What to do with a child in Mulhouse? 5 kid-friendly addresses

Mulhouse, because of its industrial past, is often shunned. Not beautiful enough, too grey, not enough this and too much that. It is however a pleasant city, with a good streetcar network and some museums that can attract the whole family. Here are my top 5 addresses to try with your family, all of which have been tested and approved by Nine, 4 years old. For more ideas in Alsace, see our article onAlsace with the family.

The botanical and zoological park of Mulhouse

Here is our favorite outing in Mulhouse, to be discovered in any season: the zoo of Mulhouse. It is a beautiful park where the animals are visible to all. No need to hold the little ones to let them enjoy it. We especially recommend the polar bear feeding (and its huge glass pool), the hatching house (to see chicks of all sizes and colors) and the meerkats (just because we like them).

In front of some of the enclosures, quizzes are proposed: the same 4 questions come up again and again and allow the visitor to compare zebras to snakes, turtles, etc.

The Mozart café

In summer, the
café Mozart
takes its place in the open air, on the temple’s square. But it’s in winter that we discovered it and it’s really a “kid-friendly” address: when we arrived, no less than 3 strollers were installed here and there. And when it’s time to leave, I can add: a calm atmosphere, tasty pastries, waiters who don’t bat an eye at the children.

The menu offers Damman teas, a fragrant if somewhat light hot chocolate (Nine tested the Venezuelan) and pastries from the Jacques patisserie next door. I had been advised the chocolate pie, but absent from the choice of the day, we discovered the Crottin and the Prince.

Nine’s conclusion: “It’s so good that I want to come back here”.

The Ecomuseum of Alsace

TheEcomuseum of Alsace was chosen by Nine as her favorite address in Mulhouse. I tried to explain to him that the ecomuseum is not in Mulhouse, but next door. However, as it is possible to go there in 15min by train + 15min by bike, we can say that for her, the eco-museum is in Mulhouse.

In this Alsatian village, you can bake cakes (during the Advent period), see pigs, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage: all children will love it. That’s what she says.

I can add that the pastries are delicious, that in summer it is cool in the houses, that the boat ride is a change of scenery, that I learn something new with each visit. In three visits this year, Nine also carved a sugar beet into a candle holder, made a wax candle and a clay snake.

The Train City

All children love trains and many parents and grandparents associate them with fond memories of travel. The Cité du train consists of two rooms (both huge) and presents both the historical and technical aspects of the machines.

If the first room is fun for the children, the second one is only fun for them because of the train ride. I recommend ending with a coloring session in the children’s playroom: one adult gets a well-deserved sit-down break while the others can finish satisfying their curiosity.

Don’t hesitate to plan at least 2 hours to do the tour.

The ice rink of Mulhouse

Mulhouse has a beautiful Olympic ice rink, which I recommend as a Sunday morning outing. At that time, the rink was organized into two distinct areas, one of which was totally dedicated to children. They will be able to use chairs and other sliding aids and especially skate as they want/can.