A Parisian Spring Break

The Best Things to Do with Kiddos.

I don’t want to overhype this list, but it’s some of my best (non-design) work ever! Lol, it’s taken almost four years to curate these recommendations and includes my best advice for experiencing Paris avec enfants. Recently, I’ve been receiving a bunch of DMs and text messages with questions about the City of Lights for Spring Break. A few months ago, I wrote Top 10 Places for Kids in Paris so please refer to that story too, but let’s dig deeper with more activity recommendations. Plus, I included street addresses, what to pack, and details to consider below. Please let me know what you think in comments!

FUN ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER:

• Enjoy a cooking class and learn to bake croissants or macarons

• Reserve tickets in advance for the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower and enjoy a kid friendly lunch at Bistrot de la Tour Eiffel, a super casual restaurant with Nutella crepes and solid kids food options (note: don’t go here expecting a Michelin meal, go here for a family fun place with views of the Eiffel Tower and a short 5 minute walk from the landmark)

• Visit all the major tourist attractions via the easy hop on, hop off bus- Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Musée de l’Orangerie, and Opéra Garnier

• Experience a fancy classic afternoon tea at Le Bristol and stroll down Paris’ famous fashion street, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

• Pose for photos in front of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadéro and walk over to Carette to sip on hot chocolate (note: the lines can be long at Carette so go during off-peak times)

• Lunch or dinner at Café Charlot in Le Marais (note: I get the chicken paillard with Fuji Yama tea every single time) and walk across the street to the famous food market, Marché des Enfants Rouges

• If your kids are obsessed with macaroons like my daughter, skip Laduree and head to one of the several Pierre Hermé locations

• Angelina Paris is famous for hot chocolate and pastries (note: long lines are common so plan accordingly) and then walk across the street to the picturesque Tuileries

• Eat delicious crepes at Breizh Café in the 3rd (note: I order the Jambon artisanal de Bretagne with comté and share the Nutella crepes) and walk 2 minutes to the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Le Marais

• Spend a few hours at the fantastic National Museum of Natural History and Jardin des Plantes, right next to each other

• Since most kids love good pizza, go to the Popine in the 18th and then walk for 7 minutes to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

• My daughter is obsessed with Build-A-Bear and they just opened a location on the enfants floor of Galeries Lafayette and then go to the rooftop for panoramic views of the city

• If you’re interested in visiting the Louvre, find a tour guide online for families with kids to make it more fun and less annoying, plus book lunch reservations at Le Café Marly (note: I order the cheeseburger)

• Experience traditional French fare at a bustling “bouillon” and my favorites are Bouillon Republique and Bouillon Chartier

• I’m throwing in a wild card with recommending dinner at the new Benihana because it’s sooo fun for families but they don’t have a kids’ menu (note: childrens menus are an American thing and not common here)

ADDRESSES:

Bistrot de la Tour Eiffel, 21 Av. de la Bourdonnais, 75007

Le Bristol, 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008

Place du Trocadero, Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016

Carette, 4 Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016

Café Charlot, 38 Rue de Bretagne, 75003

Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003

Angelina Paris, 226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001

Pierre Hermé, several locations

Breizh Café, 109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003

Musée National Picasso-Paris, 5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003

National Museum of Natural History, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris

Jardin des Plantes, 75005

Popine, 10 Rue Dancourt, 75018

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, 40 Bd Haussmann, 75009

Le Café Marly, 93 Rue de Rivoli, 75001

Bouillon Republique, 39 Bd du Temple, 75003 (I don’t like the Pigalle location)

Bouillon Chartier, several locations but I usually eat at Grands Boulevards, 7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009

Benihana Paris, 163 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001

WHAT TO PACK:

What’s the weather in Paris in March? The average is 55° / 42° so pack accordingly and double check the weather before arriving. If you’re wondering what to pack, I recommend a neutral color palate like black, khaki, and grey. Read What Parisians are Wearing Today, Winter Edition for outfit ideas. You can’t go wrong with this combo- a wool coat, pair of jeans, pair of black pants, crew neck sweater, turtleneck, sneakers, and flat black boots plus t-shirts or thermal long sleeved shirts. Voila! You’re packed- just add toiletries, pajamas, and undergarments. Again, check the weather because it rains here a lot, like A LOT!

DETAILS TO CONSIDER:

Let’s talk about the logistics of your trip. Do NOT over schedule your trip. Leave a lot of free time to explore or rest. Everyone experiences jet lag so please take that into consideration. In my opinion, it’s more difficult travelling TO Europe from the U.S. Note (I’m not a doctor): Zarbee’s makes a kids melatonin.

How will you get around? Do you have a stroller or two? If you have a stroller, the metro is hard because there are NOT elevators at most stations, making buses easier and walking is optimal. Download the G7 app to schedule taxis and you can specify “car seat” if you have little littles. I prefer the G7 app over Uber because it’s all registered taxi drivers, not random people.

In general, look at a map before planning your day so you spend the day in the same area instead of travelling around to multiple neighborhoods in one day. I hope that makes sense and, if you have any questions, please ask me in comments!

Bisous,

Allison

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