In February 2024, we traveled to Paris with our 9-month-old infant.
One of the biggest questions we ask as parents when we’re traveling to a new city is: is it baby-friendly for tourists?
And then, from there, we attempt to find answers to all the logistical questions:
- Is it stroller-friendly?
- Are there changing tables in the public bathrooms?
- Do restaurants provide high chairs?
- Should I bring a carseat, rent one, or take public transportation?
We read mixed reviews online, and our friends who had traveled to Paris did so pre-parenthood days. Since we weren’t sure how baby-friendly it would be, we decided to travel light – meaning, we would only babywear her in the carrier. No stroller, no car seat, no excess weight or gear to lift. This would be our only chance to go carrier-only. If she were any older or heavier, or if we brought our older kids, we would definitely opt to bring a stroller or consider a rental while there.
Leading up to our trip, we had a list of restaurants and sites we wanted to visit, along with a loose itinerary. We live by loose itineraries because of the flexibility required when traveling with little ones. Our philosophy is to give ourselves grace and space – wiggle room – to change plans without losing our sanity or satisfaction. The weather forecast showed rainy days ahead, which meant we’d have to make some decisions on the fly.
We used various modes of transportation from site to site. We definitely hit some bumps in the road and even got lost a couple times, but we roll with the punches and try not to let impatience or frustration ruin the day. The worst case was that we got more steps in and saw different parts of the city than we initially planned for.
On our first day, we landed at CDG in the early afternoon. We opted for the Roissybus from CDG to Paris Opera (33€ for the two of us). We followed the signs throughout the airport to purchase the bus tickets at a ticket machine and waited for the bus to arrive. The bus from CDG departs every 15 minutes, and the journey is roughly 1 hour long. When you get on the bus, you simply insert the ticket into one of the machines to the left of the driver. (This seems simple, but it wasn’t clear to me, haha.) From the Paris Opera stop, we walked about 15 minutes to reach Park Hyatt Paris. Another (more expensive) travel option would have been by taxi.
Traveling with GlocalMe – Portable WiFi – and Google Maps
Per our “balling on a budget” lifestyle, we did a lot of navigating offline using Google Maps, hah. We’d search for directions to our next destination while we still had WiFi. Then, we were off – offline, too. Out of our four days of adventuring, we were memorably lost twice. Call us crazy, but we simply call it a romantic detour. At some point, we got creative and walked into a nearby hotel, asked for wifi access, and resumed directions.
We actually brought a GlocalMe with us just in case, and we had prepaid data to use in Paris should we need it. But since we didn’t use it, we requested a refund at the end of our trip. Any unused and inactivated WiFi data plans can be refunded within 7 days of purchase.
Cash/Credit
We always travel internationally with a Charles Schwab debit card so that we can withdraw cash without fees. Almost all restaurants, sites, and modes of transportation accept credit card, which is what we used – and gives the best exchange rate. Our family member also had leftover euros from her last trip that she gave us (bless her heart!), so we were prepared with some euros even before setting foot in France.
Transportation by Bus with an Infant
With our itinerary, Vay figured out that the bus would be an efficient mode of transportation for us. We know most people Uber or taxi to/from their destinations, but we were concerned about not having a carseat. We didn’t bring one, and we recognize it’s very difficult to request a car service with one.
For frequent bus transportation, we used the Navigo Easy Card. We bought physical cards at the Metro station (€2 each card) and downloaded the app Bonjour RATP to purchase rides. We paid for a set of 10 rides (lower cost – roughly €2.5 per ride) for each of our cards, and we used it all up on our trip! While the ride was slow with many stops, it was a good way to see different parts of the city. I also loved the efficiency and simplicity of getting on and off while still babywearing our baby girl in her carrier. We also felt safe bussing and walking around.
So just how baby-friendly IS this city of romance?
Dining & Breastfeeding
Most restaurants do not provide high chairs. And most don’t have space to park a stroller. You’d have to leave it outside or by the door (if they allow it). I saw some families with young kids opt to dine outside on the cafe/restaurant patios, where they were able to keep their strollers by their side.
Almost all the restaurants we dined in were super cramped, and you were likely sitting closer to a stranger next to you than your partner across the table from you, hah. When it came time to breastfeed on the go, I simply sat down and did so wherever I was (and more importantly, wherever there was ample space!). One of my favorite memories is nursing in the Louvre in the middle of all the beautiful paintings. On our long walks to the next planned destination, I spotted a park with benches and simply sat down to nurse right there.
Strolling
The sidewalks are pretty stroller-friendly, and with the intense amount of walking we did, there were times when I wished we had a stroller for our baby, but it was fleeting. I was always grateful we avoided that route when it came to dining in and being able to simply carry her without concern of parking a stroller or taking it on/off transportation modes.
Diaper Changing
I’d be surprised to find changing tables in any sort of restaurant restroom. The restrooms were not easily accessible (and would not pass code in the States, haha). You’d have to trek up or down narrow staircases to reach a small restroom. At the popular attractions, however, like museums and the Eiffel Tower, there were more accessibility features and baby-friendly, diaper-changing areas.
Our 4 Day ACTUAL Itinerary
| Sunday | Arrival in Paris |
| RoissyBus from CDG to Paris Opera (€16.6 per ticket) | |
| Arrive at Park Hyatt Paris | |
| Walk to Happy Caffe — beef sandwich & ham and cheese croissant & chicken soup (24 euro) | |
| Back to hotel — nap | |
| Walk to Le P’tit Breton for Crepes — Paysanne crepe, pear and chocolate crepe (18 euro) | |
| Monday | Breakfast at Park Hyatt |
| Meet a friend at Park Hyatt Breakfast | |
| Walk to Galleries Lafayette – Browse & Enjoy Rooftop Views | |
| Back to hotel – nap | |
| Take bus to Le Relais de L’entrecote for dinner – (dinner €64) | |
| Bus back to hotel – rest (bussing all day each way €2.5, €10 for bussing today) | |
| Tuesday | Breakfast at Park Hyatt |
| Take bus to Cathedral Notre Dame | |
| Shakespeare & Company Bookstore (bought books – €55) | |
| Polène Le Marais – buy bag (sept mini – €300) | |
| Stop at Le BVH Marais mall for a nursing break & get a matcha latte (€7) | |
| Take bus to return to PH – check out of hotel | |
| Head to Hyatt Regency by bus; check in | |
| Club lounge for light snacks | |
| Wednesday | Breakfast at Hyatt Regency |
| Head to Le Marais – bus | |
| Le Marais – L’As du Fallafel | |
| Breizh Cafe – walk through Le Marais – for crepes | |
| Walk up to Canal St Martin – but went to wrong area | |
| Matcha Ochaya for desserts | |
| Du Pain et Des Idees – bakery | |
| Stop by at Thank God I’m A VIP vintage shop to browse | |
| Take bus to Eiffel Tower | |
| Eiffel Tower – walk up stairs to second floor, lift up to the top (€26.90 per adult ticket) | |
| Head back to Hyatt Regency by bus | |
| Thursday | Breakfast at Hyatt Regency |
| Take bus to the Louvre Museum | |
| Louvre Museum | |
| Shopping Center next to Louvre – buy macarons @ Laduree and Caudelie skincare | |
| Walk to Gastronomie | |
| Head back to Hyatt Regency |
Eiffel Tower Recommendation:
We went to the Eiffel Tower at around 6pm, and their elevator was closed temporarily due to the crowdedness. We waited patiently, and about 45 minutes later, they reopened. At that point, we bought our tickets to walk up to the second floor and take the elevator from there. When we went on our way up, it was still daylight. By the time we reached the top, it was evening, and the twinkling lights turned on. It was the absolute perfect time to catch the Eiffel Tower in all its glory from day to night. We loved it, and we recommend visiting around this time (hours according to each season).
Polene, Skincare, & General Shopping Tips
Everyone knows about tax-free duty-free shopping in Paris, but it seems people don’t talk about a key point — don’t open your products during your trip! If you open your products and they do happen to check it, you won’t get your tax refund. A friend had shared this tip while we were on our trip, and then the store associate at Caudelie also warned me about this – and I’m so glad she did! I learned that many people don’t know about this rule, and especially with something like skincare, travelers open and use the products while on their trips, and they’re unable to receive the tax refund afterwards.
Louvre: Long Lines
Somehow, they allowed us to skip the very long lines outside the Louvre. I went up to a staff member to ask a question, and when she saw me carrying my baby, she just opened up the queue/rope barrier to let us straight to the front of the security line. Once we did so, we bought tickets inside. I’m guessing this doesn’t happen all the time, so I’d recommend buying tickets online in advance and going at less busy hours, just as everyone else suggests.
Sure, our daughter may have no recollection of this trip, but we’re so grateful to have shared this experience with her. Bringing her along was absolutely worthwhile for us. There were so many highlights of this trip, but the beautiful architecture, which is best seen on foot, exceeded my expectations. Comfortable shoes are a must!
Le Relais de L’entrecote
If this steakhouse is on your itinerary, don’t be intimidated by the long line! It actually moves quickly. We got there before opening dinner time, and there was already a long line out the door. But it moved fairly quickly. The restaurant is extremely cramped, optimized for efficiency and maximum (maybe above maximum occupancy). If you’re looking for a spot to have an intimate conversation, this isn’t it. I was definitely overhearing the conversations to the left and right of me — without even attempting to eavesdrop. Our seats are just that close to one another. My husband ate his food over our daughter’s head as he continued babywearing her while we dined. It wasn’t our favorite meal, but it was good — and we’re so glad we tried it per our friends’ recommendations!
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Paris. Sure, our daughter won’t have any recollection of it, but we’re so grateful to have shared the experience with her. There were so many highlights of our trip, but the beautiful architecture, which is best seen on foot, exceeded my expectations. Comfortable shoes are a must!
