kj39

16 year old son and I will be in Paris for Thanksgiving (arrive 22 Nov and depart 26th,) We are staying at the Hilton Arc De Triomphe. He has been with me to Greece, Spain, Australia and Chile but I am scared he won't like Paris in the cold! Anyone know of a one day tour bus that permits you to bypass lines at attractions and gives you an overview of the city....Is there a metrocard which gives you unlimited subway and buses for five days? Anything a 16 year old would like other than the Moulin Rouge? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. We will be on a fairly tight budget and our French is minimal. My email is [email protected] . Is the boat trip on the Seine at night a narrated tour like the Cirle Line in NYC? I have not been to France for 20+ years. Really need help on this one. Thanks much in advance.

crepes_a_go_go

<<Anything a 16 year old would like other than the Moulin Rouge?>>

You're joking, right? My 18 year old son will be taking his fifth trip to Paris in June. He has been going once a year since he was 13. My 13 year old has been twice, first time at age 11. There has been nothing they didn't like.

My suggestion to everyone who asks your question is to get a guidebook, and let your child find things that interest him. What sort of things do you want to do? I never picked out anything just for kids. My boys have liked whatever I picked out to do.

But - if you are on a tight budget, I'd skip the Moulin Rouge unless he says this is just the one thing he must do. Even though my kids loved the movie, they've never expressed an interest in actually going to see the show. In this area of Paris, they wanted instead to find the café where the movie Amélie was filmed. That was a fun and free activity!

kj39

Actually my 16 yr old is a great trooper adn has gone with me to Europe twice already, as well as Australia and several visits to Chile. He likes the beaches and dislikes the churches and museuums for the most part. His fav food in Greece was teh Greek Mac (yes there is one!) His brother wqill be studying at the American University in Paris for the entire year....and yes, the only thing he mentioned dying to do was go to the Moulin Rouge....HELP!

ira

Hi K,

>the only thing he mentioned dying to do was go to the Moulin Rouge....HELP!<

Don't go for the dinner show. The food is not worth the cost.

>I am scared he won't like Paris in the cold!

It doesn't get that cold.

amwosu

My 14 yr old son and I were both surprised at how much we enjoyed Musee de l'Armee by Napoleon's tomb. Lots of very cool medieval gear.

Napoleon's dog and horse (more like a pony) are both stuffed and on display as well as some of his clothing.

http://www.invalides.org/pages/menu.html

sandi_travelnut

Paris and Venice are my 16 year old son's favorite places to visit. He loves to just walk around the city. You say you're afraid he won't like Paris in the cold....let him grow up.. He's not a baby and stop worrying. He's a big boy, if he's cold let him buy a scarf and gloves and keep moving. Plus in Novemeber it may not be that cold (depending on where you're from). I was there in Dec.'04 and it was in the low 40's for the high. Be prepared for a little rain though.

Get some language CD's and videos and listen to them in the car. Watch the videos togehter and have fun learning a few key phrases. The Seine boat tour is narrated in several languages.

Calm down, look at guidebooks together and let him pick out some museums, etc that interest him.

lucielou

Kj39

My son is around the same age as your son, and he was absolutely fascinated with Musee de l'Armee beside, Napoleon's tomb, Its packed full of history, we spent 4 hours there and he didnt want to leave! he still talks about it, It was the highlight of his trip to Paris. Take him down to the Latin Quarter, and just walk around the streets, you'd be amazed at how many hours you can spend people watching!