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Paris is undeniably a city that adults love to visit. But the Parisians themselves have children, right? And countless travelers with kids visit every year. So I asked my friend Mara Gorman to put together a list of her favorite places to go in Paris with her kids. As it turns out, Paris is kid-friendly, too!
You may think of Paris as the City of Light, a destination for lovers or gourmands with an adult flavor that makes it less than ideal for a family trip. It’s true that Paris is romantic, but with its acres of green space, cafés serving crêpes and ice cream on every corner, and general joie de vivre, it is a great place to visit with kids. The following attractions are just a few of the many family-friendly places in Paris.
1. Jardin d’Acclimatation
I’m sure Disneyland Paris is very nice, but it can’t hold a candle to this charming, old-fashioned, and very French amusement park and playground in the Bois de Boulogne on the northwest edge of the city near the tiny suburb of Neuilly. The magic starts when you emerge from the Les Sablons metro stop and enter the park via a small-gauge railroad called Le Petit Train. Rides include a boat journey on the Rivière Enchantée through a lovely landscape full of hydrangeas and ornamental grasses, wooden horses that gallop along a racetrack, a small flume ride through a teepee where children actually get to paddle, and a uniquely decorated carousel.
If rides don’t appeal to your child, there are plenty of other activities here including a small zoo called La Petite Ferme Normande (the small Norman farm), pony rides, a puppet theatre, an apiary, a water park with sprinklers and a wading pool, a nature walk, and several different playgrounds with death-defying equipment of the type you are unlikely to find in North America.
The park contains mix of free attractions and rides requiring tickets, which you can buy at various booths scattered throughout. This being France, dining options range from churros and hot dogs to sit-down meals with champagne.
>> More information on the Jardin d’Acclimatation website
2. Promenade Plantée
On the other side of the city in the Place de la Bastille you’ll find the start of this 3-mile urban walking trail, planted all along the way with lovely community gardens. Also called La Coulée Verte, this was once a railway line and it begins along the top of a viaduct well above the street. Children love having this giant’s eye view of the city below them.
About halfway along is the Jardin de Reuilly, a large green space with a playground. The path then continues at ground level through tunnels and artfully landscaped little grottoes before meandering through quiet neighborhoods and ending at the Bois de Vincennes, a huge park. Should you choose to continue wandering there, you’ll find numerous lakes and paths ? the perfect spot for a picnic lunch (although there are also restaurants and food kiosks).
>> More information about the Promenade Plantée (in French) and a more brief version in English
3. Musée d’Orsay
If you’re going to take your children to just one art museum in Paris, I recommend skipping the lines at the Louvre and heading across and up the Seine to the Musée d’Orsay. Housed in a former railroad station, part of the fun of this museum lies in admiring the fanciful details, skylights, and enormous clocks that decorate this Belle Époque masterpiece.
The art it contains rages from the mid-19th through the earlier 20th century and much of it is kid-friendly and accessible. Highlights include a large sculpture hall, a huge collection of Impressionist paintings (many of which are likely to be familiar to you and your children), and a cool cutaway scale model of the Palais Garnier, the famous opera house that is the haunt of the Phantom. And should your child grow tired of looking at art, you can go out onto the roof for a great view of the boats passing on the Seine.
>> More information is on the Musée d’Orsay website, in English with a video overview of the collection and the building’s history
4. Jardin de Luxembourg
Arguably the heart of Paris, this large green space is a kind of communal outdoor living room for young and old alike. Among the attractions for kids at the Jardin de Luxembourg are one of the best playgrounds ever (for which there is an entrance fee ? it’s worth it!), a puppet theatre, and an old-fashioned carousel where the phrase “catching the brass ring” becomes real as children are invited to use a stick to try and snare elusive rings as they circle on the beautifully-painted circus animals.
Wander through the formal gardens admiring the numerous sculptures. Enjoy an ice cream on one of the garden chairs or benches. Or rent a boat to sail on large pool that sits at the garden’s epicenter in front of the Luxembourg Palace, possibly the best situated government building in the world (it is the home of the French Senate).
5. Montmartre
The movie Amélie made the Montmartre quarter of Paris famous in a rather twee way but the fact is that children love the narrow winding streets and staircases of this hillside neighborhood. Start at the Place des Abbesses where the “je t’aime” wall has the words “I love you” written in over 300 languages. Wander up to the famous wedding-cake white Sacré-Coeur Cathedral, passing through the Place du Tertre with packed with tourists and street artists plying their trade. There is a funicular on the hill in front of the church that your children might like to ride either up or down; mine preferred instead to race down to and ride on the double-decker carousel that is perched at the bottom in the Place Saint-Pierre.
From there, walk one block east to the Halle Saint Pierre, a former market building that now houses a museum of primitive and “outsider” art created by artists without formal training (just the kind of thing kids really enjoy and identify with). There is a café there, or you can head a few blocks back west to the Pâtisserie Couderc for tea and pastries.
More Kid-Friendly Paris Options
On a final note, there are some attractions in Paris that I haven’t yet had a chance to visit with my children (I’m hoping to rectify that in the summer of 2012, when we’ll be there for a week) but which come highly recommend by other travel writers.
These include the Musée des Arts et Métiers, which displays numerous inventions from the bicycle to the VCR and shows how they evolved over time; the Butte de Chaumont, yet another large park, this one famous for its man-made waterfalls, grotto, and rock formations; and the Parc de la Vilette, which has a science museum for kids of all ages called the Cité des Enfants.
And don’t forget the Eiffel Tower ? you may wait in line to get in, but trust me, it’s worth it.
 About the Author:
Mara Gorman has been traveling with her two sons for nearly a decade to destinations ranging from California to Paris. She blogs about their adventures at The Mother of All Trips.
photo of the Promenade Planteee by La Citta Vita, all others by Mara Gorman (all rights reserved)
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This post is brought to you by Holiday Inn Meetings. For more information on sponsored posts read here.
As if you’d need a reason! However, if you felt you were struggling or at least had to justify a trip over to this most amazing of cities either to yourself or another, then below are a selection of good reasons to go:
Food
 Where else but in Paris can you find outstanding gourmet street food? It’s also the city of world-class restaurants, bistros and pavement cafes (both Montparnasse and Montmartre are particularly well-known for their café life and artistic bent) of course – all of which regard food’s presentation as important as its taste. You can choose from around 9000 eateries, quite a number of which are Michelin-starred.
Top billing is enjoyed by such ‘institutions’ as the Restaurant du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre, with its splendid summer terrace and squid-ink risotto.
Cheq Dumonet, meanwhile, is the classic Parisian bistro with its starchy white linen tablecloths and art deco light fittings. Its Grand Marnier soufflé is renowned throughout the city.
Those who fancy eating at home can purchase the most mouth-watering edibles from gourmet stores spread right across the capital, such as Ganachaud’s for bread, and snails from Maison de L’Escargot.
And of course the city is famous for its chocolatiers, pastries and coffee.
Accommodation
Paris boasts more than 1000 hotels, B&Bs and apartments.
You could live like a Parisian dandy at the small and informal Windsor Home in the 16th arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower, or enjoy the delights of a boutique hotel like Hotel Daniel just off the Champs-Elysees.
For the traveller on business looking for a meeting room in a Paris hotel or for those who like all mod cons, a budget hotel such the Holiday Inn is a good bet.
Cheaper pension-type hotels are in abundance. Most are good quality and the two-star rated abodes are equivalent to the UK’s three star rating at least.
Art
 For a long time now Paris has often been grandly described as ‘the art capital of the world.’ Whether it’s been surpassed or not, this city certainly has plenty to boast about. The Musee du Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, the sculpture-filled Rodin Museum and the modern art lover’s Centre Pompidou are all highly-regarded throughout Europe and between them house creations by Picasso, Monet and Van Gogh amongst others.
Spend time in the bistros around the Sorbonne on the 5th and 6th arrondissements or at Montmartre on the 18th arrondissement where many an artist, writer and philosopher wiled away the hours over an espresso and pastiche. Today numerous artist studios can be found on the Montparnasse (14th arrondissement) on the city’s famous Left Bank.
Romance
Photographer Robert Doisneau was more aware than most of the potential for romance that Paris held when he took his iconic photograph of a couple kissing outside the Hotel de Veille Café on Rue de Rivoli. The image (published in Life magazine in 1950), more than any other, guaranteed Paris’ distinction as the City of Love.
The city’s Pont-Marie is known locally as the ‘bridge of lovers.’ Romantic couples believe a wish under this bridge for eternal happiness will bring them just that. It keeps the riverboats in business anyhow.
Another bridge in the city – the Pont des Arts – is believed to have one of the most incredible and romantic views in the world where it’s possible to sit and hold hands with your other half while gazing at such wonderous sights as Notre Dame and the Louvre – all to the backdrop of the River Seine.
There’s many a romantic hotel in Paris but one of our favourites is the Hotel Bourg Tibourg. Decked out in sumptuous baroque furnishings it’s not far from the historic City Hall and all rooms are small but perfectly formed.
Shopping
 One of the world’s cities of couture, fashion is huge in Paris. Its women have a reputation for being chic and classy. But then they’re not exactly short of designer stores. Fashion luminaries such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy can all be found on the 8th arrondissement at Avenue Montaigne while Hermes and Christian Lacroix sit on the Faubourg Saint-Honore.
Business
When it comes to hosting a conference, Paris is the world’s number one destination. It’s also the city where wining and dining is all part of business transactions and socialising will be part of the event. As a matter of etiquette the person who booked the restaurant will expect to pay the bill so don’t offer.
Always address the hosts formally, especially if you’ve never met them before, with Monsieur or Madam and their surname. Only use the more informal ‘tu’ if they have.
Expect business decisions to be made by the management of the organisation as business hierarchy is strong is Paris.
photos by __o__, fakelvis, Spixey
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 Hitting the highlights of Europe during one holiday is a common theme for many travelers, and having both Paris and Florence on your agenda helps you accomplish your goal. They’re both incredible cities crammed with artistic masterpieces – the only trouble is getting from one to the other since they’re not very close together.
There are several ways you can get from Paris to Florence, and they’re outlined below – some are faster, and others are cheaper, and it’s up to you to figure out which is best for your travel style and budget.
Need to know how to plan your stop in Florence? Look no further than this Florence travel guide.
Note: This information is presented as if you’re starting in Paris and going to Florence. The same information will work if you’re starting in Florence and going to Paris. Travel times and ticket prices will be the same, you’ll just need to confirm departure times and stations.
Flying from Paris to Florence
 There are actually two airports serving Florence, and the larger of the two isn’t actually in Florence – it’s in nearby Pisa. The two cities and airports are so close together, however, that you shouldn’t let the city name throw you off. Especially since Pisa’s airport is well-served by some of Europe’s budget airlines.
Flying from Paris directly into Florence’s Peretola Airport (FLR) often requires one stop, and the trip can take between 2-7 hours (or more, all depending on the layover – the direct flights are around 2 hours one-way). Tickets aren’t exactly cheap, either, starting at €170 round-trip even in the low season.
Flying to Pisa’s Airport (PSA), by contrast, is usually a direct flight of less than 2 hours one-way, and tickets can be found for less than €50 round-trip. It’s the budget carriers like Ryanair and easyJet that offer the best deals (no surprise there), but with budget airlines it’s extremely important that you read the fine print to find out what all the extra fees are that aren’t included in that ridiculously low base fare. Don’t forget to also look up the transportation cost of getting to the airport in Paris (Ryanair especially likes to base itself at airports that are quite a way from the city) and getting to Florence from Pisa‘s Airport. It’s not that it’ll be super expensive, just that you’re better off knowing than being surprised.
Quick search for flights from Paris (PAR – all airports) to Pisa (PSA):
Quick search for flights from Paris (PAR – all airports) to Florence (FLR):
Taking the Train from Paris to Florence
While taking the train from city to city in Europe has long been the best way to get around, it’s not always ideal for really long-distance trips when your vacation time is limited – especially when there are other options that don’t cost a fortune.
There is basically one option for taking the train from Paris to Florence, and it’s an overnight train. This is good news, on the surface, because it’s a 12+ hour trip – and no one needs to sit that long in a train during the day when you could be doing something more fun. The trouble with this particular overnight train is that it departs Paris before 7pm. It’s only six minutes before 7pm, but still – it’s before 7pm. And what’s so special about 7pm? It’s the point at which an overnight train trip only counts as one travel day on your Eurail Pass.
What this means is that while using your Eurail Pass for this long trip will still save you money, it could “cost” you two travel days (unless the conductor who stamps your pass is really nice and just forgets those six minutes). Without a pass, a 2nd class ticket ranges from €75-120 one-way (and that’s for a bunk in a 6-bed couchette). With a pass, all you’d pay for is the couchette reservation, so the cost would be closer to €25-70 (depending on the pass you get).
The trains bound for Florence leave Paris at 18:54, arriving in Florence at 07:13 the next day.
Driving from Paris to Florence
According to the ViaMichelin site, the drive from Paris to Florence is just under 1160km (that’s a little more than 720 miles), which – using mostly highways and not counting any traffic problems or stops – would take over 11 hours to complete. This isn’t to say you can’t rent a car and drive in order to get from Paris to Florence – it’s just to let you know what you’re getting into.
Even if you love road trips, perhaps the better option is to pick a point or two along the way that would be good for stopping points. You may not spend days in them, but that would help break up your trip a bit and give you another place to explore en route to Florence. And whatever you do, make sure you’ve got a good (detailed!) driving map in your car, even if you have a GPS unit.
Taking the Bus from Paris to Florence
 Bus travel in Europe can be really easy on the wallet, but covering as much ground as there is between Paris and Florence is so hard on the schedule that it’s not usually worth the cost savings.
You can find one-way tickets on Eurolines buses for €50 or so, but the trip is just over 20 hours long. Even if you’re not on a really tight vacation schedule, the expense of losing an entire day to a bus trip is pretty hard to justify – especially when there are other transport methods available.
photos, top to bottom, by gareth1953, bigpresh, sludgegulper
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 While Paris is on almost everyone’s must-see list, Milan is not. One major reason one might head for Milan after Paris – aside from the fact that both cities are fashion and shopping capitals – is that Milan is a major transportation hub and, therefore, a gateway to the rest of Italy.
Milan is about 400 miles from Paris as the crow flies, and flights are actually fairly short between the two cities. You do have a few options for getting from Paris to Milan (or from Milan to Paris, if you’re headed the other direction), and the fastest way may not be the best one for your travel style and budget. Check out the information below in order to make the best decision.
Need to know how to plan your stop in Milan? Look no further than this Milan travel guide.
Note: This information is presented as if you’re starting in Paris and going to Milan. The same information will work if you’re starting in Milan and going to Paris. Travel times and ticket prices will be the same, you’ll just need to confirm departure times and stations.
Flying from Paris to Milan
 As mentioned, the Paris-Milan trip is quickest if you fly, and flying within Europe doesn’t have to cost a fortune thanks to the plethora of budget carriers serving major cities all over the continent. easyJet, for instance, connects Paris-Orly Airport with Milan-Linate as well as Charles de Gaulle Airport with Milan-Malpensa, and Ryanair connects Paris-Beauvais Airport with Milan-Orio al Serio. Alitalia‘s budget arm, Air One, connects Paris’ CDG Airport with Milan-Linate, and Air Berlin connects Paris-Orly with Milan-Malpensa.
Direct flights between Paris and Milan are about 1.5 hours one-way, and you can sometimes find those ridiculously cheap round-trip fares (such as €25 or less) on Ryanair or easyJet (just be aware of all the added fees they tack on!). On the larger carriers, round-trip ticket prices can be €200 or more, even in the low season.
Quick search for flights from Paris (PAR – all airports) to Milan (MIL – all airports):
Finding a super cheap flight to Milan from Paris is definitely appealing – less than €15 one-way?!? – and even with all the extra fees and whatnot that airlines like Ryanair add to their shockingly low base fares, the cost of an airline ticket may still be far cheaper than a train or bus ticket. Another thing to keep in mind, however, in addition to cost, is location of the airport. Ryanair in particular loves using airports that aren’t exactly central. Beauvais in Paris and Orio al Serio in Milan aren’t really “in” either of those cities, so look up the transportation situation (cost, distance, time, etc.) from each airport into the cities to see whether you’ll actually save money or time by flying.
Taking the Train from Paris to Milan
Ordinarily, the train is one of the more popular methods for getting from place to place in Europe – but when you don’t have unlimited time, longer train trips may not be the ideal way to go.
The fastest train journeys between Paris and Milan take about seven hours one-way. Overnight trains on Artesia can take more than 9 hours one-way, but at least then you’re not sitting on a train during a whole day when you’d rather be sightseeing. The night departures leave Paris at 20:33, arriving in Milan at 05:38. Otherwise, you can take day trains that leave Paris at either 07:24 (arriving in Milan at 14:50) or 15:24 (arriving in Milan at 22:25).
Ticket prices range a great deal, from €60-100 in 2nd class (and that’s without a bunk in a couchette) – this is absolutely a time when using a travel day on your Eurail Pass will save you money. If you’re doing an overnight trip, it will save you even more – departing after 7pm on a direct train means you’re only using one travel day instead of two. (Plus, you don’t have to pay for lodging that night, either.)
Driving from Paris to Milan
The trip from Paris to Milan is about 530 miles by car, which is a journey that will take more than eight hours (barring any traffic issues, stops, or wrong-turns). It can be a beautiful drive, and if you love road trips and don’t mind a long day in the car it can be a great way to go. It’s even better if you don’t absolutely have to be in Milan that day and can stop in a town along the way if you like. Remember that not only will gas be a cost to factor into driving, paying the tolls along the way will, too.
Whatever your route, and however long you take for the trip, it’s a very good idea to look up a suggested route on a map before you leave (the ViaMichelin.com site is good for a starting point) and then to have a GPS unit in your rental car and a good driving map with you. You can usually pick up better (more detailed) driving maps in-country than you can find at travel stores at home.
Taking the Bus from Paris to Milan
Although traveling by bus within France can be complicated to figure out, traveling by bus from France to another country is much simpler. Eurolines is a conglomerate of several European coach/bus companies, and it connects major cities throughout Europe – including Paris and Milan.
A one-way ticket on Eurolines from Paris to Milan is as little as €25-35 in the low season when booked in advance, but the trip is more than 15 hours long. The bus is budget-friendly, but it’s not very time-friendly at all.
photos, top to bottom, by Stefan Karpiniec, WexDub, sludgegulper
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