Navigating the Paris metro with young kids and strollers: A survival guide

Picture it: Paris, the city of lights, love, and, if you’re a parent, lugging a stroller up more stairs than the Eiffel Tower has rivets. If you’re contemplating the Paris Metro with young kids and a stroller, you may wonder if you’re brave or simply delusional. The answer, as with all things parenting, is probably both.

The Paris Metro: A Marvel of Engineering, Unless You Have a Stroller

Let’s dispense with the fantasy that the Paris Metro is stroller-friendly. It isn’t. Elevators are as rare as a Parisian smile before their morning espresso. Most stations offer stairs, more stairs, and, if you’re lucky, an escalator that’s conveniently out of order. But before you abandon all hope, know this: with a bit of planning and a healthy sense of humor, you can conquer the Metro with your offspring and their wheeled chariot.

Preparation: Folding Strollers and Folding Your Expectations

• Bring a Compact, Foldable Stroller: The Metro is much more manageable if your stroller folds easily and can be slung over your shoulder like a particularly unwieldy baguette. Large, luxury strollers may look chic but will earn you scowls and possibly a spot in Dante’s lesser-known tenth circle.

• Traveling with Another Adult? Congratulations, you’ve unlocked “Easy Mode.” One adult can wrangle the child while the other tackles the stroller. If you’re solo, prepare for an upper-body workout that would make a Tour de France cyclist weep.

  
  

Metro Maneuvers: How to Get Through the Gates (and Life) with Kids

• Use the Gates, Not the Turnstiles: Most stations have a gate for strollers. Flash your ticket, say “J'ai une poussette” with your best French accent, and a staff member will usually let you through. If forced to use the turnstile, narrow strollers can squeeze through, but you may have to channel your inner contortionist.

• Stairs, Stairs, and More Stairs: Accept that you’ll be carrying your folded stroller up and down. Parisians may offer help, or at least look at you with a mixture of pity and admiration.

• On the Train: Hold your child on your lap and keep the stroller folded. Opening the stroller on a crowded train is a faux pas on par with asking for ketchup at a Michelin-starred bistro.

  
  

Pro Tips from the Trenches

• Download Citymapper: This app shows accessible routes and helps you avoid stations that require scaling Everest with a stroller.

• Consider the Bus: If you value your sanity, buses are generally easier with strollers and offer city views that double as sightseeing for the kids.

• Walk When You Can: Paris is best explored on foot. Sidewalks are narrow, so a compact stroller is essential, but nothing beats a stroll along the Seine (except, perhaps, a nap).

  
  

Where Strollers Are Welcome (and Where They’re Not)

• The Louvre: Strollers are allowed and even available for rent—perfect for a toddler nap while you ponder the Mona Lisa’s smile.

• The Eiffel Tower: Folding strollers are permitted, but space is tight. A baby carrier may be your best bet for ascending to the clouds.

• Restaurants: Most are snug; fold your stroller and tuck it away to avoid the wrath of waiters and fellow diners.

  
  

Final Words: Embrace the Chaos

Navigating the Paris Metro with young kids and a stroller is not for the faint of heart, but it’s entirely possible—and even, dare I say, character-building. You’ll return home with stories, stronger biceps, and perhaps a new appreciation for elevators. And when you’re sipping a café crème in a Parisian park, watching your child chase pigeons, you’ll know it was all worth it. Or at least, that’s what you’ll tell yourself as you plot your route home -preferably by bus.

Bon voyage, intrepid parent. May your stroller be light, your Metro station have a gate, and your sense of humor remain intact.