72 Hours in Paris with Kids

Most world-traveling families aspire to visit Paris with their children at least once during their 18 years of family vacations. Something about the City of Lights inspires parents to dream of going with their children, but oftentimes they feel intimidated by the idea of bringing their kids to this epicenter of art, history, culture and sophisticated fashion.

The key to happiness and joie de vivre instead of multiple meltdowns and overtired family members? Plan ahead. Let’s dive into our proven tips and favorite things to do in Paris with kids to ensure your trip is one your kids will talk about for years to come.

Best Itinerary for 72 Hours in Paris with Kids

Day 1 (half day)

We arrived in the early afternoon and had half day to get acquainted with the city. We kicked off our tour at the Jardin des Tuileries — a perfect spot for people watching and settling in. Then we headed out for the 45-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower from there.

Traversing the city on foot works well to get an idea of directions and distances. We pre-booked our Eiffel Tower tickets, which I highly recommend! There is a weather risk in this strategy, but we saved an hour of waiting in line. The reservation (no additional fee) allows you to head straight to the platform where you take a second elevator to get to the summit. At that point, you’ll still need to wait in line to get to the top (45 minutes), but it’s a net gain.

If your kids have energy to burn afterward or you want to treat them to ice cream, make time to play in the Champ de Mars, a public green space nearby. Finally, we ended our day with a stroll and dinner on the Champs-Elysées.

Day 2

While Notre Dame Cathedral is under restoration from the devastating fire of 2019, we recommend visiting the 13th-century Sainte-Chapelle nearby as an alternative attraction. It has incredible stained glass windows that are sure to impress. Alternatively, a morning at the Jardin des Plantes to enjoy the grounds or visit the kid-friendly museums there also works.

On the way back, we made a detour at the Conciergerie, a former royal palace and prison. It’s not a must-see attraction, but my kids enjoyed it, particularly Marie Antoinette’s cell.

We continued our day with a Louvre tour with a private guide (Ciao Bambino Travel Advisors book vetted guides as part of the full vacation planning service). The museum is so large that it’s impossible to cover in one visit, so reserve time to come back. After multiple visits to the Louvre, we found that the afternoon tended to be less crowded than the morning.

We concluded our day with an evening Bateaux-Mouches tour on the Seine. This was a hit for all! We all appreciated being off our feet at that time of day, and seeing the city in the evening gives you an entirely new perspective. You get a particularly great view of the Eiffel Tower — the lights start twinkling every hour on the hour after dark.

Day 3

We spread out our iconic Paris monuments and on day three, the Arc de Triomphe got a close inspection. The view from the top is slightly different than what you see from the Eiffel Tower; it’s not a must-do, but if you have time it’s worthwhile.

Next we did some Right Bank wandering, which included stops at the Opera House and Madeleine before we proceeded to the Musée d’Orsay. One nice thing about this museum versus other Paris art museums is that the kids will recognize the Impressionist art. It’s a more intimate museum focused on paintings versus antiquities; I’d recommend using an audio guide to keep younger ones engaged.

With More Time

If you have a fourth day, a lesser-known and quieter attraction, like the Musée de l’Orangerie featuring Claude Monet’s masterpieces, might be just what you need. The huge scale of the paintings at eye level enables kids to see all the intricacies and get close to the action.

We wrapped up our time in Paris with a visit to Montmartre and the incredible Sacré-Coeur Basilica, followed by a return to the Louvre and wandering at the kid-friendly favorite Luxembourg Gardens. If you have even more time, consider a day trip out to Monet’s home and gardens at Giverny; Versailles; or even Disneyland Paris.

Essential Paris with Kids Planning Tips

These tips and itinerary suggestions are based on a visit to Paris with school-age kids. If you are visiting Paris with kids who are older or younger, the following posts will be helpful: Paris with babies and toddlers or Paris with teens.

Make a big splash right away

On my first trip to Paris with kids, I wanted to hit one of the main attractions on arrival. Naturally, we headed straight for the Eiffel Tower. From the top of the tower (after a thrilling elevator ride up) we had a bird’s-eye overview of the entire city and this got my kids excited for their visit.

Refine your must-see list

There’s an endless number of things to see and do in Paris. Create a top 10 list and know that you might only visit seven of the things on it, particularly over the busy summer months.

Take advantage of the Metro

We never took a cab in Paris except from the train station on the day of our arrival. I recommend getting a Metro map and multi-ticket books (adult and youth versions are available) soon after arrival. We purchased a book of 10, which saves money and allows you to avoid buying tickets each time you want to use the underground.

Incorporate variety in the daily schedule

I was careful to balance iconic sights, museums and outdoor activities during each day instead of doing too much of any one thing. Use a map to plot what you want to see geographically. This is easier to do once you arrive and have a feel for the lay of the land and what the distances mean.

TIP: We have a helpful guide on how to prioritize the major attractions of the eight central arrondissements of Paris with kids in an efficient way.

Buy the Paris Museum Pass

The Paris Museum Pass is a no-brainer for value and time savings, particularly if you expect to visit two or more attractions per day. You’ll at least break even and more importantly, you won’t have to stand in line at the majority of sights, a huge benefit during busy tourist periods. Go to the website to determine what is and is not covered.

With this kind of ticket, I found that I was more forgiving about leaving attractions early when my kids weren’t engaged (versus digging my heels in when I had just forked out money for individual entrance tickets). In addition, the pass allows you to revisit museums like the Louvre. This is huge! It takes the pressure off seeing everything at once and makes re-entry seamless.

Eat a big breakfast at your hotel

We had an amazing all-inclusive breakfast each morning at our hotel, the Hotel Brighton. It’s much easier to have stamina for a busy tour schedule when everyone is well-fed. Our nutritious breakfast allowed us to feel good about a grab-and-go lunch and avoid multiple sit-down meals each day.

Paris is perfect for quick meals as street vendors and bakeries selling crepes and sandwiches are plentiful. Even picky eaters can find things they like. Sweet treats for breaks are easy to pick up too.

Relevant Links:

Browse all accommodations and activities in Paris on Ciao Bambino

52 tips for traveling in France with kids

Paris with kids: Guide to the 8 central arrondissements

72 hours in Paris with teens

Guide to visiting Paris with toddlers

What to do on a rainy day in Paris with young kids

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.