When I first suggested visiting Paris with the kids, my husband looked at me like I’d lost the plot.

We’re both no strangers to this magnificent city (we actually got engaged in Paris over 12 years ago!) but he felt that whilst Paris is undoubtedly fabulous, it wasn’t a place that the children, our children – aged 7 and 2 – would perhaps enjoy.

He was wrong of course. They (thankfully) loved it. As did we.

In August we spent our third visit to Paris falling in love with the city again and seeing a whole new side to it that we’d never experienced before. Because taking our kids to France’s capital ensured that not only did we introduce them to a new place, we discovered a very different Paris too.

If you’re thinking of taking your family one day, all I can say is, do it! You really won’t regret it.

To inspire you, here’s some places in Paris that we visited that are kid friendly and were very much loved.

The Eiffel Tower

My daughter’s face when she saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time was priceless. Yes it was busy and heaving with tourists, but if you’re going to go to Paris, don’t be put off from visiting some of the main sights with kids. But do try to see them a little differently.

We didn’t venture up the Eiffel Tower as we had a toddler with us but we did enjoy a carousel ride at the base of the tower and a trip to a tiny playground, which we not only had to ourselves for a good hour or so, but which also gave us the most magnificent views and opportunity to take some family snaps.

Not only was it a lot more fun for the kids than queuing and waiting to go up the tower, it was also much quieter and a lot cheaper too.

Luxembourg Gardens

If you’re heading to Paris in spring or summer, then you must visit the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens. Free to enter, it offers something for children and adults alike and is a true Parisian gem. After visiting, I now find it crazy that it took myself and my husband three visits to Paris before we even thought of stopping aby!

The gardens are truly gorgeous, just look at this little spot that we discovered:

And for children, there is a brilliant gated and secure outdoor play area (which does have a small admission fee), pony rides and even a puppet show. Our kids loved it here and I’m not surprised, as so did we.

It really is a perfect place to while away an afternoon or people watch.

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

The most stunning shopping centre I’ve ever set foot in, this place is worth a visit just to admire the breathtakingly beautiful ceiling not to mention the roof terrace with the incredible views!

Older kids will enjoy mooching around the various departments (although be warned this is Paris so may cost you a small fortune) but our two were just happy twirling around the roof terrace and taking a moment to sit and admire the Parisian skyline.

And if you’re hungry, make sure you pop across the road to the food department too. There are cakes, chocolates and many other tasty delights to die for.

Sacre Coeur

This place was heaving so if your children are tired, cranky or just not fond of crowds, you may want to give this historic church a miss, but if you can visit, it’s well worth it.

High up on the hills of the pretty Montmartre district, it offers sensational views of Paris. You might just have to battle the crowds a little and be prepared to climb quite a few steps.

Our kids loved sitting on the steps of the Sacre Coeur and having a snack whilst watching a street entertainer before exploring the picturesque streets of Montmartre and stopping at the nearest McDonalds for a Parisian Happy Meal.

It’s a gorgeous area and one I hope to return to, again and again.

Jardin Les Plantes

This is the main botanical gardens in France so if gardens are your thing, you’ll love it here!

There’s a quaint historic zoo / menagerie which we visited that has a small but impressive selection of animals including snow leopards (seeing them made me emotional!), orangutans and red pandas. It’s worth visiting for a few hours or part of the day and there are plenty of benches to take a spot, sit back and enjoy some lunch.

The gardens are also home to France’s National History Museum too which sadly we didn’t get to visit but which I imagine most older children would love.

We absolutely adored visiting Paris as a family and can’t wait to go back.

You know when your seven year old daughter asks “why can’t we live in Paris Mummy?!” that visiting this beautiful city was definitely a very wise choice.

More information:

We flew to Paris with Easyjet from Manchester and stayed at the Ibis Hotel Bercy.