On avenue Montaigne, young guests will arrive to a few surprises of their own, while connecting suites mean everyone gets space (and parents get a door to close). Start with a slow breakfast in your suite, agree on the day's mission, then let Paris do the rest.

The Louvre has around 35,000 works of art on display, and it's a lot for small legs. So we've turned it into a mystery. Children get their own roadbook full of riddles, and each clue leads to the next gallery, where there's a hidden detail to spot, a photo to take or a story to uncover. Solve the lot and there's a treasure chest at the end, filled with chocolate coins and Louvre souvenirs.

Best for: young detectives and puzzle lovers

Some guides are wonderful at dates and dynasties. These ones are wonderful at making nine-year-olds gasp. Specialists in storytelling and hands-on discovery, they adapt every tour to your children's ages, whether that's the backstreets of Paris, the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, or a museum you've always wanted to see without anyone asking when lunch is.

Best for: mixed ages, and families who want to see the big sights without the sighs

Spoiler: he wasn't actually that short. This private tour starts at the École militaire near the Eiffel Tower, where a young Napoleon trained, and ends at Les Invalides, home to the Musée de l'Armée and his tomb. Along the way there are battles, the crown he placed on his own head, and plenty of good stories, told so that history comes to life rather than going to sleep.

Best for: history buffs, toy soldier generals and anyone who loves a good battle

Dinosaur skeletons, a parade of animals that seems to go on forever and millions of years of evolution, all in the Jardin des Plantes. Allow longer than you think – it’s likely someone will want to see the fossils twice.

Best for : dinosaur experts, nature lovers and childre who ask "but why?"

For once, the children take the holiday photos. With their own camera and a professional photographer as guide, they’ll learn how to frame a shot, spot what everyone else walks past and see the city differently. Afterwards, the whole family gets a private online gallery of the photos and the children's favourites. Parents, prepare to be upstaged.

Best for: creative children, would-be influencers and anyone who's ever stolen your phone for a selfie

Behind the counter of a real Parisian boulangerie, among flour sacks and wooden worktables, a master baker shows young chefs how to make France's two most famous breakfasts from scratch. Everyone shapes their own baguette and croissant to take away (which may or may not make it back to the hotel in one piece…)

Best for: little chefs, messy hands and anyone who's ever eaten the end off a baguette

Two parks, one fairy-tale castle and a lot of very excited people in ears. Disneyland Park is all classic characters and enchanted lands, while Disney Adventure World takes you into Frozen's Arendelle, the Worlds of Pixar and Marvel Avengers Campus. Our advice: go early, and plan your day around who wants to meet whom.

Best for: the young (and the young at heart)

A very French day out, built around comic book heroes Astérix and Obélix. Travel from a Gaulish village to Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and Viking lands, with rides, shows and plenty of laughs along the way. Magic potion not included.

Best for: thrill-seekers, comic book fans and families who'd like a taste of French culture with their rollercoasters

In the Bois de Vincennes, lions, giraffes and zebras live in habitats inspired by the wild, from African plains to tropical forests. It's a gentle trip around the world, best taken at small-person pace.

Best for: animal lovers and little explorers who need room to run

Just across the river from the Eiffel Tower, thousands of sea creatures swim beneath the city: sharks, jellyfish, tropical fish and a few things that look like they come from another planet. Interactive displays explain why the ocean matters, and it's the perfect plan for a rainy afternoon.

Best for: little marine biologists and rainy days

Our concierge team can arrange any of these, or build a day around your family's particular obsessions (dinosaurs, croissants and all). Contact us to start planning, or explore family stays at Hôtel Plaza Athénée.