Please keep the following in mind:

From 2014 - 2017 Jacobine and her family lived in Paris, close to the lovely Jardin Catherine-Labouré. Currently Jacobine and her family live in The Hague (The Netherlands). Please note:

• Paris is a dynamic city where shops, sites and other locations often change. In May 2024, Jacobine revisited the suggested places and changed some activities. The suggestions on this site are most up to date .

• Please check timetables online before you plan your visit.
• Tickets for museums, boat tours etc. sell out fast. Time-slot online bookings are recommended to avoid queues and unhappy faces. 
• Suggestions are for families with kids between 0 - 8 years. Paris is a busy city and can be overwhelming for kids. Below suggestions focus on clean air, lots of greenery, playgrounds and low-key dining options. 

The Jardin des Plantes is a big botanical garden with several museums. In La Grande Galerie d'Evolution you can find beautifully stuffed animals that march over an African savannah. In the Menagerie you can find real animals. The snow leopard is one of the star attractions of this little zoo. Don't forget to:  Drink tea with baklava at the Grande Mosquée de Paris (across the street from the Grande Galerie).

• Visit the Roman ruins of les Arènes de Lutèce where you can play soccer or have a lovely picnic. The Arena also has a nice playground, accessible from 6 Rue de Arenès.
• Wander around the shops, cafes and market of rue Mouffetard, described by Hemingway as a 'wonderful, narrow crowded market street'.
• The Pantheon, Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont and place Place Sainte-Geneviève (known from the movie 'Midnight in Paris) are impressive landmarks that lie close to Jardin du Luxembourg. 

There are many things to do at and around Jardin du Luxembourg. There is a large playground (small fee) and kids can play with wooden sailboats in the basin. The classic puppet theatre is also nice to visit (www.marionnettesduluxembourg.fr). Especially during a hot summer day the rosary is lovely since it has both a sandbox and a little peddling pool (opposite Musée du Luxembourg). If you have some extra time, don't hesitate to spend it in the area around Luxembourg. It is a lovely district where you can find:

• Church St Sulpice (known from The Da Vinci Code) with a beautiful fountain in front contructed by architect Louis Visconti, who also designed the tomb of Napoleon. 
• Shopping streets for kids: Rue Vavin & Rue Brea. Here you can find Oxybul (Toyshop), Petit Bateau, Jacadi, IKKS kids and Amorino (delicious ice-cream!).
• Breizh cafe's are known for Breton-style buckwheat galettes and sweet crêpes. Breizh cafe Odeon on Rue de lÓdeon is situated at a vibrant and joyful square. 
• Treize au Jardin (open from 10.30AM) is a popular Swedish - American Tea Room, Brunch / Lunch restaurant, It has excellent vegetarian options. 
• The 'Flagshipstore' of Bonpoint (6 Rue du Tournon). Bonpoint is an expensive brand but the shop is beautiful and holds small cafe. 

The Jardin Catherine-Labouré (29 Rue de Babylone) is a hidden gem. Behind a large wall you find a garden full with vegetable plants and fruits trees. It's an ideal place for a picnic (including sandbox and playground). Order your coffee to go at Café Coutume (47 Rue de Babylone, including high chairs). Smoothies and healthy snacks can be found at CoJean. Your family will be happy in this area because you can easily switch between playgrounds, cafe's and shops. Visit:

• Square Boucicaut: there is a lovely playground and small merry-go-round
• Le Bon Marche: although Bon Marche means 'cheap' in French, this is actually one of the most expensive shops in Paris. Especially the art-deco escalators are beautiful. Visting high end stores with children sometimes feels uncomfortable (at least for me). However, in the Bon Marche you can quite anonymously wonder around. The kids department is on the top floor.
• La Grande Epicerie de Paris: even though this epicerie (grocery store) is a little bit overpriced, it still is a fine treat to wonder around all the lovely pastries, truffle oils, foie gras shelves, cheeses etc.
• Rue Cherche Midi: an enchanting street with famous bakery Poilaine, conceptstore Smallable, and lunch spot Mamie Gateaux (delicious quiches and sweets). Mama Roma has a basic but excellent pizza/sandwiches buffet. 
• Chantelivre is an independent and mostly French bookstore and an excellent choice good choice to look for children's books, 
• Rue du Bac: at famous Deyrolles you can find all your gardening accessories and stuffed animals.
• 'Boulanger des Invalides' is a nice place to buy pastries and bread. The bakery has a small café, but no children's facilities. You can picnic in the garden of Musee Rodin (picnicspot is to be found at the end) or at Avenue de Breteuil, with a view on the impressive Dôme des Invalides.
• If you are in for a nice (stroller) walk, walk through the site of the Dome des Invalides (Napoleon's tomb) and Musee l'Armee to the southbank of the Seine. By this you can enjoy the buildings from the outside without paying an admission fee. The southbank route (Les Berges) used to be a autoway, but is now car-free and burst with energy. 

Paris is known for its excellent patisseries and tea salons. One of our favourites is A. Lacroix Patissier (11 Quai de Montebello, opens at 11.00 AM), a French-American pastry-shop based on the left bank, with a fabulous view of the Notre Dame. The cafe (which offers high chairs, a little kids corner and baby facilities) serves amazing pastries, crumbles, macarons and quiches. It's a perfect place to escape the tourist crowds and to enjoy a light lunch or coffee break. Aside from the Notre dame you should stick around this lovely area for:

• The most famous ice-cream shop in Paris is Bertillon (31 rue St-Louis en l'Ile, 10AM-8PM wed-sun). You can choose between over 70 flavours. When you find the queues too long, you can also order your Bertillon ice-cream in the many ice-cream shops nearby.
• English bookstore and cafe in one Shakespeare & Company (37 rue de la Bûcherie, 10AM-11PM) just breathes history. Although not really stroller-friendly this enchanting bookstore is definitely worth a visit. The children's book section is on the ground floor (left side). The bookstore can be busy. If you travel with two adults you can take shifts and let the kids be amazed by Paris' oldest tree, planted in 1601 in nearby Square Rene Viviani. 
• La Palette (43 rue de Seine, 8AM-2AM) is an authentic Parisian bistro where you can still feel the bohemian vibes of the 19th century. Lovely quiet streets surround the cafe. It's not particularly child-friendly but a nice place to have a coffee or drink. Choose a quiet spot inside the cafe if you need more room. 
• Boattour Vedettes du Pont Neuf. Very crowded, but once on the boat (with your pre-booked online tickets) you won't notice it. In summer it can be hot, son't forget a hat

• After the success of the pedestrianisation of the left bank of the Seine, mayor Hidalgo decided in 2016 to pedestriate the low quays of the right bank as well. All this is done to create an area of "breathing, strolling and relaxation", according to Mayor Hidalgo. And with succees, both banks are great strolling zones with nice cafes like Les Maquereaux.  

The Tour Eiffel is just magic, even for adults. The Champ-des-Mars is a perfect green area to enjoy the world's famous landmark. Relax at one of the two playgrounds (opposite Rue Jean Carries) or enjoy the merry-go-round at café La Bonbonnerie de Marie (opposite Rue de Belgrade).
Other nice sights to visit in this area are:

• ​Aquarium Cineaqua (especially a during heatwave or rainy day)
• Musée du Quai Branly
• Rue Cler is a carfree street with nice restaurants and a daily market (till 1PM). 
• Tour Montparnasse. Not in this area, but the view of the Eiffeltower is amazing. And there are probably far less queues...

The most beautiful merry-go-round is to be found at Parc Monceau (including a nice playground). Maybe you recognize the Roman Columns from the movie Paris je t'aime. If you are close to the Arc de Triomphe, then this park is a true asset to your day. If you have extra time you can decide to visit some excellent museums nearby.. Or you can go shopping at Sezane & Octobre. Here you'll find classic and trendy Parisian clothing for women and men.  

Climb the steps of Montmartre and enjoy Paris from up high. The neighbourhood is not particularly stroller friendly, but it's worth the adventure. In this area you will find:

• Sights: Le mur des je t'aime (Place des Abbesses), Le Passe Muraille (Place Marcel Ayme) and Place Dalida.
• Great restaurants can be found at Rue Lepic, Rue des Abbesses and Rue des Trois Frères.
• Typical Montmartrian terraces are L'Eté en Pente Douce (23 Rue Muller) and Le Relais de la Butte (12 Rue Ravignan)
• The playground at Square de la Turlure. is quiet and has a beautiful view of the Sacre Coeur.
• Below you can find an example of an almost stroller-friendly walk in Montmartre. You'll pass Petit Pan, a cute fabric store. Vigne du Clos Montmatre is a small vineyard which you will pass by as well. NB. There are stairs between E-F and F-G. I f you want so avoid them, take the funiculaire (cableway, super fun) or walk through the park (Square Louise Michel)

Parc Buttes-Chaumont looks like a background décor of a fairy tail. You can find walking bridges, little streams, a lake and a chapel on a cliff. Despite differences in altitude it is easy to walk with a stroller. Don't forget to visit café Rosa Bonheur (open Thursday - Sunday from 12PM), where the atmosphere is always joyful (including high chairs and a little kid's corner).  Pavilion Puebla is also an excellent option. 

If you want to stick around in the neighboorhood, you can visit the lovely pedestrianized streets of La Mouzaia. Another option is to walk to a beautiful viewpoint of Parc Belleville. 

The museums of Paris offer many child activities. Search on www.parismomes.fr/guide-des-sorties for the latest expositions. Centre Pompidou is always fun for kids. At the Galerie des Enfants they can explore using all their senses. Don't forget to visit the balconies (and roof) to enjoy a spectacular view.
​
Next to Centre Pompidou is a lovely square with the Stravinsky Fountain (kids will love the colorful, mecanic water structures). Other options are: 

• Jardin Anne Frank (14 Impasse Berthaud), a small but lovely garden where you can  escape the crowds.
• East of Centre Pompidou you can visit Les Halles. Les Halles contains two recently reconstructed areas. Forum des Halles is an underground shopping centre. The Jardins des Halles is a green area that contains a playground.
• West of Centre Pompidou you can dive into the famous Marais. Two recommendations are concept stores Fleux and Fika, a lovely coffee shop/café with swedish specialities with a courtyard terrace.

Canal Saint Martin is known from the French movie Amélie (1 Rue de la Grange aux Belles). The area around the canal is lively and full of nice restaurants and shops. 

'The Times They Are A-Changin', and the same goes for Paris. In the book Snowy enjoys a pizza. The recommended pizza store is no longer there. However, the area has lots of other nice places to enjoy. Hereby some examples: 

• Near Gare de l'est and canal saint Martin you can find a little peace, a playground and flowers at Jardin Villemin. 
  
• Breizh cafe is known for Breton-style buckwheat galettes and sweet crêpes. Amorino sells lovely icecream shaped as a rose flower. Both have several branches throughout Paris. 
• Around the canal and close to the lovely Qyua de Valmy you can find small and cosy streets with delicious bakeries such as Liberte and Du Pain et des Idees (take away).

Pause

Take a break if your family is becoming tired,  Below sime suggestions with nice informal restaurants/bakeries with several locations in the city: Le Pain Quotidien (breakfast, lunch, coffee), Breizh (crepes), Amorino (icecream), CoJean (smoothies, healthyfood)

Step  

The distances in Paris are long. Almost all Parisian kids have a step. If it fits your luggage, it is recommended to take one with you. But please be careful of cars coming out of their garages via the sidewalk and onto the street.

You have just read quite a few travel tips and must be getting in the mood for your family trip. Your next step is to get the kids ready for the adventure!

When kids read 'Snowy Snow Leopard's Paris Adventure Plan', they will be informed about the trip and can look forward to all the great adventures they will undertake. Once arrived in Paris they will have fun recognizing Snowy's adventures. Together you can relive all the happy moments by reading Snowy's story once more. Bon voyage!