Most travel blogs will tell you to grab a blanket and head to the Champ de Mars to picnic under the Eiffel Tower. Don’t do it. Unless you enjoy dodging souvenir hawkers, overpriced lukewarm beers, and the constant anxiety of your toddler picking up cigarette butts or broken glass, that’s a “tourist trap” picnic.
I’ve lived in this city since I was 14. I’ve seen Paris as a teenager, as a guide, and as a father of two. Picnics are an integral part of the Parisian lifestyle, and I’ve enjoyed them in all of their iterations. Now that I’m a dad, I relish the opportunity for a good picnic, I just have to be more mindful of how to do it with the kids.
My Top Pick for First Timers to Paris : Parc pour enfants de l’avenue de Breteuil
If you want a gorgeous Parisian backdrop without the headache of high-traffic tourist areas, this long and tree lined lawn is perfect. The Vibe: It’s elegant, it’s quiet, and it feels like a movie set. At one end you have the majestic Dome des Invalides and at the other the elevated line 6 metro, with either side lined by private apartments. Why it’s better for kids: It’s very local and frequented by nearby schools. There are two playgrounds and zero tourists. You can actually sit on the grass (which isn’t always allowed in Paris!) and let the kids run while you enjoy your Comté cheese in peace.
- Other Top Pick Parks: Parc Monceau (for elegance), Jardin du Luxembourg (for the wooden toy boats), Parc Montsouris for sprawling open spaces.
- The “Must Buy”: Salted butter (Beurre Demi-Sel). Trust me, put it on your baguette. Baguette-Tradi & Beurre Demi-Sel could sustain me for days.
- Avoid: The grass at the Champ de Mars (it’s often sparse and dusty and polluted with cigarette butts)
- Bathroom Hack: Look for the green “Sanisette” pods outside park gates. They are free, self-cleaning, and a lifesaver with children.
The Most Important part of a Picnic; The Supply Run!
Every picnic spot will offer you two choices. Industrial crap wrapped in plastic, or authentic local shops that offer all the appropriate picnic accouterments. Every Thursday and Saturday in this neighborhood there is a local outdoor fresh market on nearby Avenue de Saxe where you can get all of your picnic supplies. For other days there is a green grocer and a boulangerie across from each other on Rue Lecourbe.
The Pro Move: Less is more! Hard cheese, bread, charcuterie, and fruit. That’s it! Don’t overdo it by buying anything and everything you find.
- The Bread: Look for a bakery that says Boulangerie Artisanale. Ask for a “Baguette Tradition”—it has the strictest rules of production and is absolutely delicious. For gluten intolerant people look for pain au levain. It’s like sourdough and the gluten is nearly completely broken down for easy digestion.
- The Cheese: Go to a Fromagerie and ask for an 18-month aged Comté. It’s mild enough for kids but has those little “crunchy bits” of salt that locals love. Go for 24 or 36 month old if you’re a salty dog like me!
The Sidecar Tour Guide Connection
The best part about the Breteuil parks? The streets around it are some of the most beautiful “Haussmann” boulevards in the city. When I’m running a sidecar tour with my company Txango Tours, I love stopping at the far end toward Les Invalides. Locals always stop to ask about our sidecars and have a quick chat about their motorcycling days. We once met the 1978 sidecar rally world champion! It’s where you see the “real” upscale Paris—grand doorways, flower-filled balconies, and elegant Parisian grandmas walking their dogs.
Paris is a city of layers. You can see the postcards, or you can see the soul of the neighborhoods. My tour guides and I live here year-round and call Paris our home. We know this city. If you want to spend a morning seeing the secret spots where we like to get the most out of our city, before we drop you off at the perfect park for your afternoon feast, Book a Private Sidecar Tour here. We’ll even show you which bakery has the best croissants on the way.