Best French Theme Parks for Young Children — A Height Guide

France Is Full of Parks for Young Children

France has more family-friendly theme parks than most people realise. Beyond Disneyland Paris, there are dozens of smaller family parks. Many have a long list of rides open to children under 100cm, free parking, and entry well below UK prices.

We checked every ride at all 34 French parks in our guide (1162 rides and attractions) and ranked them by how many a small child can actually go on. The tables on this page are calculated from our ride-by-ride data, so they stay current as we re-check parks.

Top 10 Parks for Children Under 100cm

"Rides at 99cm" includes rides a child can only go on with an adult beside them. At most French family parks, that covers a large share of the rides.

The Best Picks by Situation

Best for the Very Youngest: Odet Loisirs

Near Quimper in Brittany, Odet Loisirs is an outdoor adventure park rather than a classic ride park, with inflatables, trampolines, ball pools, pedalos, a maze and zip lines around a lake. Every one of its 36 attractions in our data has no height restriction, so a toddler is never turned away. At our last check, a day ticket was €14 for over-8s and €12 for children aged 3 to 7, under-3s went free, and parking was free.

Don't expect coasters, though. This is a park for running, bouncing and climbing.

View all Odet Loisirs attractions →

Best in Paris: Jardin d'Acclimatation

Inside Paris in the Bois de Boulogne, Jardin d'Acclimatation has 49 rides, and 39 of them are open to a child under 100cm. That's one of the highest counts in France. Entry is cheap (€7 at our last check, and free under 80cm), and rides are paid for with tickets or an unlimited pass.

For families visiting Paris who want a theme park day without the Disneyland price tag, this is the answer. Many rides need an adult beside a small child, but most of the park is within reach.

View all Jardin d'Acclimatation rides →

Best for the Full Disney Experience: Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is expensive, but it offers something few parks can match: 28 rides with no height restriction at all. These include Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and Ratatouille: The Adventure. They also include Frozen Ever After, which opened in March 2026 in the new World of Frozen area.

A child under 100cm can go on 30 of the 38 attractions in our guide (79%), which is remarkable for a resort of this size. At 102cm, Big Thunder Mountain, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Star Tours open. Crush's Coaster follows at 107cm.

Note: Under-3s enter free. Tickets use dynamic pricing, so compare dates before booking. If you're weighing it up against Parc Astérix, our Disneyland Paris vs Parc Astérix comparison goes through both parks height by height.

View all Disneyland Paris rides →

Best for Toddlers: Parc du Petit Prince

The Little Prince park in Alsace has 24 attractions with no height restriction, from the train and the swings to the shows and play areas. In total, 29 of its 35 attractions are open to a child under 100cm. The theming is gentle and imaginative, based on the Saint-Exupéry story.

Children under 1m go free and parking is free, which makes it very good value for families with toddlers.

View all Parc du Petit Prince rides →

Best Near Calais (for UK Families): Dennlys Parc

If you're crossing the Channel, Dennlys Parc in the Pas-de-Calais is the closest park in our guide to Calais, about 50km away. Children under 1m go free and parking is free. A child under 100cm can go on 25 of its 32 rides.

Also near the coast: Parc Bagatelle, near Berck and Le Touquet on the Côte d'Opale (about an hour from Calais), has 28 rides open to under-100cm children.

View all Dennlys Parc rides →

What Changes at 90cm and 100cm

French parks use the same two big thresholds as UK parks. 90cm is the most common minimum height across the French parks in our guide, and 100cm is the next most common, so a child's options grow quickly between the two. This table shows how many of the 1162 rides and attractions in our French data a child can go on at each height:

You'll also see 105cm more often in France than you might expect. Futuroscope sets many rides at 105cm with an adult, and Winnoland has a long list of rides children can ride on their own from 105cm, so a child who has just reached 100cm can still find a few rides out of reach there.

These are the French parks where a child gains the most by reaching 100cm:

Parc Astérix is a good example: a whole group of its family rides, including Pégase Express and Menhir Express, opens at 100cm with an adult. Our milestone guides for 90cm and 100cm explain what each step means, using UK parks.

Rainy Days: Where to Go Indoors

Spring and autumn weather can be unpredictable in much of France, and a few parks are almost entirely under cover. These are the French parks with the most indoor rides and attractions, with the number open to a 99cm child:

The counts include shows, exhibitions and, at a few parks, indoor restaurants and shops, so check the park page for what each one is. Vulcania in the Auvergne is a volcano-themed science park with most of its attractions indoors, and Futuroscope near Poitiers has a long list of indoor shows and rides. At Disneyland Paris, many of the rides with no height restriction, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight and Ratatouille: The Adventure, are indoor dark rides. Our guide to rainy-day indoor theme park rides covers more options.

The Full Ranking — All French Parks

Free Entry for Small Children

Many French parks let small children in free, often based on height rather than age. At our last check of each park:

• Under 100cm (1m) free: Cobac Parc, Dennlys Parc, Didi'Land, Fraispertuis City, Kingoland, La Récré des 3 Curés, Le Fleury, Nigloland, OK Corral, Parc du Petit Prince, Parc Saint Paul, Parc Spirou Provence, Walibi Rhône-Alpes, Winnoland
• Under 95cm free: Ange-Michel Parc, Family Park, Festyland
• Under 90cm free: Papéa Parc
• Under 85cm free: Kid Parc
• Under 80cm free: Jardin d'Acclimatation (entry only; rides are paid separately)

Several other parks, including Disneyland Paris and Parc Astérix, use an age limit instead (free under 3). These policies change, so confirm on the park's own website before you book.

Planning Tips for French Parks

Most parks have free parking. Most of the French parks in our guide don't charge for parking. The exceptions include Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and Futuroscope.

Prices are often lower than in the UK. Many of the smaller family parks charge roughly €20–30 for an adult day ticket. Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and Futuroscope are the most expensive French parks in our guide.

Many parks are seasonal. Most French family parks open from around April and close between September and November. Disneyland Paris and Jardin d'Acclimatation are open all year. Check opening dates before travelling, especially for spring and autumn visits.

Check Any French Park

Enter your child's height on any French park page to see their exact ride breakdown. Or use the height planner to compare several parks side by side. Travelling with children of different heights? Our guide to visiting with siblings of different heights shows which parks suit both.

Frequently asked questions

Is Disneyland Paris good for children under 100cm?

Yes, more than most big resorts. A child under 100cm can go on 30 of the 38 attractions in our guide (79%), and 28 have no height restriction at all. The big step comes at 102cm, when Big Thunder Mountain, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Star Tours open.

Is Parc Astérix suitable for toddlers?

Partly. A child under 100cm can go on 22 of its 41 rides and attractions, but many of the family rides open at 100cm with an adult, so it gets much better once your child reaches 1m. Our Disneyland Paris vs Parc Astérix comparison has the detail.

What do French height signs say?

Look for "taille minimum" (minimum height) and "accompagné d'un adulte" (with an adult). You'll also see "accessible dès 1m" (open from 1m) or "interdit aux moins de 1m20" (not allowed under 1.20m). Heights are often written in metres, so 1m is 100cm and 1m20 is 120cm.

Which French parks let small children in free?

Many of them, often based on height rather than age. The list above shows the policies we found at our last check of each park, but these change, so confirm on the park's own website before you book.

Which French park is closest to Calais?

Of the parks in our guide, Dennlys Parc is the closest, about 50km away. Parc Bagatelle, near Berck and Le Touquet, is about an hour from Calais.

Are children measured with shoes on?

Parks usually measure children with their shoes on, so measure at home in the shoes your child will wear on the day. If they're very close to a limit, our article on the last 2cm before a height limit explains what to expect.