Summer in Paris, best kids activities

In summer, Paris offers plenty of opportunities for families to enjoy the city. The French capital becomes the perfect destination for children and their parents. Discover our selection of activities grouped by theme:

• Museums
• Parks and gardens
• Events Historic sites

Which museums to visit with children in Paris in summer?

There's nothing like visiting a museum as a family to learn about culture. Parisian institutions have understood this and offer fun tools specially designed for children. With digital equipment, applications and tactile guides, innovation is at the service of culture.

Musée Grévin

The Musée Grévin gives you the chance to pose alongside over 200 characters who have made or are making history, from yesterday to today, in breathtaking settings!

This unique and unmissable attraction in Paris offers youngsters the chance to plunge into different worlds and rub shoulders with their favourite heroes: Gaston Lagaffe, Titeuf, Sophie the Giraffe, Miraculous...

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 1 Printemps / Galerie Lafayette or stop 2 Opéra Garnier

Louvre Museum

The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world. Art and antique lovers can admire the most famous paintings in the world, as well as other historical masterpieces.

Guided tours, workshops, storytelling, movies... The museum offers a multitude of activities for children and their families to discover art history and the collections while having fun.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 3 Musée du Louvre

Musée du Quai Branly

Discover the cultures of the world at the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, with storytelling tours, guided tours, family workshops and workshops for children without parents. Activities cost €14 for adults and €8 for children (free for children under 3). The ticket gives you access to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 9 Tour Eiffel

The Cité des Enfants

The Cité des Enfants offers discovery and hands-on activities for the very young. The institution, located in La Villette, offers family robotics workshops for children aged 5 to 9 and 7 to 12. For youngsters aged 7 to 15, science clubs will run until June 2024. Finally, science courses are being organised until 1 September 2023 for children aged between 6 and 15.

Which parks and gardens to visit with the whole family in Paris?

As soon as the first rays of sunshine appear, the urge to enjoy the great outdoors begins. Paris is home to almost 500 parks, gardens and neighbourhood squares. During the summer months, pack your picnic basket and relax on the wide lawns or in the shade of the trees.

Paris Plages

A must for Parisians who don't go on holiday, Paris Plages returns this summer from 8 July to 27 August 2023.

You will find deckchairs, parasols, palm trees, misters and table football and petanque tournaments at the Parc Rives de Seine. Let off steam in the giant games set up in front of the Hôtel de Ville. Take advantage of the huge water sports centre at the Bassin de la Villette.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 4 Notre-Dame - Quartier Latin

Jardin des Plantes

Created over 4 centuries ago, the Jardin des Plantes is an ideal place for a family outing during the holidays. It includes the Great Gallery of Evolution, the Menagerie, the Gallery of Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, the Great Greenhouses, the Children's Gallery and the French Garden.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 4 Notre-Dame - Quartier Latin

Parc zoologique de Paris

The Paris Zoological Park invites you to discover the fascinating world of predators until 5 November 2023. Twenty species will be featured during your walk, so pay close attention and discover their strengths and weaknesses thanks to our dedicated panels. Some of these panels are illustrated by Miss Prickly, known for her illustrations in Animal Jack and Mortelle Adèle. Come and discover her new and exclusive illustrations!

Every Thursday from 22 June to 10 August 2023, discover another facet of the Park and observe the animals' behaviour at sunset. You'll be able to explore the 5 biozones until 10pm and enjoy special events including games, quizzes and meetings. A special relaxation area will be set up in front of the zoo, where you can relax on deckchairs while sipping a cocktail.

Jardin d'Acclimatation

In the Bois de Boulogne, come and enjoy the attractions of the Jardin d'Acclimatation. The park, which dates back to Napoleon III, offers some forty activities for the whole family to enjoy in an exceptional setting.

What are the must-see events of the summer?

Paris is celebrating summer with a host of outdoor events. The weather is magnificent and the sun is shining brightly! There are plenty of ways to make the most of the long days and balmy evenings.

Make Music Day

Music lovers are invited to celebrate the arrival of summer with a musical parade through the streets of Paris. Come along to the Fête de la Musique on 21 June. Several stages have been set up all over the city, particularly in the main squares and gardens.

Fête foraine des Tuileries

The traditional funfair returns this summer to the Jardin des Tuileries. For two months, children can enjoy more than 60 activities and attractions: trampoline, climbing, ghost trains, bumper cars, ice palace, rifle shooting, 1900 wooden horses, etc. A few games of skill are also available, such as chamboule tout or duck fishing, a classic for the youngest.

Feeling peckish? Try the typical fairground treats: candyfloss, crisps, Italian ice cream, pancakes, doughnuts, apples, hot sandwiches, etc. Entrance to the fair is free and the attractions are subject to a charge.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 6 Concorde.

Bastille Day

Every year, the 14 July military parade highlights different regiments of the French military. For 2 hours, hundreds of vehicles and cavalrymen from the Garde Républicaine and thousands of men and women march on foot down the Champs-Elysées. The parade ends with a spectacular display by the French air force.

Head to the Champ de Mars after the parade for a front-row seat for the evening's grand opera concert at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and the traditional fireworks display!

It is advisable to arrive very early in the morning on the Champs-Elysées to enjoy the parade. The traffic will be heavily disrupted, traffic is prohibited from 6:30 am on a large perimeter, from Porte Maillot to Bastille.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 6 Concorde or stop 7 Champs-Elysées - Georges V

Festival Paris l'été

The Festival Paris l'été returns from 10 to 30 July 2023. For 30 years, this festival has been committed to facilitating access to art and culture for as many people as possible. The event offers major artistic and cultural events in some twenty partner venues throughout Paris and its region, often outdoors and outside traditional performance venues.

National monuments, schools, parks and gardens, museums, swimming pools, squares and churches host theatre, dance, circus and music performances, as well as visual installations.

Which historic sites to visit as a family?

Summer is a particularly popular time to explore the City of Light. Discover our selection of monuments open during the summer season.

Tootbus Kids Tour

Discover Paris in a fun and educational way on board the Kids Tour offered by Tootbus. Our 100% electric bus tour will allow you to contemplate the emblematic monuments of the Parisian capital: the Palais Garnier, the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Place de la Concorde, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

The Arc de Triomphe

Located at the top of the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe is a historic monument that stands in the centre of the Place de l'Étoile. The building offers a magnificent view of the city from which children can enjoy the view of the Champs-Elysées. It is possible to visit the monument freely with the family or to take part in guided tours which take place every day at 3pm.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 7 Champs-Elysées - Georges V

The Eiffel Tower

Visit the Eiffel Tower with your family during your stay in Paris. On the first floor, discover the activities designed for families to have fun and learn more about the Eiffel Tower.

Experience the sensation of being perched in the void, 58 metres high, thanks to a glass floor. Follow the museum trail along the north and east side walkways to discover the events that have marked the life of the Tower since its construction.

How to get there?

Blue route: Hop off at stop 9 Tour Eiffel

The Basilica of Sacré-Coeur

Situated at an altitude of 130 metres, the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur dominates the city of Paris, offering an exceptional panorama of the capital. It is one of the most beautiful views of Paris. Access to the basilica is free for all.

Take a walk on the Place du Tertre, the historical and touristic heart of Montmartre. Visit the Montmartre Museum, stroll through Renoir's gardens and contemplate the view of the Montmartre vineyards.

 

Summer is festival time! Don't miss our agenda of summer festivals in Paris with music festivals, cultural and entertainment events.