Europe · France · Self-guided

Paris with kids,
the real way

How we actually do Paris with the girls: pick a home base near a park, keep the days flexible, and let the city come to you. Here’s the one-week plan, how to stretch it to two, and what it costs from Boston.

By Kailah Fredette · Last updated June 2026 · 9-min read

The quick answer

Is Paris good with kids?

Yes. Paris is one of the easiest first international family trips out of Boston: a nonstop overnight flight, and gardens and carousels built for kid-paced days. Our plan is one apartment near a garden, about 4 to 5 days in the city, and one thing a day.

Paris with kids, key facts
Flight from Boston	About 7 hours overnight to CDG, landing mid-morning
Best months	May into early June, or September into early October. February vacation week is quietly good too
Cost cue	About $4,500 to $7,000 for a week, family of four, flights included
Best for	Ages 2 to 10, and a first trip abroad
Where to base	The 7th or the 1st, near a garden

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Paris with little kids is easier than it looks, if you stop trying to see all of it. The version we’d repeat: book an apartment near a garden, plan on about 4–5 days in the city itself, pick one thing a day, and leave the rest open. Here’s the whole approach: a flexible home-base plan, the day trips worth taking, and what it really costs flying from Boston.

Spring / FallBest time to go

2–10Good for ages

4–5 daysIdeal in the city

~$4.5–7kRough budget (family of 4)

One week in Paris

Pick a home base, then let the city come to you

With young kids we don’t do a packed day-by-day itinerary: it falls apart by lunch. Instead we book one apartment near a park and treat it as a jumping-off point. One outing in the morning, back to base for a nap or a run-around, maybe something small in the afternoon. The garden nearby is the secret weapon: antsy legs always have somewhere to run.

Where to base yourself

The 7th or the 1st, near a garden

We stayed near the Louvre, on a train line: close enough to walk to some things, easy to hop the Métro or RER to the rest. Our advice: pick anywhere near a garden so the kids have room to run. The 7th (near the Champ de Mars and Rue Cler) is the easiest, most stroller-friendly first-timer base. The 1st (by the Tuileries, near a train line) is central and walkable. Filter for a kitchen, a washer, and an elevator, then pick the quiet street.

Book it

Two-bedroom apartments in the 7th, with an elevator

We haven’t stayed in either of these. They pass our filters: two real bedrooms, a full kitchen, a washer, an elevator instead of a walk-up, and a guest rating of 8.5 or better. Two-bedroom flats in central Paris are rarely under $250 a night, so book early.

Tranquil, Elegant, HipFits our filters

7th arrondissement · 2 bedrooms · full kitchen · washer and dryer · elevator · 9.8 from 52 reviews

The closest to our budget in the 7th, and it has a dryer, which you almost never get in Paris.

See it on Vrbo →

Eiffel Tower SuiteSplurge

7th arrondissement · 2 bedrooms · 4th floor with elevator · washer and dryer · A/C · 9.4 from 230 reviews

More per night, but it has 230 reviews and A/C, which matters in a July heat wave.

See it on Vrbo →

2-bedroom rentals in the 7th Or near the Louvre, in the 1st Or have us book it for you

Ratings and amenities were checked on Vrbo in September 2026. Links open Vrbo for 2 adults and 2 kids with no dates set. Before you book, look for “elevator” in the listing: a lot of 1st arrondissement duplexes are walk-ups.

From that base, in easy reach

Eiffel Tower & Champ de Mars: go see it (a must), picnic on the lawn, ride the carousel. Just don’t climb it with little ones (more below).
Luxembourg or Tuileries gardens: sailboat pond, playgrounds, carousels. Easily a whole happy morning.
A Seine boat cruise: everyone sits, the city slides by, and tired legs get a break.
Croissants, repeat: the girls’ favorite Paris ritual. Let a bakery be the morning’s plan.
The Louvre: walkable from a central base, but honestly a lot for young kids (see what we’d skip).
Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur: the funicular up is a hit; the views are free.

A note on the Métro & strollers

The Métro is fast and cheap, but be honest with yourself: many stations have stairs and no elevator, so you will carry the stroller at some point. Bring a lightweight umbrella stroller, not the big rig. Buses are easier (and you see the city), and for a longer stay a Navigo pass pays off. Strolling between close-together stops often beats going underground at all.

Two weeks in Paris

What are the best day trips from Paris with kids?

If you’ve got two weeks, don’t cram in twice as much city: keep the same calm home base and add day trips. Paris sits on a hub of fast trains and the RER, so the big-ticket family days are an easy ride away and you’re home for bedtime. These three are the ones worth the trip with kids.

~40 min on the RER A

Disneyland Paris

The girls’ favorite day, full stop. Direct on the RER A from central Paris. Pre-book tickets and go early. Easily a long, big day, so plan for nothing else.

~45 min by train

Versailles

The gardens are the win with kids: endless room to run, the fountains, a little train, rowboats on the canal. The palace interior is optional with young ones.

~45 min by train

Giverny (optional)

Monet’s gardens and lily pond: a gentle, pretty half-day in spring/summer. Lower energy than the other two; nice for a calmer day.

Pre-book Disney tickets and any guided days through GetYourGuide: use code NOWHEREONEARTH5 for 5% off. With kids, walking straight in beats a queue every time.

Honest notes

What our kids loved in Paris, and what we’d skip

What the girls actually loved

Disneyland, hands down. The Eiffel Tower lit up at night. The carousels: there’s one near half the major sights and it’s an instant morale boost. The gardens, for running. And, every single morning, a warm croissant. The things they remember aren’t the monuments; they’re the small, repeatable joys.

What we’d skip or watch out for

The Louvre with young kids: it’s long, crowded, and mostly lost on them. Long sit-down restaurant meals: bakeries, markets, and picnics keep everyone happier. And over-packing the schedule, which is the fastest way to a meltdown.

One real one: the Eiffel Tower is a must with kids, but don’t climb it. See it, picnic under it, ride the carousel. On our visit our daughter got her hand caught in the elevator door at the very top; everyone was fine, but it was a scary moment and a good reminder to keep little hands close up there. The tower from below, sparkling at night, is the magic part anyway.

Book it yourself

Everything we used for Paris

Flights from Boston

Boston (BOS) to Paris (CDG)

We search and book on Skyscanner. From Logan it’s a ~7-hour overnight: we take the evening flight that lands mid-morning so the girls sleep most of the way.

Search live fares

Tickets & day trips

Disney, Versailles & cruises

Pre-book the two or three big experiences through GetYourGuide so you walk straight in: code NOWHEREONEARTH5 takes 5% off.

Browse things to do in Paris

Vrbo, two-bedroom rentalsWhere to stay

Already set to the 7th arrondissement, two bedrooms, 2 adults and 2 kids. Check for a full kitchen before you book.

→

AiraloStaying connected

An eSIM before you land: data the second we step off the plane, for maps and translation with two kids in tow.

→

SafetyWingTravel insurance

We never fly without it: your home health plan usually won’t cover you abroad, and nothing covers a canceled flight.

Price it for your dates

SafetyWing’s published per-adult rate for its travel medical plan; the final price is confirmed on their site.

What it costs

How much does a family trip to Paris cost from Boston?

Real ranges for a family of four (2 adults + 2 kids), flying from Logan and staying in an apartment with a kitchen. These are ballpark estimates to plan around, not quotes; season and how far ahead you book swing them hugely.

One week · family of 4

$4,500–$7,000

all-in, flights included

Flights (BOS–CDG, x4)$2,600–$3,600

Apartment (7 nights)$1,100–$2,100

Food (kitchen + eating out)$500–$900

Activities + transit$300–$600

Two weeks · family of 4

$6,500–$10,000

all-in, with day trips

Flights (BOS–CDG, x4)$2,600–$3,600

Apartment (14 nights)$2,200–$4,000

Food (2 weeks)$1,000–$1,700

Activities + day trips$600–$1,100

Adding more kids? It’s mostly about the beds.

Kids don’t add cost evenly: lodging is the real lever. Two adults and one or two kids can squeeze into a one-bedroom with a sofa bed, but we book two real bedrooms so the adults aren’t in bed at 8pm. That step up is the biggest single jump in the budget.

Flights: a child under 2 flies as a lap infant for very little; every child 2 and over is essentially another full seat (~$650–$900 round-trip from Boston). Food rises gently: little ones share plates, bigger kids eat a full meal. Most attractions are cheap or free for children (French national museums are free under 18).

Rule of thumb from Boston: +1 child ≈ one more flight seat + a step up in apartment size. That’s the bulk of it.

Flight figures reflect typical round-trip BOS–CDG economy fares (roughly $650–$900 per seat, less in fall, more in peak summer). Update the headline ranges with your own numbers once you’ve booked a trip; real receipts beat estimates every time.

Pack smart

The exact kit we pack for Paris

Lightweight stroller, the carry-on setup, and everything else that earns its space on a trip with two kids: in one tested list.

See the packing list →

From our trip

Paris, at three feet tall

Before you go

Read Rosie in Paris with them first

Kailah wrote and illustrated our Paris picture book, drawn from our family’s time in the city, a lovely way to get the girls excited about travel before wheels-up.

See the book →

Quick answers

Paris with kids: FAQ

How many days do you need in Paris with kids?

About 4–5 days in the city itself is our sweet spot: enough for the big sights at a kid’s pace without burning everyone out. With two weeks, keep the same base and add day trips rather than cramming in more city.

What’s the best area to stay in Paris with a family?

Anywhere near a garden. The 7th (near the Champ de Mars and Rue Cler) is the most stroller-friendly first-timer pick; the 1st (by the Tuileries) is central and walkable. Having green space to run off energy matters more than a famous address.

Is Paris good for toddlers?

Yes: gardens, carousels, boats, and bakeries are all toddler gold. Keep days short, base near a park, and skip the big museums for now.

Should we do Disneyland Paris with kids?

If your kids are into it, yes. It was our girls’ favorite day. It’s ~40 minutes on the RER A from central Paris. Make it its own full day and pre-book tickets.

Is Paris good for a family trip with kids?

Yes, it is one of the easiest first international family trips out of Boston: a nonstop flight, gardens and carousels built for kid-paced days, and enough bakeries and picnic spots that a fussy eater is rarely a crisis.

What are the best things to do in Paris with kids?

The Jardin du Luxembourg for the sailboat pond and carousel, the Champ de Mars for Eiffel Tower views and a picnic without the climb, a bakery run most mornings, and Disneyland Paris as a full day trip. Keep the museums short and let the parks carry most of the itinerary.

What is the best time to visit Paris with kids?

Late spring (May into early June) or early fall (September into early October): mild weather and shorter lines than summer. February vacation week is quietly good too. Our best time to visit Paris with kids guide has the season-by-season detail.

How much does a week in Paris cost a family of four?

Roughly $4,500 to $7,000 all-in from Boston, flights included, staying in an apartment with a kitchen. The full category breakdown is in what a week in Paris costs a family of four.

Keep planning: where to stay in Paris with kids · the Paris scorecard from Boston · the Metro without a stroller · the overnight arrival morning · Paris in February vacation week · books about Paris for kids · Italy with kids · 30 days in Nerja, Spain · the gear we pack · how we book every trip · all destinations

Paris with kids,the real way