Toilets in Paris!

[Trappedmumof3]

Hi, I'm contemplating a trip to Paris for a couple of days with my 3 kids (14, 13 and 10). Trouble is that I always need a wee and need to know that there are toilets nearby!! Are there any public toilets around? Where's best to 'go'? I presume there are toilets at the Eiffel tower etc., but what about elsewhere? Thanks!

Lol! Public toilets in France are not easy to find and not very pleasant! We went to Paris when our dc were 13 and 10 and at one point were all desperate for the loo and couldn't find one. There were portaloos by the Eiffel Tower. We used toilets in cafes, Macdonalds and a shopping centre.

Stop off for coffee/tea/refreshment and you should be fine. Museums will have loos. Musee D’Orsay has them on nearly every floor.

I cant help with locations of toilets but i will say that the ones I found in Paris and Rome are my least favourite anywhere, despite loving both cities. I recommend keeping a little bottle of disinfectant, wipes, sanitizer and soap with you. Perhaps just be prepared to buy lots of takeaway coffees from restaurants so you can.pop in and use theirs? At least you won't have little ones with you so no nappy change stations required!

Good luck :(

I had a day in Paris four years ago and, worrier that I am, looked online at the official city info beforehand and found that there are apparently around 400 automatic public toilets (those individual metal cubicle things) in the city. They're called "sanisettes". Excellent, I thought - there are sure to be lots in the main tourist areas.

Well, in around 8-9 hours of solid walking around Paris, I spotted just four! Two were labelled out of order and a third clearly was too as the door kept opening and closing of its own accord. I struck lucky with the fourth one, though it was pretty grim.

So, on the off-chance that you also look online, take what you read with a pinch of sel🙂

Thanks for the replies! Oh god, I'm glad I asked the question! At least I know how bad it might be! We'll be getting the train into central Paris from the outskirts - do they have toilets on the trains? Thanks

The TER is better for that, if you're on the RER some do but most don't. Best bet is limiting liquid intake I find.

There is an app called Flush which shows you where public toilets are maybe download that and see what it’s like in the main areas

Thanks! Very helpful x

We found even in places like mcdonalds you had to pay to use the the toilet. In Paris there were public toilets which came up on Google maps though. We found the door kept opening at first until we realised as we'd gone in right after someone else it needed to complete a clean cycle so we needed to leave. After every person it washes the whole toilet, so if someone is in there the door just keeps closing and opening again.

No loos on the RER À/B lines. No loos in metro stations. Inside the Tour Eiffel compound (ie once inside having shown ticket) there are loos.

There are loos inside cafes, but you’ll be expected to buy a coffee or drink first (have at counter as cheaper).

A good pit stop for loo/cafe etc is the free and wonderful Petit Palais half way down the Champs Elysees; it’s a wonderful museum so definitely worth a visit. Don’t forget the department stores will also have loos.

Women in France tend to have better pelvic floors as they all see a women's physio as standard after birth ( bitter experience of a holiday spent with urge incontinence).

Perhaps enjoy a trip to Amsterdam or Stockholm instead 😂

French public toilets are revolting.

Amsterdam is worse for public toilets than Paris!

Take a load of change with you in Paris as many toilets require change. You can't go wrong with major stations. Montparnasse and Gare du nord definitely have toilets. Shopping centres often have public toilets too. Westfield Forum Des Halles definitely has public toilets but you do need change.. but last time I went there was a macdonalds in there that had loos and aren't guarded by staff nor have a code or anything.
Galleries lafayette often has toilets
The galleries and museums obviously have loos but it's not free to get into them like it is in the UK..
Starbucks is obviously always good in a push but many of them have codes so you'd have to buy something.
I don't find it too bad tbh and I do have a week bladder.. I just Google map where the nearest big overground station is. Metro stations rer etc do not generally have toilets
You do occasionally come across those pop up street public toilets too.

It’s worth downloading the apps for Westfield. Annoying they’re treated as different entities. It gives you a discounted rate to use the loos!

We were there in the summer and found that the Jardin de Tuileries had several sets of portaloos dotted around that weren't on any map - they were surprisingly clean and well looked after too.
Galleries Lafayette have toilets which you have to pay for, but they take cards (and were very clean).

McDonalds is your friend!