It’s raining, it’s pouring, and your energetic kids (and adults) are clamoring to get out and about. Fear not, for INSPIRELLE is full of ideas for indoor activities in Paris. From immersive cultural experiences and unexpected museums to indoor playgrounds where you can literally bounce off the walls, we know where you can go to avoid going stir crazy!
1. IMMERSE YOURSELVES IN ART!
Experience art like you never have before at the magical Atelier des Lumières (“Workshop of Light”), a new, state-of-the-art, multisensory art space in Paris. In this reconverted 19th century iron foundry, you’ll be transported into the colorful canvases of great masterpieces from artists such as Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt. Take a seat on the floor of the vast hall, and get ready to be mesmerized as the walls and floor around you transform and transport you into a sumptous world of constantly shifting images and an explosion of rich color, light and music.
Atelier des Lumières
Address: 38 Rue Saint Maur, 75011 Paris
For current exhibits and tickets visit their WEBSITE
2. DIVE INTO AN AQUARIUM-CUM-CINEMA
Escape the rain and plunge into the water world at the Aquarium de Paris located in the Palais de Chaillot at Place de Trocadero. Its darkly-lit rooms create the perfect ambiance for a mysterious tour of the large, underwater tanks with more than 100,000 species including clown fish, puffers, sharks and stingrays. With two cinemas screening documentaries and cartoons, as well as live entertainment on weekends and holidays, there’s plenty to keep you entertained for a couple hours.
Aquarium de Paris
Address: 5 Avenue Albert de Mun, 75016 Paris
For more info and tickets visit their WEBSITE
3. DON YOUR BOWLING SHOES
Who doesn’t like to bowl? There are several bowling alleys in Paris for great family fun, from the Bowling Mouffetard to Bowling Foch near the Champs Elysées or try La Quille’s “mini” bowling lane off rue Oberkampf, or the child-friendly lanes at Front de Seine in the 15th arrondissement which has lightweight balls for little ones five years and up.
Bowling Mouffetard: 73 Rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 43 31 09 35
Bowling Foch: 2 Avenue Foch, 75016 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 00 00 13
Front de Seine: 44 Rue Emeriau, 75015 Paris,
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 75 35 37
4. TAKE PRIDE IN MULTICULTURAL FRANCE
Here’s a real cultural jewel for children and adults. Learn about the immigrants who helped build France over the past two centuries at the fascinating multicultural museum, Musée de l’Histoire et l’Immigration. Discover a large collection of photographs, documents and video that trace the history, culture and contributions of the many ethnic groups that make up France today. The museum is located in an exquisite Art Deco building, the Palais de la Porte d’Orée, built in 1931 for the International Colonial Exhibition in Paris. How appropriate that it’s been transformed into a multicultural museum. INSPIRELLE recommends this museum for older children but younger kids can fully enjoy the tropical aquarium on the lower level.
Musée de l’Histoire et l’Immigration
Address: 293 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 59 58 60
5. EXPLORE SCIENCE THROUGH KIDS’ EYES
There are so many excellent children’s workshops found in Paris museums. One of our perennial favorites is the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie a super science center designed to stimulate your child’s mind. INSPIRELLE loves the two “Cités des Enfants”, or children’s cities, located on the main floor of the building in Parc de la Villette. Designed for 2-7 and 5-12 year olds, the “city” is an interactive space to teach tots from a young age to appreciate how our world works.
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
Address: 30 Avenue Corentin Cariou, 75019 Paris
For more info and tickets visit their WEBSITE
6. COOK’N WITH CLASS
Does your child love experimenting in the kitchen? Sign up your budding chef, 7 to 12 years old, for children’s or family workshops at Cook’n with Class to learn how to make classic French sweets such as chocolate fondants, jammy shortbread biscuits and chocolate mousse. Parents can take adult courses too. Impress your friends with homemade foie gras and wine and cheese pairing. And here’s the icing on the cake: Cook n’ with Class is one of the few schools in Paris that teach cooking in English. They’ll even organize private family classes in the kitchen with a translator in Spanish, French, Italian or Chinese!
Cook’n with Class
Address: 6 Rue Baudelique, 75018 Paris
Tel:+33 (0)1 42 57 22 84
7. BOUNCE OFF WALLS AT A TRAMPOLINE PARK
Time to literally bounce off the walls! Trampoline Park You Jump is a chain of huge indoor trampoline parks which are a paradise for anyone of any age who just wants to burn off some steam, and calories. Aside from trampolines you’ll also find cage ball, climbing and cardio walls, accrobranche, dodgeball, and even karaoke. With 20 locations around France, they’re popular team building and birthday party venues, offering all-inclusive packages with a birthday cake, drinks and candies, for kids 5 and up. Toddlers need to be supervised.
Trampoline Park You Jump
Locations: Chambly, Paris Elancourt, Paris-Palaiseau (and other locations in France)
Check WEBSITE for the location nearest you.
8. CURL UP WITH A BOOK AT THE AMERICAN LIBRARY
The American Library in Paris is a gem of a place for children of all ages. For over 20 years, the library has been a focal point for the English-speaking community, opening its doors to share its collection of 120,000 books with everyone. The Library has an active program and a dedicated staff to ensure toddlers fall in love with picture books and children enjoy reading groups. Teenagers can brainstorm in writing workshops and adults can listen to the latest authors talk about their books. Everyone should join and have a library card!
American Library of Paris
Address: 10 Rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 59 12 60
9. GO ON A CULTURAL TREASURE HUNT
Kids of all ages (and adults!) will love THATMUSE’s treasure hunt at the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay. American expat Daisy de Plume has designed themed itineraries filled with intriguing clues, which makes exploring Paris’ most famous museums great fun! Young minds are challenged through questions, activities and maps to learn about cultural treasures and historical civilizations. On less rainy days, you can also sign up for a treasure hunt in Parisian neighborhoods!
Louvre Museum, or Musée D’Orsay
Bookings and info: THAT MUSE WEBSITE
10. AMAZE YOURSELF WITH MAGIC
Stop by the charming Musée de la Magie for a tour from a wizard or one of the museum’s favorite magic shows. Located in the Marais, this quirky museum is full of amazing artifacts illustrating the history and magic of the art of illusion. Examine antique magicians’ props and gadgets, learn about stunning optical illusions and how to stump your friends with a slight of hand.
Musée de la Magie
Address: 11 Rue Saint-Paul, 75004 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 72 13 26
11. CATCH A FILM
Rainy days are perfect for going to the cinema en famille. One of our favorite cinemas in Paris is at the Beaugrenelle shopping center, which features 10 screens with high-tech sound, love seats for couples to snuggle up close, popcorn and champagne packages, and a jaw-dropping candy bar to keep everyone extra happy. If it’s still pouring outside after the film, window shop and stay to eat in the food court with its international selection of family-style restaurants such as Panasia, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Noura Middle Eastern food.
Beaugrenelle Cinema
Address: 12 Rue Linois, 75015 Paris
To find other cinemas around Paris, check out Allocine
12. TEST YOUR ESCAPE ROOM SKILLS
Put your super sleuthing or survival skills to the test in an Escape Room adventure with your family and friends. Hint Hunt, one of the first Escape Rooms to set up in Paris, offers a number of different themed adventures in English. From discovering a pirate’s secret to a deep down mission in a submarine, why not plunge into an alternative universe for a bit of team-building fun?
Hint Hunt Paris
Address: 62 Rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris
13. LEARN ABOUT CARNIVAL ARTS
One of the best kept secrets in town is the enchanting Musée des Arts Forains, or Museum of Carnival Arts. Discover a stunning collection of beautiful, old amusement park rides and other carnival-related attractions in a magical space hidden in Bercy Village, southeast Paris. The gorgeous craft and workmanship of these carousels will astound you.
Musée des Arts Forains
Address: 53 Avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012 Paris
Tel : +33 (0)1 43 40 16 22
14. GEAR UP FOR A GAME OF LASER TAG
Gear up, choose your teams, and get ready for a friendly, heart-pumping battle against other players inside immersive labyrinths with multiple universes of play. You can even privatize one of the state-of-the-art spaces for a birthday party or some team-building fun.
Urban Laser Game Paris
Address: 13 Rue Ernest Cresson, 75014 Paris
Laser World Montparnasse
Address: 168 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75014 Paris
Laser World La Défense-La Garenne
Address: 7-11 Avenue de Verdun 1916, 92250 La Garenne-Colombes
Cybergame
Address: 47 Avenue de l’Europe, 92400 Courbevoie
15. SING YOUR HEART OUT
Why not let out the inner soprano or tenor in you and book a room for your friends and family at a Karaoke bar? Inspired by the karaoke boxes of Asia, BAM Karaoke Box is a place to let loose with your friends while singing to your favourite tunes and enjoying snacks and drinks in your own personal space. Each of their five locations around Paris has a unique atmosphere and accommodates groups of any size.
BAM Karaoke Box
Multiple locations around Paris (Madeleine, Parmentier, Sentier, Etoile, Richer)
Check WEBSITE for details and locations
