Hello. In planning a family trip to Paris this summer I'm trying to find a hotel that might be better to handle my two teen boys. They are well behaved, but wondered if there were areas in the city or specific hotels that could be more fun for them to be staying.
Thanks,
Ellie

Hi

Could you be more specific? I don't think you want to send them to their own hotel do you?

How old are they? Where are you thinking of staying?

Your phrasing - "a hotel that might be better to handle my two teen boys" - is a bit alarming, but if it's of any help, I think teens would probably enjoy the Latin Quarter with its colony of French students and young people and generally hip, busy atmosphere.

Sorry for not being more specific. They are both physically active boys that have exercise routines they enjoy keeping even when we are on vacation. They are early risers that will be up and out at the crack of dawn. I guess I'm more concerned with a hotel that would be near to an area that allows skateboards and an area like a park for running. My youngest will be 15 this year and his brother the jogger is 17. If my skateboarder can't use his board then I know he will join his brother in his morning run. They are in much better shape than I ever was, so I don't want to discourage their physical activities if I can help it. Any suggestions would be great help. Thank you, Ellie

I think there are some areas of the greater metro area which kids skateboard but that it is not officially allowed except in skateparks. There aren't any skateparks in central Paris that I know of, but they aren't usually where you'd want to stay, anyway. Unofficial skateboarding isn't usually near where you want to be in a hotel (eg, La Defense or along the quais, I think I saw some kids doing that in the 13th around the new library area).

Best bet would be near a large park for the runs, either Champ de Mars or Luxembourg Gardens would do. There is an official skatepark down just across the highway around the city at the bottom of the 15th arr near Aquaboulevard (Porte de Sevres). It's called Stade Suzanne Lenglen.

Hi elearit,

We stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 rue Bonaparte, a few blocks from the Luxembourg gardens. They can run there.

This doesn't answer your question exactly, but skateboards are everywhere in Paris. They are especially abundant at the Trocadero across from the Eiffel tower. Also plentiful in the area around the Hotel de Ville; we even saw two gendarmes on roller blades here. You might look into a hotel called Grand Hotel de Champagne which is near the Chatelet metro stop, Les Halles would provide adequate jogging area. It's a nice hotel, quiet, reasonably priced and very nicely located.