A girl taking a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower

Things to do in Paris With Teens

By Stuart Bak

Eye-rolling teenagers everywhere will tell you, with utter conviction, that there are few things in life more embarrassing than going on vacation with mum and dad. Here’s your chance to prove them wrong in one of the world’s greatest cities, with our guide to the best things to do in Paris with teens. Demonstrate your cool credentials and wow your progeny with ideas that include selfies at the Sacré-Cœur, rollercoaster rides, spooky subterranean skeletons and more.

Instagram Inspiration

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Of course, your little darlings will be keen to document every moment of their Paris adventure online. And why not? Many literary and artistic greats have been seduced by the city’s beauty down the centuries, and your kids will likely be no exception.

A selfie in front of the Mona Lisa should be considered essential. But be warned: the Louvre’s vast network of galleries and buildings makes for a fair bit of hiking from one major exhibit to the next. Planning your visit carefully and making a list of must-sees before you arrive may help mitigate any family arguments once you’re inside.

Photo opportunities abound on a climb up the 674 steps to the viewing platform on the Eiffel Tower’s second floor. During the ascent, intrepid teens with a head for heights can step out onto the first level’s – gulp – transparent floor, 58 meters above the forecourt. Better still, kids over 12 can make the climb without parental supervision, meaning that, while they wear themselves out trying to bag the best selfie, you can get started on your picnic of cheese and wine on the sprawling lawns of Champs de Mars far below.

Tick off some of Paris’s other great views. The Ballon de Paris Generali is a lot of fun: this tethered helium balloon rises a whopping 150 meters over the Parc André-Citroën. Montparnasse Tower goes even higher at 200 meters (by elevator), while the climb to the top of iconic Paris landmark the Arc de Triomphe is a relatively exhausting 284 steps, but does benefit from being on the famous Champs-Élysées boulevard, for a bit of light window-shopping and some decadent Ladurée macarons afterwards.

Museums and Art

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Paris has a plethora of fine museums and galleries to keep teens entertained. Many, including big hitters like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay offer free entry for under 18s. Centre Pompidou is a cultural mecca with cool ‘inside-out’ architecture; its colorful exposed pipework and air ducts making it something of a work of art in itself. There’s an entire floor dedicated to kids, including workshops, interactive exhibits and bags more hands-on fun. Workshops for teens don’t require parental supervision, leaving you free to explore the center’s vast collection of modern art, from Picasso to Pollock.

Play hide and seek among the box hedges, statues and ornamental pools in the Rodin Museum’s seven-acre sculpture garden and visit Europe’s biggest science museum in Parc de la Villette, where the Cité des Sciences (CSI) counts a planetarium, an IMAX theater, and even a submarine among its myriad attractions. Or, if your offspring roll their eyes dramatically at the very idea of enduring all that boring old stuff from the past, rent some Vélib bicycles instead, and take them on a self-guided tour of eye-popping contemporary Paris street art around the Oberkampf neighborhood, La Villette canal and Montmartre. They’ll thank you for the additional Instagrammable photo opportunities, if not the mild physical exertion required to get there.

Teen-Friendly Tours

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Bike isn’t the only fun way to see Paris though. Guided Segway tours are a great way to tick off some of the city’s big attractions with minimal effort. There are short tours, long tours, day tours, night tours, every kind of tour! All you need to bring with you is a reasonable sense of balance and in no time at all you’ll be whizzing to the likes of the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides and beautiful Pont Alexandre III with its soaring arch and Art Deco lanterns. Teens are permitted to ride if joined on the tour by their parents.

Creepy and very cool – the perfect combination for any self-respecting teenager – the Paris Catacombs are an underground network of tunnels and caverns used to store the mortal remains of some six million or so Parisians, displaced from the city’s cemeteries in the 18th and 19th centuries. Kids will love this bone-chilling subterranean adventure, where wall-to-wall skulls and bones are stacked neatly from floor to ceiling. There’s a 1.5-kilometer circular route through this macabre ossuary: just about the right length for fidgeting teens before boredom starts to set in.

Shopping and Entertainment

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Even the most apathetic teenager will struggle to feign immunity to the charms of a themed rollercoaster ride for long. Good news! Both Disneyland Paris and Parc Astérix are easily reached from central Paris, with trains taking less than an hour.

Teens can also take to the skies on a jetpack adventure with Flyview Paris. This thrill-a-second VR experience mimics the real-life sensations of jetpack flying and takes you on a dizzying flight over major landmarks including the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower and more.

Back on terra firma, take them shopping for unique souvenirs in the atmospheric cobbled streets of the Marais and Montmartre districts. Here’s where you’ll find independent boutiques selling vintage fashions, old-fashioned sweets, handmade artisan crafts and jewelry, and much more. The cute funicular that carries foot-weary passengers up the hill to the top of Montmartre will melt all but the hardest of teenage hearts. After grabbing a chocolate crêpe – and, naturally, a selfie or ten in front of the Sacré-Cœur – head round the back of the basilica to the Place du Tertre, a traditional Parisian square that’s teeming with local artists who’ll be delighted to provide your kids with a souvenir they’ll treasure forever: a one-of-a-kind portrait or caricature of themselves. Who knows, they might – just might – even crack a smile for the occasion.

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The Eiffel Tower framed by fall color
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Paris in November

November might not be the first month you consider for a trip to Paris. Hear us out though – the eleventh month isn’t all doom and gloom. The fall weather may mean you have to spend more time indoors, but with a world-class selection of museums to choose between, that shouldn’t be too much of a hardship. And as visitor numbers thin out, it’s all the easier to have a tête-à-tête with the Mona Lisa or a Van Gogh self-portrait. Paris in November certainly isn’t quiet when it comes to things to do either. Two public holidays and an expansive list of – largely indoor – events are sure to keep you on your toes, whilst the latter half of the month sees Christmas slowly put its festive embrace over the City of Light. Cultural delights When it comes to museums, art lovers visiting Paris in November can rejoice at the number of first-rate galleries, or panic because of the number of first-rate galleries. A common place to start is at the Louvre. But as the second-largest gallery in the world, its 38,000 objects can be overwhelming. Just across the River Seine, the Musée d’Orsay’s works span less than 70 years. It’s no less impressive for that, containing one of the most important collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art in the world, by the hands of luminaries including Renoir, Sisley and Gauguin. To delve into the thought processes and inspiration behind Pablo Picasso’s extraordinary output there’s Paris’s National Picasso Museum. Having lived in the city for over 40 years, its mass of sketchbooks, paintings and sculptures come directly from Picasso’s heirs, having initially formed part of his own private collection. It spans a lifetime of work, from his Blue Period to his surrealist masterpieces. Embrace sunset The nights drawing in during November have their advantages. Amongst them is the ability to experience the City of Light at its most enigmatic and atmospheric – when the sun settles over the French capital and its grand monuments are artificially illuminated. The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Sacré-Coeur Basilica are all elegantly lit. A Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus tour will save your feet, and also provide a little background to the backdrop of world-famous landmarks. Towards the end of the month, visitors to Paris are also able to experience the switching on of Christmas lights in around 150 streets. The obvious place to start is probably the Champs-Élysées, where no less than a million individual bulbs are draped over the trees. Elsewhere, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne are also reliable sources of festive cheer – and looming credit card limits. Check out alternatives to the high street The shopping doesn’t have to stop just because you head under cover. Some Parisians aren’t even aware of its maze of covered passageways. These decorative arcades host a fantastic array of independent stores, from jewelers to secondhand booksellers. You’ll also find a number of authentic cafés and bistros, whether you’re desperate for chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) or steak frites (steak and fries) and a glass of red wine. If the hot chocolate got you in the mood for all things cocoa based, you’re in exactly the right city. The history of how the odd-looking bean became one of the world’s most desirable crops can be discovered at The Gourmet Chocolate Museum Choco-Story. Meanwhile, the Salon du Chocolat fair at the end of the month sees five full days of chocolate-related fun. If the wines of France are more your cup of tea (to mix our metaphors), turn your attention to the city’s myriad caves (wine cellars). The third Thursday of November is the annual date set for the release of Beaujolais nouveau, and connoisseurs throughout Paris race to be the first to taste its youthful bouquet. Experience Paris on a day off ‘Beaujolais Day’ isn’t a national holiday – yet. However, Paris does have two bona fide jour fériés to prepare for in November. It begins with La Toussaint (All Saints’ Day) on the first of the month. With offices, stores and restaurants closed for the day many families pay their respects to lost loved ones. Visitors might instead make a short pilgrimage to heroes including Oscar Wilde or Jim Morrison of The Doors at Père Lachaise cemetery in the 20th arrondissement (district). The second national holiday lies ten days later on November 11. Commemorating the end of the First World War in 1918, Armistice Day focuses on the Arc de Triomphe. The French President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the main arch. Further details of this time reveal themselves at the Musée Clemenceau, the former home of the French wartime prime minister. A giant of his day, Georges Clemenceau counted Claude Monet among his friends, and supported Alfred Dreyfus during the affair bearing his name which rocked France at the turn of the twentieth century. Get set for Christmas In addition to the arrival of its Christmas lights, Paris in November sees the appearance of many other seasonal activities more usually associated with December. Stores big and small, budget and luxury, compete against one another to have the most alluring window displays, with the large department stores renowned for going all out on the decorations. At the same time, Alsatian-style chalets start to appear in various public spaces as Paris’s Christmas markets take form. The Tuileries Garden hosts one of the largest, combining funfair rides, souvenirs and a decent supply of vin chaud (mulled wine). The La Défense district’s version welcomes an amazing 350 different stalls, alongside a large outdoor ice rink. The Grand Palais opposite the Eiffel Tower is turned into one giant indoor ice rink from around the middle of November, with music and light displays some evenings. Other outdoor rinks include those at Le Plaza Athénée and the rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette flagship store on Boulevard Haussmann. Get the most out of Paris in November Brilliant museums, dazzling night-times, wondrous foods and the start of the Christmas festivities. Is there anything that could make November in Paris any better? How about savings on admission to many of its top attractions? Explore with Go City and that’s exactly what you get!
Ian Packham
View of the Eiffel Tower with magnolia blossom
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Why visit Paris in March?

Paris in March throws off its winter cloak with the expectation of the coming spring. Café tables begin to reappear beneath sidewalk awnings in ever greater numbers, strolls along the banks of the River Seine are once again an attractive proposition and the sun makes a concerted effort to brighten skies for at least half the month. The result is a renewed bounce in the step of many Parisians, brought on by a combination of improving weather, plants bursting into bloom and a panoply of one-off events. If you like the sound of all this plus low season prices and Paris without the crowds, March could be the month for you. Here’s just some of what you can expect. Food to die for There are few better times of year than Paris in March for anyone with an interest in food and drink. Known as the gastronomic capital of the world, and boasting the second-highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants of any city on Earth, additional attractions in March include National Cheese Day and Macaron Day. Yes, these two staples of French culinary culture each have their own special day of celebration. The country’s 1600 or so cheeses are celebrated on March 27. With the weather hopefully on your side it makes for a great excuse to explore the array of food markets dotting the French capital. The historic Marché des Enfants Rouge takes some beating, although the stalls of Rue Montorgueil are arguably even better for cheese, bread and chocolate lovers. Just a week before on March 20 it’s Macaron Day, which all but demands a visit to any of the high-end patisseries lining the boulevards of the central arrondissements (districts). Not only do you get to taste a range of classic and modern flavors, but a portion of the money you spend goes to the year’s chosen charity. Parks and gardens If you prefer the smell of freshly mown grass to the yeasty scent of a microbrewery tasting room there’s plenty of things to do in Paris in March for you too. Green spaces aren’t hard to come by within the Paris city limits, which detour around the Bois de Boulogne to the west and Bois de Vincennes to the east. Both provide expansive spaces to take in the new growth of spring. Further out still lies the Palace of Versailles and its gardens. The main residence of the kings of France until the French Revolution, its gardens remain renowned for their spurting fountains and formal planting regimes. Meanwhile, the palace’s interiors, including the likes of the Hall of Mirrors, have become bywords for elegance, decadence and sublime style. Closer to the center of the city, the flower beds of the Champ de Mars will be bursting with color from early spring bulbs. Paris’s cherry and magnolia trees are another much-loved part of late March and early April. To capture them at their very best, head to the viewing platforms of the Eiffel Tower. If you can, avoid getting caught up in The Vertical, a race that sees competitors tackle the tower’s 1665 steps to reach the finish line. Rainy day activities that won’t disappoint Although the weather in March is steadily improving, the month still sees its fair share of rain and cloud. Showers aren’t by any means unheard of, so keep your umbrella close at hand or slip into any of the French capital’s epic museums. The Pompidou Center’s Museum of Modern Art contains the second-largest collection of modern and contemporary works in the world – enough to keep you enthralled for an entire afternoon if you wish it to. Alternatively, the Musée du Quai Branly has an extraordinary collection of cultural artefacts from the four corners of the globe, including a standing stone from Easter Island and carvings from South America, Africa and Asia. To discover some of the greats of French history, you only need to go as far as the Panthéon. This grand would-be church is the final resting place of 80 people without whom the world would be a very different place. Some of the best-known names outside of France are Voltaire, Marie Curie and Josephine Baker – the first black woman to receive what is perceived to be one of France’s highest honors. Special events in March More than just a place to buy the latest bestsellers, the second half of March welcomes in the Paris Book Fair (Livre Paris). It’s an event which brings together readers, authors and publishers. Usually taking place in the Grand Palais Éphémère, at the opposite end of the Champ de Mars to the Eiffel Tower, there’s a smorgasbord of live workshops and talks to look forward to. If it’s the silver screen rather than the written word that’s your first love, try and coincide your visit to Paris in March with the timing of the Cinéma du réel documentary film festival. Holding screenings at the Public Information Library at the Pompidou Center alongside several partner movie theaters, each edition of the festival brings around 200 notable movies of the genre to the attention of Parisian audiences. Nearby streets are taken over by the Carnaval des femmes – the ‘Women’s or Washerwomen’s Festival’. Expect a baffling array of costumes, from ordinary women dressed as the queens of old to men in full drag. Save on attraction admission in Paris in March If there’s a finer feeling in the world than thinking you’ve bagged a bargain, we haven’t yet experienced it. Discover Paris with Go City and you can visit landmark attractions you were going to visit anyway whilst making substantial savings on admission prices. At the same time, you’ll have an easier time budgeting for your trip, and you’ll have no currency conversion or international credit card fees to worry about. A smart choice all around however many times you’ve been to Paris in the past, it’s one of the best ways to keep costs down. Instagram and Facebook are great ways to keep up to the minute with all things Go City!
Ian Packham
White plate with tempting slice of Comte cheese, with honey, salad garnish, bread and butter
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Best Restaurants in Paris

While we can offer only the tiniest nibble of the gastronomic feast that awaits you, we hope we can help you avoid the tourist traps and enjoy... well, la crème de la crème...
Jo Cooke

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