Paris is a beautiful city for the entire family. It's easy to think that the French capital only suits couples on their honeymoon, globetrotting connoisseurs, or students on a school trip. But families can have just as good a time as any others out there! Of course, there's Disneyland Paris, perhaps one of the best-known family destinations in all of France. There are also the city's many parks, each with its own unique attraction that's sure to captivate the young and old. Don't forget about Parc Zoologique either! Who knows what sorts of adventures you'll get up to here!
Disneyland Paris
It's no surprise that Disneyland Paris starts off this list. It's the best place for anyone to spend time with their family in Paris. Arguably Europe's most famous theme park, they don't call this the 'happiest place on Earth' for nothing! This is where you and your loved ones can hang out with your favorite characters from your favorite
Disney films. Go on the most thrilling rides, play the most fun games, and watch the most colorful parades. What's not to love?
Parc Astérix
While Disneyland Paris may be the most famous, it's not the only theme park in Paris. There's also Parc Astérix in Plailly, France. Though it's not technically in the French capital, it's only 40 minutes away. You can take a
day trip from Paris and be back before sundown. And it's a day trip you won't forget too! Parc Astérix has the biggest collection of roller coasters in all of France. Practically every corner has a ride that will turn you upside down, inside out, and more!
Jardin d’Acclimatation
In the
16th arrondissement's Bois de Bologne, you'll find another amazing theme park in Paris: Jardin d’Acclimatation. A favorite among French and foreign families alike, it's more like a kooky carnival than a typical theme park. Its rides can definitely rival those in Disneyland Paris and Parc Astérix, but Jardin d’Acclimatation has a Parisian charm that's all its own. There are puppet shows for the little ones, pony rides for the older kids, and obstacle courses for teenagers.
La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
Now, let's focus on spots that are actually in the city of Paris. First up is La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in the
19th arrondissement. Located in Parc de la Villette, it's arguably the most fascinating museum in Paris. An entire space devoted to science, the museum includes a planetarium, a submarine, and even an IMAX theater encased in a giant steel globe. With so much fun on offer, who wouldn't want to spend time here with their whole family in Paris?
Parc de la Villette
Speaking of Parc de la Villette, this is also a place where you can bring your family in Paris for a whole day of fun and excitement. You already know about La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, but there's also Cité de la Musique (City of Music) museum, Le Zénith (concert hall), Théâtre Paris-Villette, Centre équestre de la Villette, and Cinéma en plein air, among many others. In summer, the park also sets up one of the
Paris Plages, a man-made beach where people can cool off and pretend they're in the south of France.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Another
park in Paris where your family is sure to have lots of fun is the beautiful Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. A lush forest, a scenic pond, an interesting grotto, and a gazebo atop a hill await your adventurous loved ones. The whole park itself looks straight out of an Indiana Jones movie set than a typical Parisian park. Some parts look so natural that you almost couldn't believe that you're still in the bustling French capital.
Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes is a botanical garden in the
5th arrondissement of Paris, right over at the left bank of the Seine River. Though beautiful in its own right, it's admittedly not as popular as the Tuileries Garden or Champ de Mars. But it lacks in popularity, it makes up for in awesome attractions. For example, the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes is a great place to take your family to in Paris. It's a small zoo filled with big cats, red pandas, adorable orangutans, and more!
Parc Zoologique
The “main” zoo in Paris, however, is Parc Zoologique in Bois de Vincennes, the largest park in the city. Opened in 1934, it has long served as the biggest animal-filled attraction in the French capital. Today, it now houses over 1,000 animals of over 180 different species. Bring your whole brood along and get lost in the zoological excitement. You can let the little ones touch the critters in the petting zoo and scare the older kids in the lions or reptiles section!
Marché aux Fleurs et Oiseaux
Did you know that another great place to see live animals in Paris is at a market? Marché aux Fleurs et Oiseaux opens every Sunday on Place Louis-Lépine in the
4th arrondissement. It's a popular place to buy flowers in Paris, boasting all sorts of flora that have different colors and scents. The kids, however, will enjoy the birds more. Many stalls and stores sell or display their pet birds here, each singing as sweet and as scintillating as ever. Their chirping can almost block out the traffic noise from the busy
Le Marais district nearby.
Maison Deyrolle
Finally, there's Maison Deyrolle on Rue de Bac in the
7th arrondissement in Paris. The fact that it's fairly
near the Eiffel Tower already makes it a must-see, especially for those who want to see something different that's not too far from one of the world's most iconic monuments. Maison Deyrolle is a taxidermy shop founded in 1831. The little ones might find the stuffed animals more abnormal than adorable, but they'll transition to the latter in no time!
Are you spending time with your family in Paris? Know that you can go to a lot of great spots. From world-famous monuments to beautiful parks, the French capital has a lot in store for the whole family!
