Asking yourself, where to stay in Paris with kids? There are 20 arrondissements in Paris. So you’ll definitely want to figure out which you are most interested in staying in when booking your trip. It can be a little overwhelming when you are looking at a map of where to stay. Paris is huge. Our family decided to stay in the 1st arrondissement, which is central Paris.
Why the 1st arrondissement of Paris?
In the 1st arrondissement of Paris, you can walk to several iconic locations. You’ll find the Louvre Palace, Palais Royal, Forum des Halles, Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Place Dauphine, Place Vendôme, Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois Church, and Saint-Roch church. Museums include The Louvre Museum, Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, and Orangerie Museum. Also, these stunning parks and gardens are in the 1st arrondissement of Paris; Tuileries, Jardin des Halles, and Palais-Royal gardens perfect for exploring with or without kids. In nearby arrondissements that you can walk to, you’ll find there is so much to explore and plenty of playgrounds nearby making the 1st arrondissement of Paris where to stay in Paris with kids.
For us being able to walk places is a must. We prefer to explore close by as much as possible before taking the metro or a bus to neighboring areas. There is easy access to the metro all over the city but Les Halles is one of the larger Metro Stations and is very close to the Airbnb we stayed at.
As you can tell in the 1st arrondissement there is no shortage of things to do and see, making it a great place to stay. I do have to warn you though it is a busy part of Paris, there is a lot of nightlife, and the rats come out once the sun goes down. When I say rats…I mean RATS…not just a couple of them. Don’t let that deter you, rats are just part of Paris. Have you seen the movie Ratatouille?
Being right in the heart of the city you will have an amazing time!
Accommodations
Our family of 4, with two children (ages 4 and 6), opted for an Airbnb in the 1st arrondissement. For our family, Airbnb makes traveling easier and more affordable. Being able to cook some of your meals at the house is helpful on cost and slows your trip down a bit, eating out for every meal can be draining, especially on a long trip. Plus, most of the hotel rooms in Paris are tiny unless you are willing to spend quite a bit of money per night. You can check out this link to get up to $65 off your first booking with Airbnb. They have a great selection of places to stay all over the world!
Recommended Hotel
If you prefer to stay in a hotel we stayed at the Grand Hotel Dechampaigne during my first time in Paris. It is an affordable hotel with cute rooms and the friendliest staff. It is also in the 1st arrondissement.
Head to our 5-day Paris itinerary next!
xo, Alia
