Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been welcomed at the Élysées Palace in Paris with a guard of honour by the Republican Guard.

French President Emmanuel Macron greeted her with a handshake, placing his other hand over hers and guiding her inside with a hand on her back.

In the meeting room, they posed for photos and Macron spoke to Ardern in English saying he was happy to have her in Europe.

They will meet for about an hour.

rime Minister Jacinda Ardern will rack up a hat trick of meetings with heavyweights in Europe, meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tonight followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin tomorrow.

On an overcast day in Paris it was very much the days for the young ones - Ardern, Trudeau and Macron are part of the small "under 40s" club of world leaders - those elected when they were under 40.

Their age has ensured they captured attention - including Ardern, who had a piece on climate change published in Le Figaro.

Ardern went to Paris with business on her mind - seeking Macron's support for a free trade deal with the EU. But it was also a relationship-building mission to ensure New Zealand has influential friends in the EU after it loses its primary champion - the United Kingdom. France and Germany are key to that.

Ardern will not meet Macron's wife Brigitte or share personal time, such as a dinner, with him but the 45 minutes allocated for the meeting was a positive sign.

Macron, Trudeau and Ardern have more than age in common - all have also put climate change at the top of their political platforms and are advocates for the Paris Agreement.

Macron and Ardern can claim credit for forging ahead - Macron's move late last year to halt all oil and gas production in France from 2040 was cited by Ardern when she announced there would be no future block offer permits for offshore exploration and mining.

Ardern's meeting at the Élysées Palace was expected to canvas the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the EU, the unfolding situation after missile strikes by France, US and the UK in Syria. Ardern is hopeful that will act as a catalyst for change on the veto powers of the Security Council.

Five things about French President Emmanuel Macron:

- aged 40 and married to his former teacher Brigitte Trogneaux
- was 39 when elected President of France, his first elected position.
- Adopted a climate change motto of "Make the Planet Great Again" in an ironic dig at US President Donald Trump for pulling out of the Paris Agreement.
- Sent Chinese President Xi Jinping a Republican Guard horse called Vesuve de Brekka 
- a tactile leader, he likes to hug and put his arm around other leaders.

Tonight:
PM Jacinda Ardern will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Paris. She will also speak on climate change at a Paris university.

Tomorrow: Ardern is in Berlin where she will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel before delivering a speech on trade and travelling to London for CHOGM.