Bringing a Stroller to Paris: Our Experience

Is Paris stroller-friendly? Many people will tell you that getting around in many cities in France, especially Paris with a stroller is next to impossible. While it’s true that cobblestones, stairs and narrow sidewalks, I’ll say let’s not exaggerate: Paris with a stroller is just fine to visit.

Should You Bring a Stroller to Paris?

Over the years we visited Paris 6 times with kids as they grew from babies, through toddlers, and preschoolers. We brought different strollers to the city each time, so I can also compare what works and what does not.

I can say that without a stroller my trips to Paris with kids would not have been enjoyable. Small children simply cannot walk that much, and carrying them, along with their things, all the time will wear out even the strongest adults.

Parisians are kind towards children and parents, despite the stereotypes, and they will make it work for you. For example, we often visited cafes with outdoor seating when the kids were asleep in their strollers and the staff was always kind to accommodate us somewhere.

When eating out with a napping child, make sure that your stroller isn’t sticking out on the street. Apparently the police is doing random checks on cafes, making sure that no chairs or strollers are blocking the sidewalks. We only had a problem with it once, but the waiter quickly found out a table inside.

What’s the best travel stroller for Paris?

When you look around, you will notice most Parisians with small, foldable strollers. I’m yet to see a double stroller in Paris, as it would be annoying for the parent to navigate the crowds.

Babyzen Yoyo stroller was invented in France for a reason – it’s lightweight, quick to fold, and narrow. Elevators are also uncommon in many parts of France including Paris, so you will be carrying your stroller up and down the stairs a lot, including hotels or apartment rentals.

I personally used a few strollers in France and recommend Yoyo or Joolz Aer, unless you’re traveling with two kids and coming in the winter – then I suggest a wagon (read under double stroller).

As long as you bring a small travel stroller you will be fine as there are smooth pathways everywhere, so small wheels aren’t going to be a problem. If you have two kids, you can get a buggy board for the older, but everyone sane in Europe has one stroller per child when traveling.

Umbrella strollers are a bad idea, because they’re not sturdy enough to be reliable for you and not comfortable for the kid. I honestly cannot imagine having to push it in Parisian parks, which with kids you’ll be frequently visiting. 

Is It a Good Idea to Bring a Double Stroller to Paris?

If you’re thinking of bringing a big tandem or side-by-side stroller to Paris I do feel like you should reconsider. You won’t even enter the bus or your apartment door with it, which defeats the purpose. However…

When we visited during Christmas Markets we decided to bring stroller wagon and ironically, it wasn’t bad at all. It was difficult to bring a heavier item up and down the stairs in the metro, but as we used Larkdale, which is narrow and basically just as wide as a regular stroller.

One big advantage of bringing a stroller wagon to Paris was that during the winter, the kids could hide under the canopy and blankets and still talk to each other, so they didn’t get bored when there wasn’t much to see during the afternoon walks back to the hotel when it was dark outside. We could have gotten a footmuff for the stroller and still brought two travel strollers, but in the winter I was happy with this choice. In the summer, it would have been completely unnecessary and inconvenient.

Would Baby Carrier Be Better for Paris than Stroller?

If you’re planning on hiking, you obviously need a baby carrier as well, but I wouldn’t recommend venturing without the stroller – babies sleep a lot, and even non-napping toddlers might be tired after exploring for the whole day and need a place to nap.

During the summer or even early spring, Paris might be very hot. I personally couldn’t imagine having to carry a baby all day in the sun, as I was already sweaty, and so would be the baby.

Riding the Metro in paris with a stroller

Don’t believe everything you read: Parisian metro is absolutely manageable with a stroller. We took it all the time without major issues.

Babies and toddlers are free on the metro and only require a child’s fare when they turn 4 years old.

When entering the metro with a stroller you don’t need to fold it, you can carry it open. There’s a wider entrance for strollers and luggage – you just need to press the button and the attendant will open it up for you.

If your kids are walking, you can fold the stroller, hang it on your shoulder, and hold the child’s hand going down the stairs. Once you get to the platform, either keep it folded or open it up as you wish.

We developed a method during rush hour when the metro was super busy, so we always made the kids sit in their strollers. That way, the kids wouldn’t get squished. I noticed local parents doing the same thing.

Are strollers allowed in the Eiffel Tower?

Yes, strollers are allowed in the Eiffel Tower. You can take your stroller up the elevator all the way to the top.

Officially, you need to fold the stroller in the elevator, but this rule isn’t enforced. Don’t even try to take a giant American stroller, or worse – a double stroller, because you won’t even fit in a waiting line with it and be forced to leave it outside.

Can you take a stroller to the Louvre?

Yes, you can and you should bring one because it’s a huge place that requires a lot of walking! The stroller lets you skip the entrance line and go directly into the museum, which saves a ton of time during high season.

Similar to the situation at the Eiffel Tower – bring a small travel stroller, because while full-size strollers are allowed you would be doomed to navigating elevators and they’re not always the easiest to find. On various occasions, it’s simply easier to just lift a lightweight stroller and carry the baby in it up a few steps. I’ve done it a million times.

Can you visit Arc of Triumph with a stroller?

You cannot bring a stroller to the top of the observation deck, but there’s no problem bringing it to the attraction itself. Once you buy your tickets (I recommend prebooking them though!), and reach the line for the security check someone from the staff comes and takes care of it.

A friendly lady gave us a cloakroom ticket for the stroller and told us to return to the guards after we were done with the visit. Our stroller and bag was perfectly safe and wasn’t a problem.

There are a lot of stairs to get up to the top and personally I waited until the kids were 4 and 6 years old to enjoy climbing up, but I noticed another couple going with a baby in a carrier. I would not recommend it with toddlers because of the stairs, and also the fact that they might not be able to see much from the top.

Can You Use a Stroller at the Catacombs?

Unfortunately, the Catacombs is probably the only attraction that not only doesn’t allow strollers, but also will not store them for you.

You can buy a bike lock and lock your stroller to the fence or tree near the entrance at your own risk and remember that you exit at a different place you enter. We left the stroller at the hotel and returned for it later in the day.