between walks.
More for kids
Kids love the Luxembourg Gardens with toy boats and puppet shows, the Parc de la Villette and its science city, and a whole day at Disneyland Paris.
How to do it right
- The tower in the morning.
- Book tickets online.
- Picnic on the Champ de Mars.
- France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Book the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Sainte-Chapelle ahead on their official sites, which list entry times and closing days.
Questions
What can kids see in Paris?
The Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars, the Trocadéro, a Seine cruise, the Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens, and Disneyland.
Is Paris pushchair-friendly?
The centre is, but the metro has many stairs; buses and riverside walks are easier.
Can children go up the Eiffel Tower?
Yes, by lift; book tickets online in advance.
Where can families eat in Paris?
A picnic on the Champ de Mars, cafés by the tower and kiosks in the Tuileries.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Paris tourist office, parisjetaime.com
