I can’t think of a better day out with kids in Paris, especially during the summer, than inside the city’s one true amusement park – the Jardin d’Acclimatation. Hidden in the leafy Bois de Boulogne, in the elegant 16ᵗʰ arrondissement, the park packs more than forty rides and attractions into a pocket of woodland barely fifteen minutes from the Arc de Triomphe. Carousels spin beside a mini‑zoo; a puppet theatre shares a plaza with a dragon‑themed roller‑coaster; pony rides amble past a splash park that keeps sun‑flushed children squealing for hours. It’s remarkably easy to lose an entire day here without ever glancing at the clock. There’s even a kiosk where you can rent a pushchair if your child gets tired of walking, for only €15 for the whole day.
The site itself has a grand Parisian back‑story. Opened in 1860 under Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, it borrowed the idea of a public pleasure garden from London’s Hyde Park, which the Emperor admired on his travels. Today the park operates under a long‑term concession held by LVMH – the luxury‑goods group behind Louis Vuitton and Dior – so it is no accident that the lawns are immaculate. Directly behind the main gates rises the glass‑sail architecture of the Fondation Louis Vuitton where contemporary art shows are worth a detour.
Getting There Easily: Location, Opening Hours, and Ticket Options
The park has three public entrances. I like to use the gate on avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, right beside the Fondation Louis Vuitton. It’s a short stroll from the main Sablons entrance and, in my experience, the queues there are noticeably shorter, even on warm‑weather weekends.
Metro and Train
- Les Sablons (Line 1). Take Exit 2, then take Rue d’Orléans, the Sablons entrance to the Jardin d’Acclimatation is 150m away.
- Station Pont de Neuilly (Line 1). Entrance by the Saint James Gate.
- RER C – Neuilly Porte Maillot or Avenue Foch stations. Access by the Sablons entrance.
Opening Hours
During peak season from 31 March to 31 August:
- Monday – Friday: daily 10am – 6pm
- Weekends, public holidays and school holidays: 10am – 7pm
Last park entry: 1 hour before closing.
Rides shut: 30 min before closing.
Tickets
You don’t need to pre-book tickets but you can choose to book online to benefit from web rates when booking in advance. You have several pricing choices:
- Entry‑only (€7): Stroll the gardens, enjoy playgrounds etc excluding the rides.
- Per‑ride booklet (€4.50): Cost per attraction.
- Booklet of 15 / 50 tickets for attractions (€55 / €120): book of 15 or 50 tickets valid for 1 year
- Unlimited Pass (€48): A paper wristband with a QR code; scan and ride as often as you like on the day of purchase.
After many visits, I always recommend the Unlimited Pass which you can purchase in advance here. It costs €48 per person and comes as a paper wristband with a QR code. The booklet of tickets is not worth it as many attractions require 2 tickets per ride so you end up getting through the booklet faster than you expect.
Access to rides is determined by height, not age. There’s a height check before each ride. Bigger roller coasters and VR attractions require kids to be at least 120 cm tall (about six years old), so keep this in mind when buying tickets. If your kids can do the rides independently while you watch, you can get away with just buying a €7 entry ticket for yourself. If your child is under about six or seven, I suggest getting an Unlimited Pass for yourself too so you can accompany them.
Rides for Every Age
The Jardin d’Acclimatation packs 42 rides into a compact, city‑centre park. Headliners include the brand‑new coaster Le Défi du Dragon, a skyline‑topping Ferris wheel, and other fast paced attractions. There are also two Virtual Reality adventures, with themes of Rafting Adventure and Jurassic Island. Younger children enjoy a miniature train, gentle river boats, classic carousels, and other attractions.
The park is really well designed for everyone from toddlers to teens (up to about 12 years old). The attractions are all very close together, so you can move from one to another in under a minute; you don’t need to spend energy walking around the park to get from A to B as you do in Disneyland. I’ve never had to line up for an attraction for longer than 15 minutes, but weekends are busier.
Animals, Playgrounds, and Splash‑Zone Fun
When my kids need a break from roller‑coasters, we head straight for the little farm. They feed goats, and giggle at guinea pigs and rabbits. A few steps away, a mini‑zoo shows off bright birds and turtles.
Play stops are everywhere: playgrounds sized for toddlers, bigger climbing frames for older kids, and a trampoline zone with 20 nets (you must be 90 cm or taller). In summer, the two splash fountains steal the show. If you’re coming on a hot day, pack a swimsuit and a towel for the kids – they’re perfect for cooling off.
Food Breaks, Picnic Spots and Shops
For food, you’ve got plenty of options. Bring your own picnic and sit on the grass or any of the benches and tables in the park. We usually just buy food at the many kiosks selling sandwiches, salads, crêpes, waffles, and ice cream. We grab what we fancy, find an outdoor table, and the kids are back on their feet in minutes. There are also sit down restaurants if you’re looking for a more substantial meal.
There are also a few gift stores selling cute kids’ toys and park‑themed merchandise. The selection is surprisingly tasteful and includes some unique items.
Our family loves to spend days at the Jardin d’Acclimatation and I always recommend it as a great day out with kids in Paris. Disneyland is Disneyland but this park is a really good alternative as an amusement park, especially for younger children who may get overwhelmed by the sheer scale of Disneyland. It’s a fun place to come to to celebrate a birthday (we did twice!) and the park actually organises birthday parties that include a 2-hour workshop of choice (magic, circus, cooking or fragrance making) followed by cake and sweets.
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