Sites to see with teens and tweens in Paris?

[gatorsmom]

In a month we will be going to Paris. One week we will be traveling around with a pilgrimage group and the second week we have rented an apartment in Paris, very close to Notre Dame (seriously, couldn’t it have waited 2 months before it burned? We chose the apartment location so we could easily walk to Sunday mass there. ).

Other than the usual touristy stuff stuff in Paris, what would you be excited to take your kids to see? Are there any good Natural History Museums you recommend? Science museums? Anything unusual that we couldn’t see somewhere else? Any places you enjoyed as a child or your children loved when visiting Paris? I’m just trying to plan in some unusual sites that might pique their interest. TIA!

[Mermanaid]

I went many years ago but these are the favs from that trip. I’ll be watching this thread as DD wants to go when she is 16.

This is fairly touristy but it left an imprint on my heart: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museu...ainte-Chapelle

One of the memorable places we ate at ... twice! (known for its French onion soup): https://www.pieddecochon.com/en/

Soufflé restaurant: https://m.thefork.com/restaurant/le-souffle-r29916

We also took the train to Versailles and DisneyParis. Was fun to see how their system works.

Loved walking into pharmacies and grocery stores just to see what was there.

There was also a Saturday market that was really fun to see. I wish I could remember where it was at but it’s been so long my memory fails me.

We also really enjoyed walking by the river and seeing all the artists at work. I try to pick out a piece of art from every trip so this is about as authentic as you can get!

[carolinamama]

We are also looking for some fun Paris activities for this summer. We only have 3 full days (4 in Paris but are doing a day trip to Normandy) so will hit mostly touristy spots. However, 3 of us have been to Paris twice before so we want to add something different. We are also staying very close to Notre Dame. It's going to be so heartbreaking to see the damage.

Anyway, DS1 and I were there last year and went up in the Montparnasse Tower for the first time. Yes, touristy but so beautiful to see the city and Eiffel Tower lit in the evening. This time we plan to visit the Army Museum on recommendation of a friend with tweens/teens that went last year. She actually mentioned the Museum of Natural History as well but I'm not sure we will have time to make it.

[carolinamama]

We are also looking for some fun Paris activities for this summer. We only have 3 full days (4 in Paris but are doing a day trip to Normandy) so will hit mostly touristy spots. However, 3 of us have been to Paris twice before so we want to add something different. We are also staying very close to Notre Dame. It's going to be so heartbreaking to see the damage.

Anyway, DS1 and I were there last year and went up in the Montparnasse Tower for the first time. Yes, touristy but so beautiful to see the city and Eiffel Tower lit in the evening. This time we plan to visit the Army Museum on recommendation of a friend with tweens/teens that went last year. She actually mentioned the Museum of Natural History as well but I'm not sure we will have time to make it.

[Twoboos]

We did a bike tour and it was one of the best things we did in Paris! Not the usual spots you already know about. The guide (Fabian) was excellent. The bikes were electric so basically two pedal strokes and the thing took off on it's own. We stopped for refreshments in a cafe where revolutionaries hung out. We saw the only church in Paris that wasn't trashed in the revolution - bc the one nun there bribed the revolutionaries with wine! They basically have five star reviews on Trip Advisor and it's right on. It's called something else if you go through Air BnB I think, but it's the same place. This is what we were doing when we saw Notre Dame was on fire.

https://www.parischarmssecrets.com/homepage-an I would recommend this 100%.

Also if you wanted to do tour guide stuff, Paris Muse was excellent. I think someone here recommended that company. We did Louvre Quest and French Revolution walking tour with them and both were great. Having a tour guide just for getting around the Louvre was worth every penny. Louvre Quest is geared towards kids - mine are 13 and 15 and were afraid it would be babyish but it was perfect for them (and us too!). The people at Paris Muse were very helpful in picking the right level of tour for our family. https://parismuse.com

This restaurant was excellent. Opens at 7pm, get there by 6:30 or you'll be waiting in a line down the block. You get seated, are served salad and bread, asked how you want your steak done and if you want the secret sauce. That's it. No menu. Steak and fries. There is a menu for wine and desserts but you're not choosing dinner, it's steak or nothing. My kids even ate the secret sauce with is bright green and we have no idea what it was - even the waitress said she didn't know.

Le Relais de l'Entrecote https://www.relaisentrecote.fr

Rental scooters are EVERYWHERE, so if you have an adventurous DH or kids, they'll be zipping around lol.

Enjoy - I'd go back tomorrow if I could!!

[Twoboos]

Ummmm double post - not sure how that happened.