The top tourist sites in Paris are its museums and monuments, but Le Jardin des Plantes is an excellent choice for families looking for a peaceful, educational, and fun destination within walking distance from Notre Dame de Paris. (I suggest taking the Metro, though, if you have little ones in tow.) This garden is France's main botanical garden, and it houses a zoo, a carousel, an amazing animal display (La Grand Gallerie de l'Evolution), and several other museums focused on natural history.