Traveling to Paris with a Baby or Toddler

Top Paris activities

You can still see the main Paris attractions with a baby or toddler. Some are more conducive than others to bringing a child along, and some have features that make the experience more enjoyable for a family.

• Museums: The Louvre Museum, Musee D’Orsay and Centre Pompidou are some of the many fantastic museums in Paris. While these museums offer free admission to children, you’ll still need to secure a complimentary admission ticket. Many of the museums also offer kid-friendly attractions, such as the “Louvre Passport.” The Centre Pompidou offers workshops to kids of all ages, including babies, at the “Atelier des Enfants”; be sure to reserve and pay in advance for these workshops.

• Tours: There are plenty of fantastic walking tours of Paris, and for us, it served as a great opportunity to have nap time on-the-go in the stroller. I would recommend taking a private tour, rather than a group tour, because it gives you the opportunity to stop and take breaks. As your travel advisor, I can connect you with the best tour guides who can customize the experience based on your needs.

• Top sites: There are endless sites to visit in Paris. Some of the most popular are the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle and Montmartre. Children are welcome (with a complimentary admission ticket at some).

• Shopping: If you’re looking to shop with a child in tow, check out La Samaritaine. It is a large department store with plenty of brands, clothing and accessories. You won’t have to go outside to shop between stores, and there’s even a toy store to peruse.

Paris travel tips (baby/toddler-focused)

• Rooms and cribs: Most hotels will provide cribs as a complimentary service, as long as the room is spacious enough to fit it. As your travel advisor, I’ll take care of that planning component and also advise on which hotels have large enough rooms to accommodate a crib.

• Getting around: Bring a travel-stroller that can easily fold up to ride the metro. I personally varied between using the stroller, as well as baby-wearing with a carrier, depending on our activity.

• Changing tables: I found that many bathrooms across Paris do not have baby-changing tables. Be prepared to get creative, and definitely bring a portable changing pad.

Paris dining (baby/toddler-friendly)

• Breakfast at your hotel: We preferred starting our day with breakfast at the hotel. That way, we could stop back in the room to change baby and grab our gear before heading out for the day. And of course, this is made better by Fora’s partnerships with a plethora of hotels where daily breakfast is complimentary.

• Le Saint-Regis, Paris: There are many restaurants in Paris that are not exactly designed for kids but are at least welcoming to them. Le Saint-Regis is not setup for kids per se (they did not have a high chair), but they were happy to have us and the vibrant noise of the dining room made it so our son’s squeals did not disturb anyone. This restaurant has amazing French cuisine and is the perfect place to have the classic French Onion Soup.

• Cafe Bianca: We had a fantastic meal at Cafe Bianca, featuring Italian cuisine and delicious, fresh pizza. They were very welcoming and offered a high-chair.

• Augustin: If you venture to more family-friendly residential areas, you’ll find wonderful kid-friendly spots like Augustin. They welcomed us with a high-chair, kids menu and bustling environment with other families.

• Local cafes: One of the best parts of Paris is the local cafes where you can stroll in and have a coffee, French wine, pastry or more. These are often accommodating to children, as they are more casual.