How to Get Around France with Kids: Trains, Cars, and Strollers

If you’re planning your first family trip to France, you’re probably wondering how to get around France with kids. This guide breaks down the best transportation methods for families—public transportation, rental cars, and strollers. Knowing your options in advance will make your family adventure much smoother. We offer practical tips to help you travel France stress-free with children in tow.

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Taking the Train in France with Kids

France’s high-speed trains (TGV) and regional trains (TER) are fast and kid-friendly. For families, train travel is often the easiest and most relaxing way to get between cities. You won’t need to worry about carseats or parking plus it’s easy to bring your stroller with you and most kids (especially younger kids) think train travel is so much fun!

Top tips for Traveling by Train with Kids

1. Book in Advance

Especially if you plan to travel on popular routes like Paris to Lyon or Marseille and during high season in the summer, be sure to book tickets ahead of time to ensure your family can sit together. Tickets can be booked ahead of time on the SNCF website or app.

Visit the SNCF website to book tickets here or download the SNCF app to easily buy tickets while abroad.

2. Be Aware of Available Family and Child Discounts

Children under 4 often travel for free if they sit on your lap and kids 4-11 qualify for discounted fares. Be sure to enter accurate ages when booking tickets to ensure you get the correct discounted rate for your kids.

3. Look for Family Zones (Espace Famille)

Specifically available on TGV INOUI routes, these areas often have extra space and a more relaxed atmosphere since this area is reserved specifically for families. If you’re traveling with a baby, these areas also have a nursing corner.

4. Bring Snacks and Entertainment

Especially for longer trips, be sure to bring food and activities to keep the little ones busy. We rarely allow screen time but tablets while traveling on planes, trains and long car rides can be a savior to your travel day.

Check out our favorite travel activities for kids here

5. Fold Down Stroller Before Boarding

Strollers are allowed and can be folded and stored overhead or in luggage areas once on the train. Be sure to fold down strollers ahead of boarding to allow for a smoother transition from platform to train. Trust me from experience that trying to fold your stroller when boarding the train – especially if it’s very busy/crowded – is not fun.

Driving in France with Kids

If you’re exploring more remote areas in France that are not easily accessible by train, such as the French countryside, Provence, Loire Valley, or Normandy, renting a car offers flexibility and convenience. This is especially important if you’re traveling with young kids.

Looking for a rental car? We suggest using rentalcars.com – a car rental service that will compare eight different rental companies at once to find you the best price.

What to Know About Driving and Renting a Car in France with Kids

1. Car Seats are Required

Children under 10 years old must ride in an appropriate child restraint. Many car rental companies will offer car seat rentals in addition to your vehicle; however, bringing your own is more reliable-especially if you plan to drive for a good portion of your trip.

2. Rent an Automatic Transmission

Most of the cars available for rent in Europe are manual transmission. While manual transmission vehicles tend to be cheaper to rent, if you aren’t comfortable driving a manual, be sure to find an automatic vehicle. These will take a lot of stress out of driving – imagine having to learn a manual transmission while also driving in a new country – no thanks!

3. Prepare for Toll Roads

Toll roads (autoroutes) are common in France. Bring cash or credit card to pay your toll fees.

4. Download Offline Maps

You never know when you’ll lose cell service while driving. Be sure to download your Google map or GPS routes ahead of leaving for your trip to avoid getting lost in rural areas.

5. Avoid Driving in Larger Cities

Driving in the busy city areas of France can be challenging due to narrow roadways, lots of traffic and pedestrian only areas. If possible, avoid having to drive around in Paris, Marseille and other busier cities as parking and traffic can be stressful. If staying at an apartment or home rental, inquire about parking availability before you arrive and ask hotels where they have parking available and how much it costs each day.

Navigating Cities in France with a Stroller

Cities like Paris, Lyon, and Nice are walkable and scenic, but not all areas are stroller-friendly. Here’s what to expect when exploring France with young children:

Tips for Using a Stroller in France

1. Choose the Right Stroller

Having a travel friendly stroller is key for getting around France (and other travel destinations) with ease. Be sure your stroller is lightweight and easy to fold. Often you will need to fold it quickly to carry it up the metro or other city stairs so you don’t want something clunky. Some double strollers are too wide to fit through doorways so be sure to find a slim stroller so you can get in and out of buildings with less fuss.

When choosing the perfect travel stroller, be sure to prioritize something lightweight since you will often find yourself carrying the stroller up/down stairs when elevators are not available. If you have a smaller family or only one younger child, choosing a single stroller that can fold and fit in the overhead bin of the airplane is very helpful. Not having to gate check your stroller is a game changer. When traveling to/from international destinations they will often not return your stroller until you get to baggage claim at your destination – long airport layovers and getting through customs without a stroller and little kids can be brutal.

If you have a larger family and have to bring a double stroller, again try and choose something super lightweight, folds down easily and is narrow enough to fit through a standard doorway.

2. Prepare for Navigating Public Transit with a Stroller

While some France Metro stations have elevators, many do not. Plan extra time to get to your train platform in case you need to fold down your stroller and carry it up/down stairs instead of taking the lift. You also need to use accessible ticket gates at larger stations to get through with the stroller up. Buses tend to be more stroller friendly and often allow you to board through a designated rear door.

3. Mind the Streets and Curb Bumps

Many streets and sidewalks are cobblestone resulting in uneven, potentially hard to navigate areas. Sometimes sidewalks can also be too narrow meaning you may have to cross the street to fit with a double stroller. When crossing the street at intersections, be mindful of the curb bump from street to sidewalk. We found ourselves constantly having to tilt the stroller to get from the street up on the sidewalk.

4. Stroller Alternatives

If you have a small enough kid that won’t be fussy being carried all day, I’d suggest using a baby carrier or hiking backpack when possible. These can be a lifesaver for crowded areas, cobblestone streets and/or attractions with lots of stairs.

5. Keep the Stroller Cleaned Up

Those of us constantly using strollers with kids know how nice it is to just throw everything under the seat and deal with it another time… I mean hey, sometimes the main reason I bring the stroller is to carry all the stuff. We did this for the first few days and then realized how annoying it was to be constantly repacking our bag every time we had to fold the stroller for a random set of stairs or because we couldn’t fit in the teeny, tiny elevator.

After many days of traveling through France with a stroller we realized keeping the items in the basket to a minimum made our lives much easier. Bring a backpack out with you (that can fit in the basket) and be sure to keep all your items in there so you can easily grab it out and fold the stroller in one quick step.

Final Thoughts: How to Get Around France with Kids?

The best way to get around France with kids will vary depending on your travel situation. Think about what activities your itinerary includes, where you’ll be staying and moving around from and how old your kids are.

• Trains: Best for traveling between cities, especially if you’re staying in areas connected to the metro
• Rental Cars: Best for rural or off-the-beaten path destinations
• Strollers: Helpful in walkable towns and cities but not always metro-friendly or the best for activities with lots of stairs

Other French Riviera Travel Guides

• Complete Guide to the French Riviera with Little Kids
• One Magical Day in Menton, France with Little Kids
• Best Family Friendly Places to Stay in Nice, France
• One Week French Riviera Itinerary with Kids: How to See the Best of the Côte d’Azur
• Things to Do in Monaco With Kids: The Perfect Family-Friendly Guide
• The Ultimate Family Day Trip to Ventimiglia, Italy: Kid-Friendly Activities on the Italian Riviera

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