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Thinking of a family city break in Paris? Planning a vacation to the last detail is an efficient way for one or the family to spend a holiday. Sometimes, however, the best experiences are the ones encountered in spur-of-the-moment decisions – which is not the case in this trying times. It has been years ago when the kids set foot on Parisian soil…We need new photos of them there, right? While we (hubby and I) have been back in between those years, the kids have had got no chance to go even in the summers, all the more so now that travel restrictions have been put.
So are you thinking of a family city break in Paris? Fortunately, after all these hullaballoos, those who feel a sudden urge for a lovely and spontaneous holiday can enjoy a city break in Paris at any time of the year. One can actually bring home a long list of wonderful memories from a short city break tour in any city – especially in this lovely and romantic city that has plenty to offer for anyone who wants to relax and have a good time.

Table of Contents
Where to Book
With the convenience of online systems, a city break or a weekend in Paris for the family can be easily booked through travel agencies, travel club websites like Voyage Privé, and even independent travel agents.
You can tailor your booking to your and your family’s specific needs, so make sure to go through the details thoroughly to avoid any untoward inconveniences.
When to Go
When is the best time to visit Paris? The better question is, “when not to go to Paris?” And the answer is, there’s not a bad time to visit Paris. You can come by in summer and it would be buzzing and pretty, you can see the flowers in spring (explore Versailles too), and be awed by the vivid colors, you can explore it in autumn and be mesmerized by nature’s wonderful display of earth tones, and even when covered in snow, Paris will always be beautiful.
Consider your sensitivities when deciding, if the cold weather is too much for you, then avoid December (end of) – January (middle of) as these days tend to be the coldest.

I’m sure you’ll agree that we all have a good reason to visit the City of Lights, well, here are some more.
Exploring the Arts
The Parisians are known for their love of art and fashion, making Paris an ideal place to house some of the world-renowned art pieces like the Mona Lisa. Visitors who would like to enrich themselves in the world of art and humanities can spend their days exploring museums. Here are some of the most popular museums in Paris you should spend time in.
The Louvre
To explore the largest art museum in the world is truly an exciting experience. The kids were probably too young to remember that we had a wonderful tour around it, see here.

There are 35,000 pieces of works of arts displayed at the Louvre – paintings, sculptures, drawings, archaeological artefacts, out of the 380,000 objects in its whole collection. With the vast amount of what to see, it’s impossible to take everything in if you spend less than 3 hours there.
If you only plan to see the most popular pieces, then it’s doable – take a guided tour. But if you are like hubby and daughter (both artists in their own right), or like me (art enthusiast), explore as much as you want.
If you want to visit particular curatorial departments, choose from:
Egyptian antiquities
Near Eastern antiquities
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman
Islamic art
Sculptures
Decorative arts
Painting
Prints and drawings
Musee d’Orsay
Musee d’Orsay houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world and is also one of the largest art museums in the world. These include the works of Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh, so definitely give it a go if you are a fan of these artists.
Musee d’Orsay is housed at what was once a railway station. It took many years from the suggestion of turning it to a museum, to approval, to designing, to construction, to decorating and fittings, and it was finally opened in 1986.
National Museum of Natural History
The museum comprises fourteen sites throughout France with four in Paris, including the original location at the Jardin des Plantes in the 5th arrondissement by the river Seine.
Pompidou Centre
The Pompidou Centre is a high-tech architecture, multicultural complex building that houses the Public Information Library, the Musée National d’Art Moderne and the IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique).
Musée National d’Art Moderne
Famous Buildings
Paris is the birthplace of Gothic architecture with many buildings of this style listed with UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Scenic or sight-seeing trips offer a more relaxed and possibly romantic experience to tourists with the Eiffel Tower at the top of the itinerary alongside a cruise in the River Seine. Walking around alleys and boulevards to spot beautiful buildings with a side trip to the Moulin Rouge Theater for some entertainment is worth your day out.
Arc de Triomphe
One can’t miss the Arc de Triomphe, standing at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Sadly, the Cathedral suffered a devastating fire on April 15, 2019 and is under renovation. It is still on this list, because although scarred and all – the part standing is still awesome and worth taking pictures of.
Sacre-Coeur Basilica

Eiffel Tower
No Paris tour is complete without seeing and without a photo of you by the iconic tour Eiffel, the tallest structure in Paris and France’s most known cultural symbol.
Go up the tower to see Paris from a bird’s eye view (see garden photo below). Go up the tower and eat as you watch people below. There would be different programs and events around so you can also enjoy those.
And also don’t forget to come in the evening when it’s illuminated.
Gardens
The french capital may be well known for being congested, probably warm, and when it feels like that, it’s best to stroll around the many gardens that the city laid out as a city refuge of sorts.
Luxembourg Gardens
Location: 6th arrondissement
There are only a few places in the world that one can enjoy whenever they want and Paris is one of the best that one could hope for in a spur-of-the-moment vacation. The sights, sounds, scents and taste of this vibrant city definitely never fail to enchant its visitors.
Jardin des Champs-Élysées
Location: 8th arrondissement
Jardin des Champs-Élysées is a few minutes walk away from the Louvre.
Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes
It is the one of the oldest zoological garden in the world, second to our very own Tiergarten Schönbrunn.

Champ de Mars
Location: 7th arrondissement
This is the park and garden leading to the Eiffel Tower.
A stroll at the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain Boulevard provide their visitors with a taste of the Parisian street life and fashion.
Paris For Kids
This city isn’t just for romantic couples or adventurous art lovers though. One may also bring the whole family to the many amusement parks like Disneyland Paris and have a magical experience that only Disney can offer.
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris‘ could be your kid’s highlight during a Paris visit. Spending days on end on different rides, dining american, eating sweets around while walking in the streets, and the anticipation to meet Mickey, Donald and the rest will keep kids going about. Dress the kids up as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, or simply don a hat of your favorite Disney character foe extra fun.
Parc Astérix
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
City Break in Paris autres
Aside from the many architectural greats and the vast array of art displays, walking around Paris is a joy in itself.
Cat Cafés
You probably know by now how much we love cats. It is our mission to visit all the cat cafés we could find. Paris has a number of them.

Marché aux puces
Flea markets abound in Paris in the most amusing ways. While high-end shopping stores abound, and it’s of course the first spots to go too, the flea markets will make you see Paris in a different light.
What and Where to Eat
Paris is not only known for haute couture, its haute cuisine is another thing one must experience there.
What To Pack

Stay Safe
Budgeting Tips
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My brother and son have been to Paris and loved it. I hope to go someday. Just to walk around and enjoy the view.
Me too, I hope I could go back soon – I hope things get better soon…
I so that I can make it to Paris this summer. We’re going on a class trip and if the pandemic isn’t horrible, we can go. So fingers crossed, because I love Paris. I was there years ago.
Let’s hope things are stable then….I really hope! Enjoy if it goes through!
I used to travel to Paris every year with my family – because I am from France. However, we haven’t in a long time now – but my husband has NEVER BEEN TO FRANCE before, so whenever we can travel again, FRANCE is high on our list!
Paris is such a beautiful city – I would absolutely love to go again and spend more time exploring. I have to admit if I was still more mobile I would have loved to visit the catacombs.
Your list of items to visit in Paris is perfection. We had a trip to Paris planned and it is of course on halt due to Covid. Pinning this for later.
I am dreaming about Paris! Thanks for this wonderful break! 🙂
Thanks for.this detailed guide to Paris. I hoped to visit this someday.
Paris is one of my top 3 dream vacations! One of these days.,. Thanks for all the helpful travel tips!
Can’t wait to take our family to Paris one day. Thanks for sharing so many great tips to seeing the city.
This is a great read! Paris is so lovely and I love the idea of considering it for a family trip. Most people think of a couple’s getaway when they hear Paris, but this adds a new perspective to the mix.
I am looking forward to traveling to Paris with my family in the near future so this article was a nice find and gave me some things to look for when I arrive.
It would be amazing to visit and travel around Paris as a family. So many amazing things to see!
I really love Paris! The place is simply stunning. I hope I can go back and visit all these places you mentioned.
Paris has been on my bucket list for over a year now. My daughter spent her summer in Paris and when she came back she spoke about all the amazing things to see and do. I hope once Rona is under control we can make our dreams come true by traveling again. Your pictures are stunning!