Our ideas
Our ideas for family outings in Ile-de-France
May
Are you looking for ideas for family outings in the Ile de France? Is your forecast for a holiday abroad falling apart this summer? Don’t panic. Why not take the opportunity to stay in France and rediscover our wealth?
You live in Ile-de-France and are looking for an activity close to home for a day trip or a weekend trip?
The Ile de France has everything you need so your family can have fun and have a great time. Trips to the other side of the world will wait!
Here are our activities to do with children in the Ile de France.
Uns sponsored article! Activities tested with my children.
1/ Miniature France: Exploring every region of France through model monuments – Elancourt (78)
Come and discover with your children the different French regions and stroll between the models of monuments of our heritage. Stroll down the aisles and find yourself face to face in front of 117 monuments of our heritage!
The Eiffel Tower, Mont Saint Michel, the Cathedral of Amiens or the Arenas of Arles… Enjoy travelling around France for an afternoon or a morning.
In a few hours, you and your children will rediscover in a very playful way our most famous monuments, museums, villages… Children will be delighted when they recognize some of them. Pick them up for the Millau Viaduct, the Eiffel Tower, the city of Carcassonne or Fort Boyard!
Each monument depicted is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This outdoor walk will combine the cultural aspect of your visit with a family moment.
Everything is really thought out for children which makes France Miniature a perfect outing for families.
A small bonus: an attraction area completes the tour with giant slides, a panoramic tower and access to the boardroom of Fort Boyard more real than life.
2/ The Floral Park of Paris: rejuvenating and moving- Vincennes (94)
On the edge of the Vincennes woods, easily accessible from Paris,the floral park is ideal for a family outing as soon as the sunny days arrive.
The playgrounds are free, numerous and suitable for little blonde heads but also for the older ones. Indeed, you will find free access to ping-pong tables, a hook-up course, a mini golf course and even Rosalies for rent!
In the heart of nature,enjoy the good weather for a family picnic, a walk among beautiful flowers (more than 40 gardeners work there).
Anyway, the flowery park’s alleys are sublime.
Admission is free in winter but paid (it is still reasonable) from April to September. Note that for large families, there is a discounted rate.
3/Animal and Forest Park: Marveling in nature –Espace Rambouillet (78)
Go with your children to discover the lives of the hosts of theRambouillet Space thanks to the National Forestry Office. The animal and forest park is a beautiful place that will please the whole family. Animals like deer, deer, wild boar, raptor (and many others) will entrust their secrets to you through a great adventure.
Dive into the the heart of nature via five very different routes playful and accessible to children where discovery is sensory. The wild forest, deer or eagles not to mention the Green Odyssey will allow you to appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna on a trail suspended in the trees.
The encounter with the birds of prey is particularly unforgettable.
In reality, patience and attention will be the key words of your day. Among the family outings in the Ile de France that we offer, this one is the most natural. After this day, you will have discovered the forest and will have learned to understand and protect it.
4/ The Sea of Sand: An Unforgettable Day – Ermenonville (60)
This amusement park has everything to please: human size, also suitable for the youngest and surrounded by nature.
Located less than an hour north of Paris, the sea of sand will surprise you with its Western atmosphere.
It is one of the oldest amusement parks in France (1963) and is worth a visit!
From the age of 3 you can go there with your children. The activities offered are, in fact, suitable for the smallest because the attractions are less “thrilled” than at Disney or Asterix. So you won’t have this size problem either. In fact, some attractions are reserved exclusively for young children.
In addition to the classic attractions, don’t miss the high-quality shows. Cascaders, life-size historical re-enactments, train attacks… will appeal to adults and children alike.
The park suitable for all ages will appeal to the whole family. All members will benefit from it. This is one of the family outings in the Ile de France that you won’t forget!
The entrance is affordable and the reasonably sized park can be visited in one day. You won’t come out feeling frustrated that you couldn’t do everything.
We went there in October so we had the chance to discover the absolutely beautiful Halloween decorations.
On the other hand, avoid catering services by taking a picnic with you.
5/ Rediscovering Paris: the must of any Parisian who respects himself
It would be difficult to list ideas for family outings in the Ile de France without mentioning Paris.
You are Parisian (perhaps always) but never take the time to visit the City of Light. It’s time or never! If tourists come from all over the world to discover Paris, it’s not for nothing. Paris is magical!
Find the essentials ofa family visit to Paris with a suggestion of a route that you will no longer have to follow. Let yourself be tempted, you will not be disappointed! Take the time to stroll along the banks of the Seine, return to the Louvre Museum or “adventure” in the Pantheon!
If you are keen for your children to be involved in this visit, we have created the Paris travel diary for them. They will find the essentials of Parisian heritage as well as many activities to do in the capital.
6/ Provins (77): The Return to Medieval Times
Embark on a journey back in time going back several centuries with a visit to the medieval town Provins. For children who only dream of knights and princesses, this is the destination for you.
Provins, a medieval city classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers panoramic views from the Caesar Tower. For the little ones, think of the door-to-back because spiral staircases and many steps will be there! Indeed: we are in the Middle Ages!
Take a step back in time with a visit to the old covered market of the Grange in times where you will find the merchants of the time.
Don’t forget to keep your eyes open to admire the flowers of the Provins Rose Garden without forgetting the Eagles of the Walls. These birds will offer you an impressive falconry show that will put you in full eye.
Guests can also watch the Legend of the Knights show. Provins is one of the original family outings to take in the Ile de France when your children start to take an interest in the history of France.
7/ Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: think you’re a king/queen – Maincy (77)
A 1 hour drive from Paris, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th century masterpiece, is giving you a day out for a day at the time of kings and queens.
Very well preserved and beautiful, the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte is, quite rightly, sometimes nicknamed “little Versailles”. On a human scale, it has everything to please: sumptuous apartments, French gardens, a collection of carriages…
The gardens of the castle, the work of Le Nôtre, are also open to the public and are worth a visit.
In addition, you will probably be able to observe the 50 hives that are located there. These produce honey from the castle.
A new sound tour offering an immersive experience is offered to accompany you throughout your visit to the castle. In addition, you will also have access to guided tours, audioguides and the rental of costumes imitating the outfits of the time.
Finally, every Saturday from July 4 to October 3, 2020, a timeless tour of the estate lit by 2000 candles is offered for magical and unforgettable evenings! That’s why the visit to the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte could not fail to be included in our suggestions for family outings to the Ile de France.
8/ A leisure base: to let off steam and relax in Cergy Pontoise (95)
A desire for nature and a family sports day?
Beyond the activities of the various leisure islands of the Ile-de-France suitable for all ages. Between aquatic activities, farms, mini-golf, equestrian centres, beaches, orienteering races and circus school, you have plenty to look after!
Also take the time to rest on these sandy beaches and picnic at the water’s edge.
For fun, rest or be competitive, Cergy Pontoise’s leisure base takes on the air of a holiday but 30 kilometres from Paris!
9/ Fontainebleau Forest:
The Fontenaibleau forest offers a wide variety of activities such as walking, mountain biking, scootering, segway or horseback riding. The little explorers will be delighted!
The forest is gigantic (more than 20,000 hectares) and thus offers families in search of nature a real breath of fresh air.
Once at the castle, your children will be able to solve its puzzles with a small notebook. The different landscapes of the forest mix magic and magic to make way for climbing sessions on the gargantuan rocks of the estate.
You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the castle, meet the sled dogs, or take a walk on the small train.
The state forest also offers a surprise: a sandy beach perfect for a family picnic. Definitely the forest of Fontainebleau has everything to please!
If you wanted to get some fresh air and were looking for ideas for family outings in the Ile de France, I hope we’ve given you a selection that you’ll like!
Escape to 1 hour from Paris is possible. It would be a shame to deprive ourselves!
Finally, we wish you great discoveries! You can invite your children to record their memories, their little treasures in their WanderWorld notebook. They will keep a trace of it that you will be, moreover, all delighted to find in a while!
