11 Things to Do in Paris with Teens and Why They’ll Love it

Are you readying a household travel to Paris with teens and wondering however to support your teenagers engaged and excited?

Worry not, due to the fact that the City of Love and Lights has thing for everyone, including your teens. From the captivating past and architecture to the mouthwatering cuisine and vibrant thoroughfare culture, Paris is an perfect destination for families with teenagers.

Enjoying Paris with teens

The tips successful this usher are besides applicable to the tween successful your family, arsenic it was with ours.

At the clip of visiting Paris (2023) our girls were 15 (Kalyra) and 11 (Savannah). Our youngest is mature and well-traveled truthful loved each these Paris attractions arsenic well.

In this guide, we’ll research wherefore teens would emotion the City of Light, stock immoderate peculiar tips for a creaseless trip, and database the apical things to bash successful Paris with teenagers.

Why Teens Love Paris?

Teens aren’t excessively antithetic from the adults successful the household erstwhile it comes to travel. I’m beauteous definite you’re going to emotion Paris for each these reasons too.

But if you’re wondering wherefore teens emotion Paris, these were the reasons my daughters spoke astir the most.

Iconic Landmarks

Paris boasts immoderate of the world’s astir celebrated landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Teens volition bask exploring these iconic places and taking selfies to stock connected societal media.

One representation of our travel to Paris that stands retired to maine is the girls squealing astatine each different erstwhile they archetypal glimpsed the Eiffel Tower from Montparnasse Tower.

That enamor with it continued passim our 4 days successful Paris erstwhile it archetypal appeared connected our Seine River Cruise, from atop the Arc De Triomphe, and erstwhile we yet visited.

Savannah had planned retired her Eiffel Tower outfit for days and was precise excited to instrumentality tons of photos of the iconic Paris landmark. You tin stake their selfie photos were shared connected societal media.

Delicious Food and Pretty Cafes

Montparnasse Cafe luring my teen in

Obviously, immoderate travel to Paris volition impact aggregate nutrient experiences. France wins for champion pastries successful the satellite without a doubt. And if you bid them To Go, it’s truthful cheap.

Indulge successful croissants and macarons, and sensation saccharine blistery cocoa astatine cozy cafés. Your teens volition admit the saccharine treats and relaxed atmosphere. We pastry ate our mode astir the city. Consider a nutrient circuit of Paris or a cooking class.

Paris cafes are acold excessively cute for teens to ignore. On our archetypal day, we had planned to spell to a café for lunch, until our teen spied the beauteous Montparnasse Café adjacent doorway filled with an abundance of pinkish flowers.

Kalyra begged america to spell determination arsenic it was conscionable truthful beauteous and we were successful Paris, and that’s what our travel was for! She would ne'er person noticed that a fewer years ago.

Art and Culture

The Louvre

Teens funny successful art, history, and civilization volition find themselves successful paradise. Museums similar the Louvre location masterpieces, portion the Palace of Versailles offers a glimpse into France’s opulent past.

Museums abound showcasing creator treasures from Picasso, Monet, Da Vinci, Van Gogh and more.

Just walking astir the metropolis volition pb you past palaces, exquisite architecture, expansive parks, and vibrancy connected the streets.

A Long Interesting History

Such a Regal View – Luxembourg Palace

France has a long, complicated, and fascinating history, and galore of its astir celebrated stories travel from wrong the boundaries of Paris.

Teens are much apt to cognize immoderate of the past and its humanities figures already acknowledgment to schoolhouse curriculum, movies, TV shows and books.

They’re besides much capable to comprehend what their learning and spot however it fits successful with their existent views connected beingness – oregon possibly assistance signifier them. Seeing each the opulence of the French palaces surely had Kalyra knowing wherefore determination was a revolution!

Our girls already knew rather a spot astir the Medieval play and Maria Antoinette, truthful they enjoyed assorted attractions that connected to that. Find retired which humanities periods oregon stories your teen is funny successful and publication those attractions that archer that communicative much in-depth.

Paris Fashion & Shopping

Paris is simply a manner mecca, with world-famous boutiques and section stores similar Galeries Lafayette

Paris is known to beryllium a person of manner trends, truthful teens volition emotion conscionable walking astir the streets seeing what Parisians are wearing and possibly showing disconnected their ain style.

Teens tin store for unsocial manner items and souvenirs, not conscionable successful the big-name stores but hep conception stores, vintage shops, flea markets and creation nouveau section stores.

You whitethorn adjacent privation to spot if immoderate Paris manner events are happening during your sojourn (or program astir it) Kalyra was devastated that we missed the Paris Fashion Show by 2 weeks!

Best Things To Do successful Paris With Teenagers

Sacre Coeur, Paris

Here is what deliberation are the champion things to bash successful Paris with teens oregon tweens. This is based connected what our daughters enjoyed the astir connected our 4 days successful Paris.

I person included a fewer different suggestions I cognize teens volition love, but we didn’t get to bash – either due to the fact that of clip oregon involvement levels.

Go with your teen’s property and fto them assistance you program for the eventual Paris trip, incorporating activities and attractions they privation to do.

1. Climb the Eiffel Tower

The views from the Eiffel Tower

There is lone 1 mode to acquisition the Eiffel Tower and that is up. It’s 1 of Paris’ astir celebrated monuments for a reason.

You tin instrumentality an elevator to the first, 2nd and 3rd floors to bask those breathtaking panoramic views of the city, but we highly urge climbing the stairs to the archetypal and 2nd level stairs instead.

It turns a sojourn to the Eiffel Tower into much of an adventure. Our tween particularly loved climbing up the stairs – much opportunities for selfies.

Teens and tweens volition besides emotion the crystal pick halt connected the archetypal level with gorgeous views each round. Don’t hide to get your photos astatine the bottommost of the operation arsenic well.

2. Visit Montmartre (Including a Food Tour)

Boris Lumé Pâtisserie Boulangerie

Visit the creator vicinity of Montmartre, wherever teens tin bask thoroughfare art, sojourn the stunning Sacré-Coeur Basilica, and research charming cafés. Montmartre is truthful beauteous with its constrictive cobblestone streets lined with colorful buildings, quaint shops and bistros, and creation galleries.

We visited connected our archetypal time successful Paris, stopping archetypal for a cocoa croissant and java earlier meandering done the Artist’s Square. Kalyra whipped her telephone retired consecutive to seizure its fairy-tale charm. That continued each the mode to the steps of the basilica and its Paris views.

View from Sacre Coeur

One of our favourite things to bash successful Paris was a nutrient circuit of Montmartre – section benignant (check availability here). We learned truthful overmuch astir Paris civilization successful this trendy vicinity and tried delicious nutrient from baguettes and food to omelets and croissants.

We besides urge climbing up the dome of the Basilica – different Paris attraction our older kids loved. This is simply a small little touristy and gives a antithetic position of the basilica and unthinkable views.

3. Climb Arc de Triomphe

From Arc de Triopmhe

When I asked my girls their favourite Paris attractions, I wasn’t amazed that Arc De Triomphe was successful their apical 5 list. 

It landed successful excavation arsenic good and I wasn’t expecting it. In fact, this was my 3rd sojourn to Paris, and the archetypal clip I went up it. 

Standing gangly astatine the occidental extremity of the Champs-Élysées, this iconic monument allows visitors to not lone larn astir the country’s subject history, but offers panoramic views from the reflection deck, which are simply breathtaking.

Arc De Triomphe and Montparnasse Tower were my favourite views successful Paris. Check availability and terms for rooftop tickets here.

4. Explore the Louvre Museum

Outside the Louvre

Speaking astir the 3rd travel to Paris, I inactive person not visited the Louvre!! So, we missed this 1 connected our Paris trip, but I cognize for definite that teens who emotion creation volition emotion exploring the world-famous Louvre Museum, location to the Mona Lisa and countless different masterpieces.

I asked the girls respective times if they wanted to sojourn the Louvre, but they had nary involvement successful it all. We person been to truthful galore museums and creation galleries astir the world, they’re precise bushed of it. So bushed that adjacent the Louvre – arguably the world’s champion creation depository and location of Mona Lisa – could not entice them.

I’d alternatively walk each those hours you request seeing the Louvre sitting successful a Parisian café watching the satellite spell by.

Mona Lisa astatine Château du Clos Lucé

We did, however, bask seeing the Louvre from the outside. And the girls loved learning each astir Leonardo Da Vinci astatine the Chateau du Clos Luce successful the Loire Valley wherever helium spent the past 3 years of his life. That’s however the Mona Lisa came to beryllium successful France (learn much in this Loire Valley post)

Teens who emotion modern creation whitethorn privation to sojourn Centre Pompidou, Europe’s largest modern and modern creation museum. It has rather a funky architectural design.

Teen artists volition astir apt besides privation to sojourn Musee d’Orsay, which has the astir extended postulation of Impressionism artwork. Kalyra really likes this benignant of art, and had we much clip successful our schedule, we would person visited here.

I did my precise champion to marque it work, but since we flew implicit connected the reddish oculus and were similar Zombies, I had to driblet a fewer attractions successful favour for slower, mind-numbing activities.

5. Be Wowed by the Stunning Sainte-Chapelle Cathedrale

This presumption blew maine away

This is simply a Paris attraction that does not necessitate a batch of clip – which your teen volition emotion adjacent much – but it packs a punch with its wow factor. 

The Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral successful Conciergerie is celebrated for its beauteous stained-glass windows, which picture scenes from the Bible and screen astir the entirety of the walls and scope up to 40 meters successful height.

The airy that streams done the windows casts beauteous colors passim the cathedral, making it a genuinely magical place.

It is 1 of the astir beauteous places successful Paris, truthful don’t marque definite you person it connected your Paris itinerary! It was 1 of our tween’s favorites. 

Sainte-Chapelle is simply a Gothic cathedral located connected the Île de la Cité, which is 1 of the 2 remaining earthy islands successful Paris.

You tin spot it connected your mode to the Latin District. Find summons availability here.

6. Relax successful Paris Gardens

Loved the Tulieries gardens

Teens request remainder connected your regular explorations. There is nary amended spot to bash that successful Paris than successful 1 of their galore delightful gardens. You tin find shady spots to rest, and likelihood are there’ll beryllium a palace oregon 2 to look at.

Our favorites were the Luxembourg Gardens with views of Luxembourg Palace and the beauteous and lush Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries) with views of the Louvre.

Parc de la Villette is besides a beauteous plot to research and person a picnic in.

7. Explore Trendy Neighborhoods

While we did not marque Le Marais connected this trip, I’ve heard from galore radical that this trendy Paris territory is known for its boutiques, thoroughfare art, cheery and Jewish communities, medieval architecture, and trendy younker culture. I’ve besides heard it has a large nutrient and café scene.

Not acold from present we walked done the Les Passages Couverts, oregon Covered Passages of Paris, 1 of the champion places successful Paris for Shopping. This is simply a buying arcade afloat of respective stunning passages that are architecturally beautiful.

The Covered Passages

We recovered them a small underwhelming. If you person much clip and fund for shopping, I deliberation the teen successful your household volition emotion it.

If your teenagers are into art, past they whitethorn bask walking astir the Belleville territory which is celebrated for its thoroughfare creation murals. You tin adjacent bask a street-art circuit of Belleville with a section artists, which is simply a large mode to present your teens to the creator assemblage successful Paris.

Our girls loved the Latin District – arsenic did I. I truly privation we had stayed present – truthful instrumentality that arsenic an insider’s Paris tip from me. It’s the pupil area, truthful expect a lively ambiance amongst its constrictive streets filled with restaurants, cafes, museums, and churches.

Shakespeare & Co, Latin District

Kalyra particularly loved Shakespeare and Company, an independent, English-language bookshop located connected the banks of the Seine successful the Latin District. It’s been a gathering spot for celebrated writers and readers since 1951 and makes the champion bookstores successful the satellite list!

 It’s highly apt determination volition beryllium a line, but it moves quickly. We mislaid Kalyra determination for a portion arsenic she explored each the publication nooks and crannies and bought different publication for her pile. Her suitcase for our Europe travel was mostly books!!!!

I besides had Canal St Martin connected our database to explore. Its quaint canal mounting lures artists and students, truthful expect to find creation collectives, vintage boutiques and quirky cafes.

8. Take a Seine River Cruise

Seeing from a stream cruise is besides cool!

Enjoy a relaxing vessel thrust on the Seine River, Paris’ astir beauteous Boulevard. It flows done the bosom of the metropolis and is flanked by immoderate of Pari’s astir beauteous buildings and iconic structures.

It’s a large mode to get an overview of the metropolis and a much romanticist perspective, particularly if you bash a evening cruise to spot Paris lit up. Why not bash both?

We highly urge 1 with narration so you tin larn a small spot astir Paris and France arsenic you interval down the Seine River!

If you’re traveling successful the precocious season, marque definite you get your tickets up of time, and corroborate your departure point, due to the fact that each company’s boats permission from antithetic wharves.

9. Freak yourself retired astatine the Paris Catacombs

The Catacombs of Paris, France.

We did not get to sojourn the Paris Catacombs and Kalyra was annoyed. The opening times were strange, and we could not get it to align with our itinerary truthful added it to our Paris bucket database for adjacent visit.

I surely don’t privation your teen to get annoyed arsenic exploring The Catacombs is 1 of the astir unsocial things to bash successful Paris. Teens volition emotion it arsenic it’s much of a bosom racing enactment (especially if you’ve seen the fearfulness movie, As Above, So Below).

The catacombs are a bid of underground ossuaries that hold the remains of much than six cardinal people. Each of their graves is placed successful the stone walls wrong the passageway network.

The catacombs were built to woody with the overflowing cemetery occupation successful the precocious 1700s.

In the 19th century, strangely, the catacombs became a venue for events and concerts. Today, it serves arsenic a museum.

It’s champion to instrumentality a guided circuit oregon astatine the slightest an audioguide, truthful you tin larn each astir its instauration and uses, arsenic good arsenic to find your mode astir this underground maze! One of the astir iconic sights wrong the Catacombs is the partition made from skulls and bones – creepy!

10. Stroll the Champs-Élysées

Champs Elysse

Okay. It’s Paris. A apical happening to bash is stroll down the celebrated Champs-Élysées. It is simply a beauteous tree-lined with restaurants cafés, and large luxury marque sanction stores.

On Champs Elysee you’ll find agelong lines extracurricular Laduree Bakery and Tearoom for their celebrated macarons. Unless you’re a devout fan, get your macarons elsewhere – you person loads of choice. WE recovered delicious ones at Pierre Hermé successful Paris St Germain with nary lines.

It is 1 of the astir celebrated streets successful the world, and if you are visiting the Arc de Triomphe it’s an casual summation to our Paris itinerary. The champion presumption of it is from up there.

Montparnasse, Tower Eiffel & Champs Elysees

But, connected the ground, I find it underwhelming. Pretty to look astatine but nary existent absorbing stories determination I didn’t similar Rodeo Drive successful Los Angeles either. All those costly marque sanction stores are conscionable not my style.

I’d overmuch alternatively the charming cobblestone streets filled with French radical strolling, zipping astir connected bikes and motorbikes, and buzzing bars and cafes successful St Germain, Latin Quarter and Montmartre.

But this is simply a Paris with teens post? Yep, which is wherefore I enactment it connected our Paris itinerary. I thought the girls would LOVE it, but it was a ho hum for them.

I deliberation galore different teens would bask walking connected Chams Elysee though. We had a large trade java conscionable disconnected Champs Elysee at Azur Cafe just disconnected the Champs Elysée. They had different drinks that teens are definite to emotion similar smoothies and crystal coffees. Everything they service present (including food) is precise beauteous and Instagrammable – capturing the bosom of astir teens.

11. Day Trip to the Palace of Versailles

Cycling astir Versaille

Take a time travel to the opulent Palace of Versailles and research the grandeur of French history. Our teen, Kalyra was precise anxious to larn much astir Marie Antoinette connected this trip, arsenic she’d seen, and loved the movie.

We made definite to walk clip looking astatine her flat successful the Palace of Versailles – Kalyra got her selfie successful her bedroom.

We biked retired to the Petit Trianon -her 2nd palace – and the Queen’s Hamlet, which was her workplace colony she created to flight and hide she was the Queen.

You tin work our afloat usher on however to walk a time successful Versailles with loads of indispensable tips. It’s a truly large time truthful program well!

Special Tips for Teens traveling to Paris

Resting successful Luxembourg Gardens with palace views

Before you go, present are immoderate tips for visiting Paris with teenagers to marque the acquisition creaseless and memorable for each the family…

• Encourage your teens to larn basal French phrases. It not lone helps successful navigating the metropolis but besides adds an acquisition constituent to the trip. Plus, it’s a large mode to link to section Parisians and it’s a batch of fun!
• Teach your teenagers however to usage the businesslike Parisian nationalist transport system. The metro is the quickest mode to determination astir the city, and teenagers often bask mastering it.
• Paris is simply a metropolis wherever exertion tin beryllium rather handy. Utilize translation apps, navigation tools, and ride-sharing services to marque the travel smoother.
• Y’all cognize teens emotion to sleep. So, program for a batch of breaks successful betwixt attractions – Paris parks are perfect for this. We urge staying person to the bosom of Paris to debar commuting exhaustion. Even the glamor of Paris tin spell unseen with a bushed teen.
• Even though your kid is older, successful Paris, they’ll inactive get escaped introduction to galore museums and attractions. Many springiness escaped admittance to tourists nether 25!! Check each attraction and marque definite you person ID connected manus arsenic they’ll privation proof.
• Avoid Disneyland Paris, unless your teen is simply a die-hard Disney fan. It’s crowded and overrated, determination are amended things to bash successful Paris than sojourn the taxable parks!
• If you person artsy teens, instrumentality them to The Centre Pompidou creation gallery, which is escaped connected Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm-6pm.

Where to Stay successful Paris

Latin District / St Germain

We stayed astatine the Novotel Gare Montparnasse, lone a five-minute locomotion to 1 of the biggest bid and metro stations. We could easy get astir and were lone a 15-minute bid thrust to Versailles and could locomotion to Luxembourg Gardens successful 20 minutes and the Eiffel Tower successful 30 minutes.

HOWEVER, Craig and I some agreed we wished we stayed either in St Germain or the Latin Quarter as some neighborhoods were adjacent to the stream and the astir cardinal portion of Paris. I’ve besides heard Le Marais is simply a large spot to stay. All 3 would beryllium cleanable for teenagers.

And if they’re bushed astatine nighttime and conscionable privation to clang successful the edifice country and connection their friends, it’s easier for parents to conscionable duck retired into the bustling streets of these districts for meal oregon a drink.

Final Thoughts connected Visiting Paris with Teens

Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles

Paris is simply a metropolis that ne'er fails to captivate and inspire, making it an fantabulous prime for a household abrogation with teenagers.

And arsenic parents of teens, however bully is it to determination distant from playgrounds to much adult-type activities that you tin person mature conversations astir with your kids. It’s a beauteous caller property of question we present find ourselves in.

With the close readying and a premix of culture, history, and modern attractions, your teens are definite to person a memorable and enjoyable clip successful the City of Lights, oregon besides known arsenic the City of Love.

When readying your travel to Paris beryllium definite to cheque retired each our tips connected essential things to cognize earlier visiting, the best things to bash successful Paris, and what first-time visitors don’t privation to miss.