Enjoying the Festive Season in Paris With Kids

Welcome treats and personalized notes from Hôtel de Crillon.

To stay

We stayed at Hotel de Crillon, right in the heart of the city. The hotel team went above and beyond for the children—personalized welcome notes and individual treats for each of the four little girls awaited them after a long flight. The team used markers that could write on furniture, so what a surprise when we came back one evening and Madeline and Minnie were illustrated on the shower door! They would even set the stuffed animals up on the bed, engaged in a ‘read aloud’ during their turn-down service each night. Truly magical!

I was also able to tour a few other hotels while in town, and included hotel recommendations below that focus on family-friendly room configurations and special touches for children. Depending on your budget, length of stay, and list of ‘must-see’ attractions, a different area of the city may be a better fit.

Pure magic at Four Seasons Hotel George V!

To see

The best city streets to take in the holidays are Avenue Montaine, Plaza Athenee, and Boulevard Haussmann. Kids will love the window displays at Printemps—2025’s theme is ‘Christmas in New York.’ Marvel at the massive tree in the center of Galeries Lafayette and check out the snow chalet that has taken over the escalators at Le Bon Marche.

The tree at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

Though Paris’ Christmas markets don’t rival some of the other European markets this time of year, children will love Tuileries Garden, a mix of rides, carnival games, and sweet treats. It is the perfect incentive, we learned, for making it through The Louvre, which is nearby. Marche de Noel La Defense Christmas Market is great for Christmas gifts (and ice skating), and smaller markets are also in Montemarte and Saint Germain des Pres.

One of many window displays at Printemps—theme was ‘Christmas in NYC'!

To do

In addition to the holiday happenings, be sure to take advantage of the smaller crowds and shorter lines at the top sights.

• Climb the Eiffel Tower and then get some energy out at the playground at Champ de Mars.

• Wander Luxembourg Gardens, pushing small sailboats along the water’s edge of the Grand Basin. (Bonus: a playground is nearby!)

• Take a private, customizable kids walking tour of the city, or go on a private guided scavenger hunt at The Louvre. We did both, using Zoe Petit for a private walking tour that mixed in a visit to the oldest toy store in the city. This tour worked well for kids ages 5–10. For The Louvre, we used Liv Tours, and they had two guides to split the four kiddos up. Given how crowded the museum is, this became too much for younger children, and I would probably skip it next time.

• Enjoy a holiday baking class or stick to a classic croissant or macaroon making experience.

• Escape the city and spend the afternoon at Versailles or Disneyland Paris, both of which are under an hour from downtown. We used Paris TRIP for a private transfer to and tour of Versailles—highly recommend! Our guide was prompt, professional, and the perfect storyteller. He knew just when to keep the group’s attention through a funny tale or ‘secret’, and just when to give the group space to meander and do their own thing for a bit. Versailles was not nearly as crowded as The Louvre, but it was still helpful to have someone navigate the space.

• Disneyland Paris begins their holiday happenings the first week of November, lasting through January 6th. Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade and ‘Let’s Sing Christmas’ were both big hits. Beginning in late November, there is also a nightly illumination and caroling around the tree.

Note on scheduling: We had a bit of Disney hangover the next day, and touring was tough. A slower morning post-park would have worked better.

Disneyland Paris decked out for the holidays

• Account for jet lag! Leave Day 1 open for a nap and wandering close to your hotel. Try your best to have the kids acclimate to the local time as soon as possible.

• Many restaurants do not start dinner service until 7 pm, with later times being the norm in Paris. Utilize the hotel concierge for family-friendly options and choices that may open earlier for full dinner service. Our favorite family meal was at Cafe Saint Honore. It was cozy, so cozy in fact that they had teddy bears snoozing in hammocks, which were a hit. The menu had plenty of French classics, but they also quickly and effortlessly handled plain old kids’ pizzas and pasta requests.

• The metro is free for kids under four and half price for kids ages four to nine.

• Scheduling a private tour? Be vocal up front about your children’s stamina, interests, preferences, etc. Some of our tours felt like they would have kept going far beyond when the kids’ attention spans started to wear out, and it is easier to manage expectations up front.

• Museums: The top spots are busy—very busy—year-round. Aim for the first or last time slots of the day if possible, and plan ahead. We worked best when we had a set “tourist” activity followed by a good playground visit or fun treat to look forward to.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Paris page.