My boys seem excited enough about making a few museum visits while in Paris. The Louvre is high on their list because of the Mona Lisa. My eldest read the Di Vinci Code book that he got as a Christmas gift. He would like to visit the Louvre to see where the murder happened in this book. I would like to read it too same before I get to Paris. I'm trying to find a way to make their visits to these historic and cultural sites in Paris more interesting and secretly educational. I've started browsing for further information on the Internet for tidbits to share. There is also so much in Paris to take in it's overwhelming. Just wondered what others with teens might have done to add to the basic Paris visit. Thank you, Ellie

We went to Paris last March and my teenage boys LOVED the catacombs (bring a flashlight). Also we got advice on this forum to do a Mike's Bikes tour and that was great, too. It was led by a charming guy from Austin, TX, very funny, informative and he went out of his way to involve the kids. A must-- there is nothing like riding a bike across the Place de la Concorde in the middle of traffic yelling "Yahoo!!!" all the way! The boys didnt care for the Sewer tour, tho my husband and I thought it was strangely informative and fascinating.These are not real "cultural" sites but worked well for our kids. They will love Paris and make sure you stop at any and all patisseries to keep them going!

I can't offer info specific to teens, but all of us seem to enjoy "getting in the mood" by watching some movies and/or reading some books set in our travel destination. There are several long threads on books and/or movies set in Paris. If you type movies AND paris in the text search you should find them . One movie that I highly recommend recommend is Camille Claudel. It is about Rodin's student/lover who was also a great sculptor. Much of the movie takes place in what is now the Rodin museum & was his home. I should warn you it's in French with subtitles.

Go to the local library and take out a few art books and "coffee table" type books on Paris. Have the boys go through those and any other guide books you might have. Have them decide on a few places they would like to visit and then compromise! It's hard to understand why some place or painting is important or vauguely interesting if you've never even heard about it before! I have one son who loves art and another who HATES modern art. So we don't spend as much time on the modern stuff- that's ok as we're still going to the museums!
Movies are also great source of inspiration and interest and a fun pre trip activity. It's cool to see the real place!
A suggestion for the Louvre: go early and go right to the Mona Lisa and then take your time from there exploring as you wish. Boredom will soon set if you're in a line waiting for a hurried glimpse of HER.

La Villette, in the northeast corner of Paris, has a big hands-on science museum and a music museum, the latter oriented mainly to the history of western classical music. You wear earphones, and when you approach an exhibit of instruments, the appropriate period music plays over the earphones.

Not specifically cultural, but there is a thethered balloon ride available in the Parc André Citroën in the southwest corner of Paris.

Not cultural, but a fun idea for familes with teenage boys - rollerblading. The Travel Channel shows large groups skating around Paris at night with the police closing off streets to let the groups pass. You can even rent the rollerblades.

A few thoughts: at some museums, we were able to get a map and had the kids navigate us to a particular room or art piece that we wished to see.
Also, we walked down the stairs of the Eiffel Tower rather than take the elevator back down. The kids much preferred the stairs as we got away from the crowds and had a better idea of the inner workings of the tower. We also found some interesting educational displays on one of the lower floors.
My children also seemed to feel a need to climb to the top of most monuments. We particularly enjoyed the top of Notre Dame (get in line early) and the Arc de Triomphe.
Have a great time!

Hi,
You might might to consider the Musee Cluny (now named the Musee de la Moyenn Age?). It hgas a variety of items from the middle ages and the neat thing is that it built over reamins of roman baths. And, if you want more, there is a roman arena not to far away, with some interesting stone carvings, great place for lunch. Perhaps they may also like the Military Museum at Invalides. Loads of stuff to see, could be worth a quick look to see some of the medieval armements,etc..
Mike

Hi elearit, it's funny you should mention that.... I had bought the"DaVinci Code" and taken it with me to Europe but not had a chance to read it before we visited the Louvre. Later I read it, and so did my husband, and son...and we all thought what a pity it was that we hadn't read it earlier. It would have been great to see the Louvre, and the Mona Lisa, and Madonna on the Rocks..and everything else.. with a more educated eye. I'm sure your son will get a lot more out of the visit now. Have fun on your trip.

Thank you all for these suggestions. I'm working on a few movie ideas. My boys love movies of all sorts so that's a great suggestion for them. I guess I'm just hoping they will take something cultural home with them from our visit. The Di Vinci Code has really already gotten my one son excited about a Louvre visit, but it would be nice if I could add something intellegent. I'm fairly clueless about art though I do love to look. I've got some study time to put into the trip myself.
Ellie

Lighten up on yourself Ellie. This is supposed to be fun! If you feel like you <b>should</b> know...maybe pick 1 artist who intersts you &amp; read up.

Ellie, you will also be pleasantly surprised at how much is familiar to you in the art museums. At the Louvre, they have a map which highlights the must-sees. The museum is also online if you would like to sneak a peak before you arrive. I also recommend you rent the incredible headphone sets for your family for your Louvre tour. http://www.paris.org/Musees/Louvre/

I hope you are successful. I can remember being taken to the National Gallery in Washington when I was a sub teenager.

On the other hand, I was coerced into attending a performance of Madama Butterfly when I was 13. I was ignorant as sin about opera and all that Italian yowling did not help.
Besides, it was not much of a production, being held in a barn of a basketball arena.

As a result, as much as I like La Boheme, La Traviata, Aida, and Carmen, and several of the Viennese light operas, even today I cannot take much of Butterfly.

So if it isn't working, call it off.
Postponed is not abandoned.

Date: 01/25/2004, 07:34 pm
Message: i think just reading a good guide book (or 2) will give you a good overview of the museums you want to visit. they usually list the top attractions and why they are so popular. it is a great way to visit the louve which can be overwhelming. your boys may also like to choose one section of the louve to rent the headset self tours. if you go to the musee d'orsay or to rodin's home, you can do the same thing. part of going to the museums is also just browsing and feasting on all the sights. your boys want to go to museums so you do know you are ahead of the game to begin with! if they are going during the school year they may have an assigment attached to your trip as well. my children who are now adults asked me one time if they had to know everything about everything they saw. i thought about it and think they were right. you do not need to know everything.they will go back again someday after a wonderful first taste with you.

sorry for the typos-didn't edit-

While history, art, architecture and museums are a vital part of any culture, they do not necessarily completely define any. The things that peers actually do in real-life settings are just as important to understanding a &quot;culture&quot; as any of the aforementioned, IMO.

This probably isn't what a parent wants to hear, but I would give them some time *on their own* to explore and learn how things differ from things at home.

Turn them loose for a night in the Latin Quarter to find out how young university students in Paris spend the evening. They themselves will be of college age before you know it.

Let them go to a rock concert or club with live music. Or, daresay I, a Rave. They can maybe find something on whatsonwhen.com

Even things like allowing them a few hours on their own in a mega music store, arcade or movie complex *may* give them a prospective of &quot;culture&quot; just as valid as a visit to the Louvre.

JMO - and no, I'm not a parent.

elearit - you can lead a teen to culture but you can't make him drink! After raising 4 - don't push it. Just make it available - they will get there at their own speed. A teen has his own idea of &quot;culture&quot; and it might not include museum pieces, gothic architecture, or baroque music. At least not yet.

One museum that your sons might find interesting is the Carnavalet, which is the museum of the city of Paris. It has some very interesting exhibits and gives you a feel for the city's history without beating you over the head with it. Another good spot would be the area beneath N&ocirc;tre-Dame. Finally, the Orsay museum has a wonderful model of the city.

Message: My teenage son loved Paris. He has a good sense of history and I arranged a day trip for him and his dad to Normandy. They both loved it. He also liked Versaille. He loved the Louvre, we spent a lot of time trying to find the Code of Hammurabi (spelling?), the kids learn about it in school and it was in the Louvre, trouble is, they moved it from where the printed guide said it was! We had fun wandering around to find it!