The Toussaint school holidays, in late October and early November, fall just as Paris tips into autumn: shorter days, cooler temperatures, but also beautiful colors in the big parks and a particularly rich lineup of museums and indoor activities for visiting families. November 1st is also a public holiday in France, with a well-established tradition of flowering the graves in Paris's major cemeteries, a cultural curiosity that some families enjoy discovering alongside more classic sightseeing.
Père-Lachaise Cemetery
The largest cemetery in Paris is transformed in early November as graves are covered in flowers for Toussaint, offering a different way to explore this English-style landscaped garden where Jim Morrison, Chopin and Édith Piaf are laid to rest.
Montmartre Cemetery
Smaller and less crowded than Père-Lachaise, this nineteenth-century cemetery offers a peaceful walk among the graves of Émile Zola and Dalida, also decked with flowers for Toussaint.
The Jardin du Luxembourg pond
Sailing a small wooden boat across the great pond remains one of the most popular family activities in Paris, even in cool weather, with boat rentals available as long as conditions allow.
Tips
On rainy days, which are especially common at this time of year, head for the museums that are free for under-18s in the permanent collections of the major national museums, or to the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie, designed specifically for families with its interactive exhibits. If the children are curious about the grave-flowering tradition, plan your visit for first thing in the morning to enjoy the quiet, as crowds pick up noticeably in the days right before November 1st.
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