I think that the apartments are worthwhile.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/sets/72157623316531799/show/with/4359367621/

If you do not take the tour, your 16 yr old is free at Versailles, make sure she brings her id, she will be free at quite a few museums.

Our 16 yo is a very sporty male who's really into cycling. His big goal for Paris is to grab a Velib bike and ride it down the Champs Elysees in his school cycling jersey - big points in the class "one upmanship" competition!

I've realised that with their IDs, I can get the three of them into the Louvre for free if we go at 6.00pm on Friday. That will probably be our visit - the 3.5 hours will probably be long enough - whilst avoiding Stendhal syndrome, and hopefully a cold winter night will result in smaller crowds (maybe?)

You'll have to check on the latest for the Velib bikes, I know at one time you couldn't rent one unless you had a credit card with a chip in it. I think an Amex card was supposed to work, also, but that's all.

Also, I don't think there is any bike lane on the Champs-Elysees past Clemenceau (meaning not down from the Arc which is probably what he is envisioning as that's what you always see for the Tour de France), that is a pretty busy street with many lanes of traffic. There is from place de la Concorde to Clemenceau. You can find a bike path map online some places, I think this is one http://www.paris.fr/pratique/deplacements-voirie/velo/carte-des-principaux-amenagements/rub_9931_stand_64244_port_24784

Thanks Christina - chip cards are standard in Australia - I don't know of any cards that still only use magnetic stripe.

Good to have some information about how accessible the Champs Elysees might be for bike riding exploits - will have to "work the angles" to get an obvious landmark into the shots!

Hi - Just back from Paris - spent 10 days - My husband is a cyclist - There is absolutely no way your son will be able to ride any bike in the area he is dreaming of! Even the experienced Taxi drivers do not like to drive in this area - it is VERY dangerous! The closest experience he will have to the Tour is to buy a 2012 T- shirt! I am not trying to kill his dream just telling you the truth! As far as Versailles - VERY easy to take the train to get there from central Paris - round trp ticket is 6.50 euros per person - it is a magnificent experience - honestly you will be overwhelmed -the "tour" I suggest is the self guided tour - with the audio guide - there is so much to see that if you want to save money you will not miss much by skipping the private apartments - the peoperty is HUGE - and you cannot do it justice in just one visit. We were there on a Wednesday and spent 6 hours there and you get sensory overload - my best advice is go slow and enjoy what you can - it gets to the point that after awhile you realize it is absolutely too magnificent and need to just slow down and enjoy what you can.

Sorry, but unless your children are EU citizens the 18 yr old and 20 yr old are not free , that is only for those EU citizens under 26.

Well, I suppose it depends on your comfort level but I have no problem riding up and down the Champs Elysées and around the Arc de Triomphe or any other street in Paris for that matter but I live here and am quite comfortable riding in Parisian traffic. I would say let your kid rent a Vélib and determine for himself if he's comfortable riding up and down the Champs Elysées. You can look at this for reference material. I did this one handed with a camera in my free hand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGeTi5NmzNA&list=UUSy7GNR2Ell7vqMGJEukkoQ&index=30&feature=plcp

Justine,

From the website:

http://www.louvre.fr/en/hours-admission/admission#tabs

Free admission for all visitors on the first Sunday of each month and on July 14
(except for the temporary exhibitions in the Napoleon Hall).
On Friday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., admission to the permanent collections is free for under-26s regardless of nationality (upon presentation of ID).

Ah good well enjoy it then..