Paris is great for families, study finds

Paris is the world’s third best city to visit with children, and the number one city for ‘family-friendly’ restaurants, according to a recent study by US-based The Family Vacation Guide.

The French capital was found to have an incredible 6,398 ‘family-friendly’ restaurants, which was more than any other city in the report including London, Rome and New York so whether you need a quick lunch or satisfying dinner, there will be somewhere to suit your clan.

You won’t be short of options for somewhere to stay either. According to the study, Paris also has 586 family-friendly hotels, placing it fourth in the accommodation ranking.

Child-friendly attractions

The city of light and love has 483 ‘Good for Kids’ attractions on Tripadvisor, the study says, placing it fifth in the list of city’s with the most family attractions. 

A perfect rainy day family activity is a trip to the Aquarium de Paris – CinéAqua. Discover 13,000 fish and sea creatures including jellyfish and corals and see if you can all pick a favourite. If just watching the fish isn’t stimulating enough, there are also creative workshops to get involved in and an opportunity to pet koi carp. Simon the cartoon bunny will teach the children about sharks, while other shows discuss environmental awareness.

Another attraction offering an enjoyable day out that will also develop young minds and senses is the Cité des enfants. This permanent exhibition, within Paris’ Science and Industry museum in the Parc de la Villette, is divided into two spaces, one for two to seven year olds and one for five to 12 year olds. Younger children will be challenged with mazes and puzzles while older children can play at being a TV presenter, and experiment with manufacturing in the ‘Factory’ zone.

Parisian parks

Public parks are fantastic for families, offering some where to play and explore, often free of charge without booking or time restrictions. Indeed another factor in the index was the number of ‘Nature and Parks’ attractions that were listed on Tripadvisor for each city. There are currently 282 places that fit into this category for Paris, while parisinfo.com states that there are more than 400 ‘parks and gardens’ and 2,300 hectares of greenery in Paris. 

You can picnic in the regal settings of the Luxembourg Gardens or the Jardin des Tuileries or discover an array of flowers and plant life at the Jardin des Plantes or the Parc Floral de Paris. While, adventurous families can seek out caves, waterfalls and a suspended footbridge at the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. 

Analysis for the study took place in October 2021 and looked at the world’s 100 busiest cities for international visitors. The index took into account the number of child-friendly hotels, restaurants and attractions listed on Tripadvisor as well as the number of parks, the cost of family-friendly hotels and restaurants, the weather and the city’s safety index score.