There are many annual events taking place in Paris. In a city with so much culture, art and history, having that many annual events doesn’t come as a surprise. But when you are with your kids in Paris, the same question always comes to mind: is this a family-friendly event or not?
Of course, not all annual events are family friendly. The trendy and fashionable Dîner en Blanc is clearly one of the best annual events, but I wouldn’t say it is child-friendly!
Family Twist is based in Paris, and a lot of our team members have been living here for quite some time. In other words, we know the city! That is how we have been able to design perfect family-friendly activities. But some of you are not interested in booking tours and just want to discover the city by yourselves. In that case, some annual events really come in handy when traveling to Paris with kids.
The following annual events are very popular in Paris and, needless to say, family-friendly. Although they might not be entirely dedicated to children, there are ways to really enjoy them with your kids. As local experts, we have selected 1 major annual event for each month. So if ever you are in Paris with your kids during one of these 12 great annual events, be sure not to miss it!
January: La galette des Rois (King’s Cake)
Every year on January 6th, a big celebration takes place all over France: everyone buys a special cake called the Galette des Rois (King’s cake) and shares it with friends, family or colleagues. This is the French way of celebrating the Epiphany.
The cake is not an ordinary cake… there is a charm hidden inside. And the one that gets the charm becomes king for a day!
Here’s how to “play”: the youngest person crawls under the table and shouts out the name of a person in the room, which then gets a slice of the cake. Once everyone has a slice, it’s time to eat. The one that gets the charm gets a crown and is allowed to choose his/her queen/king.
Not only is the cake a delight for your children, the story behind it will also fascinate the young ones. Some 2000 years ago, back in Ancient Rome the person that would get the charm would chose a slave that would become “king” for a day. The latter was relieved of his slave duties and could even give orders to his master. But this would only last a day, and in rare circumstances, the slave would even be put to death on the following day…
If you can’t make it to France on that day, don’t worry. These delicious cakes can be found in all the bakeries of Paris until end of January.
February: Paris Carnival
Everyone has heard of the Carnival in Rio or the one in Venice, but did you know that there was a carnival in Paris as well? Better yet, the 2 famous carnivals were all derived from the Paris Carnival (Carnaval de Paris).
Every year in February, hundreds of people dress up in multi colored costumes and parade to the sound of Batucada drums in the streets of Paris. This event draws thousands of curious spectators, especially families. The costumes, the music and the atmosphere in general are a treat for your young ones.
The Carnaval de Paris has a special theme every year, generally related to fairy tales or the medieval times, and takes place between Place Gambetta and République.
March: Easter Egg Hunt
Just as Paris is a Moveable Feast for Ernest Hemingway, Easter is a moveable feast in the Gregorian and Julian calendars: it comes on the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after March 21st. In other words, Easter can be in March or April.
But regardless of the day it’s on, there will always be a lot of Easter egg hunts organized for children across Paris. Here are some of the most famous Easter hunts (recheck to make sure they are on):
The Eiffel Tower Easter Egg Hunt, which is organized by the Secours Populaire, a charity organization. No less than 20,000 eggs are hidden at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and all the children are welcome to look for them. Other activities are also on the list, such as make-up and dance workshops.
The Disneyland Paris Easter Hunt is also very popular. No doubt that your children will love to go hunting for chocolate eggs in the kingdom of Mickey Mouse!
Other Easter Egg hunts are organized in magnificent areas such as Vaux le Vicomte Palace or the Château de Thoiry.
Find more ideas on how to spend a great Easter in Paris (as well as other places) here.
But who brings these chocolate eggs? On Good Friday, the day in memory of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, no bells are rung following the request by the church. Young children are told that all the bells have flown to Rome. But when the bells come back on Sunday, they bring with them little chocolate eggs. You must be wondering now where the Easter rabbit comes from?
The rabbit exists in some regions of France (North-North East), but it’s not as widespread as the bells. The rabbit (hare) is Goddess Ostara’s emblematic animal, and she was celebrated on March 21st. She gave the name to the holiday (Ostara became Easter), and her animal became its mascot.
April: Color Run / Foire du Trone
Here’s something fun to watch when you are visiting Paris with children in April: the Color Run. For 4 consecutive years already, and with more and more people participating, this race is… well… colorful, to say the least! You don’t need to be a runner to enjoy the race. During the 5km race (a distance that even the poorest runner can manage), the participants are showered by vibrantly colored powder. Needless to say that any white T-shirt at the starting line will end up in all the colors of the rainbow 5km later. Head out to the Eiffel Tower / Trocadéro with your children to see the finish line and enjoy the happiness and excitement of both spectators and participants!
If you really aren’t in a running or race watching mood, then head out to the most popular fun fair in Paris: La Foire du Trône. This fair welcomes millions of visitors between April and May. With plenty of fun-filled activities and attractions, la Foire du Trône is a wonderful place to bring your children to. This is no ordinary fair though, as it was first celebrated in 957! At that time, Paris was at the edge of famine and the king authorized the monk bakers to sell their gingerbread. Years later, this became a real feast, attracting acrobats and entertainers, and what was once a social event soon became a commercial success and turned into a fun fair.
May: Long Night of Museums
We are not talking about the Hollywood blockbuster starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson here. We are talking about a fantastic and entertaining cultural event. Since 2005, hundreds of museums all over Europe open their doors for one night. Going to a museum at night is already quite exceptional, but to make it even more exciting, some museums come up with highly entertaining activities or itineraries. And the best part is: the Long Night of Museums is free!
In Paris, this is your chance to visit some children friendly museums for free with your children and have them enjoy the riches of these museums in a very special way. Take your children to the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Hunting and Nature museum) for example: it’s one of the best kid friendly off-the-beaten-paths museums in Paris. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not all about hunting!
June: Fete de la Musique
There is no better way to celebrate the first day of summer than by heading out in the streets and listening to live music! Because not only is June 21 the longest day of the year, it’s also Make Music Day. On that day, hundreds of amateur and professional musicians hit the streets and play until the break of dawn. Being a musician and playing in front of an improvised crowd is great, but being in the crowd is as much fun! And that’s exactly what you can do with your children on that day.
In 1982, following a study on cultural habits of the French ordered by the minister of culture, it appeared that 1 out of 2 child played a musical instrument. It was then quickly decided to launch a countrywide musical operation: bring all those people on the streets in order for them to play passionately in front of a festive crowd. No need for anyone playing covers to pay royalties on this day!
For more information, see our How to Enjoy Make Music Day in Paris blog post.
July: Bastille Day
Bastille Day is the French National Holiday. That is the day when you have the beautiful fireworks lit from the Eiffel Tower (Paris does not organize fireworks for the New Year!). But those beautiful fireworks are not the only child friendly events happening on that day. 3 great annual events happen on that day:
The Champs-Elysées Military Parade, which generally starts at 10AM in front of the Arc de Triomphe and goes all the way to Place de la Concorde.
The Eiffel Tower Fireworks, which are lit at 11PM and are accompanied by music, which makes it even more magical.
The Fire Department balls: there’s a lot of dancing and singing in most of the fire stations of Paris!
The first 2 events are suitable for children of any ages, but the balls will be left for the older children.
As for the history behind this event: Bastille Day has been France’s National Day since 1880. Although it is related to 2 major historical events, there is only one that stays in mind: the storming of the Bastille Fortress. This medieval building was a prison and symbol of the injustice of the French absolute monarchy. But the social turmoil in 1789 lead the people to storm the fortress. This was the start of the famous French Revolution, which eventually lead to the execution of the French Kind Louis XVI (16) in 1793.
For more information on Bastille Day, check out our article.
August: Paris Plage
A beach in Paris? What kind of a joke is that, you might think… Well, it’s not a joke. As a matter of fact, it’s very real and it’s one of the best things to do in Paris with children. Paris Plage (Paris Beach) takes place in 2 areas of Paris from mid-July to mid-August.
Parts of the right banks of the Seine River are covered in sand. You’ll find deckchairs, sand castle competitions and much more. This is where you’ll do most of your sunbathing, even just by walking across the 3.5 km (2.3 mile) strip of Paris Plage. Right above those sand strips, in front of Hôtel de Ville (city hall), is where you will find all the beach activities such as beach volley.
In the North of Paris, along the Bassin de la Villette is where you have the second part of Paris Plage. This is where you will find all the water activities (row boats, pedal boats, electric boats etc…)
A visit to Paris Plage when in Paris with kids in summer is truly a must do!
September: European Heritage Days
Another family-friendly cultural event that takes place every year in September is the European Heritage Days. On the 3rd weekend of September, buildings, monuments and sites not normally accessible to the public open their doors for everyone to see. This is your chance to visit exceptional places such as l’Elysée (the French president’s residence), the prestigious art school Les Beaux-Arts, or more off the beaten path areas such as old medieval cellars in Le Marais.
This event first started in 1984 in France and has gradually made its way outside the borders of France over to other European countries. The European Heritage Days’ aim is to highlight local heritage and kids are more than welcome to step into these cultural areas. Your children will love to visit places such as a freemason’s temple (Grande Loge de France) to learn about all their secret symbols, the medieval Tour Jean Sans Peur with the oldest latrines in Paris or the impressive Montsouris Water Reservoir, which used to be the largest in the world for many years.
October: Salon du Chocolat
If you and your family have a sweet tooth, than don’t forget to head out to the Porte de Versailles exhibition center for the annual Salon du Chocolat (Chocolate Trade Show). There, you will see all the biggest names in chocolate and have the privilege to taste some of the most delicious creations in the world. Be it black, white or milk chocolate, there is always something for each member of your family here. It’s €14 for adults and half price for children from 3 to 12.
For more information, check out the Salon du Chocolat’s official website.
November: Christmas decorations
Mid-November might not be the hottest and sunniest month of the year in Paris, but that doesn’t mean that everything is gloomy. Au contraire! Happiness is what everyone feels because that is when the Christmas decorations are starting to appear all over the French capital. Streets, monuments and boutiques get ready for the Holiday Season and reveal their most beautiful Christmas lights, garlands and decorations.
There are many places where you will be able to live the Christmas spirit and see those wonderful decorations. The Champs-Elysées, which is said to be the most beautiful avenue in the world, is even more beautiful at that time. Montmartre is also an area where the charm of its small streets is taken one step further by the Christmas spirit!
As for the decorations, be sure not to miss the beautiful window displays of the Galeries Lafayette and the Printemps shopping centers. Their animated decorations are real eye candy for both you and your children.
Finally, because Christmas is a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, many churches display wonderful mangers built by volunteers. We can’t mention them all, but if there’s one that truly is worth seeing, it’s the one in Notre Dame Cathedral. The huge Christmas tree in front of the cathedral is also a must-see.
December: Festival du Merveilleux
Just imagine what a fun fair would look like in the 1900s. Old semi-automatic attractions, vintage machines, people in costumes… That is exactly what you will get at the Festival du Merveilleux (Festival of Wonders). This annual event takes place is the most magical place in Paris: the Museum of Fairground Arts (Musée des Arts Forains). Open every day from 10AM to 6PM right after Christmas all the way up to early January, the Festival du Merveilleux will take you and your kids to a word beyond your imagination. You will even be able to ride old merry-go-rounds for the early 20th century. This event is a real treat for the whole family and will prolong the magical Christmas spirit until the end of the year.