Paris Carousels: Where to find the prettiest ones

Riding on Paris carousels is wondrous – for kids and adults alike.

Paris is where the very idea of the carousel was born in the 17^th century, a horseback parade that replaced the far more dangerous joust. Over time, fairground rides copying these processions were developed, giving us the carousels we see today.

Our Little Man adores having a ride on the Paris carousels, so we sought out some of these wonderful fairground rides for him as we slowly travelled around the city.  It’s such a great way for a child to discover Paris, but also a magical way for an adult to see the city too.

After briefly describing the history of the carousel in Paris, we take you on a tour of seven of the best carousels in Paris. I describe each of these for you, and advise you on location, getting to each of them, and cost per ride.

The word carousel is derived from the Italian and Spanish carosella, a training game played by knights in the early Middle Ages.

By the 17^th century this had evolved to a game where a rider would spear a ring hanging from a pole. And anyone could play.

French King Louis XIV famously hosted an equestrian parade in the courtyard of the Tuileries Palace, now known as the Place du Carrousel, in 1662. It was organised to celebrate the birth of his son and heir Louis, the Grand Dauphin.

Carousels with model horses became popular across Europe in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Later carousels would also feature other creatures, including giraffes, zebras and more.

These are the best and most beautiful carousels in Paris.

Also known as the Sacré Coeur carousel, this wonderful ride is at the foot of the Butte de Montmartre, on Place Saint-Pierre.

The carousel is a delight, with gorgeous painted horses carrying passengers on this dreamy ride.

Its decoration is also beautiful, a series of panels of Venice adding to the exotic feel.

TIP: If you want a great photo of your kids on one of the Paris carousels, this is one of your best bets.  The carousel frames the white-domed Basilica of Sacré Coeur wonderfully, a perfect Parisian scene for you.

From Anvers Metro station, head up Rue Steinkerque, it’s around a five-minute walk from there to the carousel, which is on your left at the top of the street.

Location: Place Saint-Pierre, Paris 75018

Nearest Metro: Anvers (line 2)

Our Little Man is a lifelong dinosaur and animal lover, and he couldn’t wait to visit Paris’ quirkiest carousel. Nor could we.

We walked down from one of our favourite squares in Paris, Place Monge, to the nearby Jardin des Plantes. There, near the far corner of the gardens, is Dodo Manège, a unique carousel dedicated to extinct and endangered animals.

We were delighted to discover a fantastic menagerie of creatures.  Extinct animals on the carousel include the dodo, which died out in Mauritius in the 17^th century, and the thylacine, better known as the Tasmanian tiger, which hasn’t been seen since the 1930s.

The dinosaur era is represented by the iconic triceratops, a massive three-horned herbivore. There are also more recent extinct animals, such as the sivatherium, which resembled a giraffe and died out around ten thousand years ago.  Our Little Man was also very taken with the aepyornis, an enormous bird that reminded us of the southern cassowary in Australia.

Location: Jardin des Plantes, 75005 Paris, rue Buffon entrance

Nearest Metro: Gare d’Austerlitz (RER line C, Metro lines 5 and 10)

The Carousel below the Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular and iconic in the city. It’s right across the street from the Iron Lady, offering the thrill of one of the best Eiffel Tower views.

It is one of Our Little Man’s favourite Paris carousels, and one of the most elaborate in the city. You can ride on one of the beautifully painted horses, or a few other animals including a lion. There are also a few vehicles, including the train carriage in which my son stayed for a couple of rides.  

Understandably this carousel is immensely popular. Our Little Man was glowing with a quiet happiness throughout each of his several rides. He had recently built a 3D Eiffel Tower at home, and now he was in his element looking up at the real thing, a dream come true.   

Location: Quai Jacques Chirac, Paris 75007          

Nearest Metro: Bir-Hakeim (line 6) or Trocadero (lines 6 and 9)

This is the oldest of the surviving Paris carousels, dating back to 1879. It’s in a quiet corner of the Jardin du Luxembourg, on the west side of the Garden close to the Statue of Liberty replica and Ludo Jardin play area.

It’s a beautiful carousel that appeals to romantics like us particularly the old carved wooden horses and other creatures, including a magnificent giraffe.

It also retains an element of the original knights’ carrousel from late medieval times.  As the carousel moves round, the kids can try to remove the metal rings from the central pole.  

Location: Jardin du Luxembourg

Nearest Metro: Luxembourg (RER B)

In the summer months the Tuileries Carousel is part of a fairground, on the Rue de Rivoli side of the Garden. It is surrounded by several other rides including the huge Grande Roue ferris wheel.

It’s one of the most charming Paris carousels, in a wonderful corner of the Tuileries Garden.

It is decorated with painted panels depicting famous Paris landmarks, including the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. You can ride on an assortment of animals including horses and a giraffe, as well as on a rather elaborate throne.

Location: Jardin des Tuileries, rue de Rivoli side

Nearest Metro: Tuileries (line 1)

We both loved the Manège du Parc, a carousel inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. We also loved our visits to Parc Monceau Paris, a gorgeous Parisian park a short distance from the Arc de Triomphe.

The Parc Monceau carousel is very close to the main entrance to the park on Boulevard de Courcelles.

My son loved all the vehicles and animals that he could ride on, especially the bright yellow tram car. There is also a submarine, a motorbike, a biplane and, at the other end of the scale, a donkey.

Parc Monceau is one of the most picturesque parks in Paris, with a Corinthian-style colonnade and series of stone follies close by. Having briefly followed in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg, kids under 30 kg can also enjoy  ride on a pony around the park.   

Location: Parc Monceau, 35 bd de Courcelles, Paris 75008

Nearest Metro: Monceau, line 2

This carousel at the southern end of Montmartre has changed in recent years. It occupies a small street corner on Place Lino Ventura, round halfway down Rue des Martyrs.

It’s a little off the Paris tourist trail, which tends to be used by kids from the surrounding neighbourhood. Its name means ‘the elf’.

This manège has a Venice theme, with its top panels decorated with Venetian canal scenes.

You can ride on a mixture of brightly painted horses or carriages.  A great find on one of our favourite streets in Paris.

Location: 6 Rue des Martyrs, Paris 75009

Nearest Metro: Pigalle – lines 2 and 12

Other Carousels of Paris

There are several other well-known Paris carousels which weren’t open – or even in situ – when we recently visited Paris.

These include the famous Trocadero Carousel, close to the fountains near the Eiffel Tower, and the Hotel de Ville Carousel.  We noticed that some of the carousels we saw were previously at other locations, so you may find one or two of these moved around in the future.  

Two of our friends visited the Musée des Arts Forains (Museum of Fairground arts) in Bercy while we were in the city. You can only visit on a guided tour booked in advance. It’s part show, part museum, with some outstanding old carousels on which you can ride.

I really should defer to my son on this one, as it was him enjoying the rides.

He had the most rides on the Dodo Manège, but also had several turns on the Eiffel Tower Carousel and Parc Monceau Carousel. These were his three favourites. I’d have to go along with him on this.

Seeing these carousels in Paris opened my eyes to a city I know inside out and once lived in for a few months. It’s a wonderful way to see Paris anew,  and to introduce a young soul to it too.