Terri

Does anyone have suggestions for evening entertainment with a 16 year old daughter? Are the cabaret show too risque? How about nightclubs? Can 16 year olds go into these establishments? I want her to have a memorable time but I am not sure what to do! <BR>thanks

lori

I went to the Lido show. The show scantly clad women, with much of the time bare breasted (kinda like Vegas show girls w/out tops) Other than that I don't know that I'd call it too=too risque. My mother would not have taken me at 16, but then again she probably wouldn't have gone herself. Good clean fun that we had included walks, dinners, top of the Eff. Tower, Seine cruise which was very touristy, but I'd still say go, a concert at St. Chappelle==don't know if I have that name right, my brain isn't clicking with it right now and I'm on the road, it's the other main chapel/catherdral on the Ille near Notre Dame.

julie

Well, I would certainly keep an eye on her! On our last Med cruise there was a grandma with her 16 year old grandaughter...the young girls appreared suddendly transformed on formal night, and was absolutely stunning! Look 26 if a day! Then Grandma had to step lively to keep this added attention grom going to her head..also to convince her to not wear shorts in cathedrals, etc. a constant battle of wills was evident and we were all laughing about it. Paris???hum...?

Dina

My parents took me to Paris with them when I was 15. I went to the Follies, night clubs (no one bats an eye when your're with an adult), and all. It was educational and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So much so that I am taking my husband this Sept. and we will go to my then fav nightclub, the same Caveau de la Huchette, all of over 40 years later! Take her with you and enjoy! She'll remember it forever!

Christina

I personally don't understand why people go to those "cabarets" which I'm sure you're thinking of (ie, Moulin Rouge, etc) as a foreign travel experience; I don't think much of this kind of so-called entertainment, but I'm fairly liberal about sex and nudity so wouldn't call it risque. It's like Las Vegas, nearly-naked women parading and dancing around but that isn't risque to me, just worthless, boring and low-class. There are some more risque sexually-oriented shows but I doubt if you'll run across them, except for the Crazy Horse, that's definitely risque and very sexual and a well-known one. You should be able to take your daughter into a nightclub with general admission policies, although I wouldn't think most nightclubs would really be that interesting to a 16-yr old, at least ones where you would fit in, also, that's the problem. There are very young, teen-oriented ones (ie, Locomotive in Montmartre) but you wouldn't want to go there. And I don't think most 16-yr olds like jazz, there are some jazz clubs you could go to, but that's the problem, her interest. The Caveau de la Huchette in the Latin Qtr has swingjazz sort of, people dance to it (but not very well, usually) like from the 40s; but, it's very crowded in the basement where the music and dance are and so it's unlikely you'll find a table or place to sit so that's why I'm not sure you'd enjoy that, it consists largely of standing around with drinks in your hand getting hit on and asked to dance, so that's fun if that's what you want, but I'm not clear on your style or what you'd like. In the top it's a very boring room with long tables with very young people drinking, as I recall, you don't want to be there. If she likes standard listening jazz, fine, there are some jazz clubs you coul go to. Otherwise, I'll recommend a place that should be fun and is not jazz nor so hip, it's more a laid-back cafe with music many nights, but not pretentious--try going to the Buttes-aux-Cailles neighborhood just south of place d'Italie in the 13th arr. (you'll find the street on a good map). This is an interesting quartier, Commune background and you can wander around there and find some decent cafes, restaurants and bookstores. For entertainment, go to La Folie en Tete, this is a cafe with world, reggae and French chanson music, so that should be fun and more approachable and better for a 16yr old; they have various typs of alternative music there, it's at 33 rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles (I think). I'd recommend any cafe as fun and a more French and cultural experience that has shows that are more French chanson-style (ie, Piaf, Brel, Barbara, etc). There are a few of these around and here's a website on French chansonnier venues (www.music-hall.org); I think your best choices for traditional French chanson clubs are La Folie en Tete as I mentioned; or the Caveau de la Bolee at 25, rue de l'Hirondelle, 6th; or Au Limonaire in the 9th near metro Grands-Boulevards (18 cite Bergere, a little hard to find, see map on limonairefree.fr) That one has younger singers doing traditional French chanson and is in an area with other nightspots, so I think she'd like that. There's also the cafe Au Lapin Agile in Montmartre which has a venerable history but is much more out of the way and just full of tourists now, I think (for their chanson evening show). That wouldn't be bad, definitely better than the Las Vegas-style "cabarets", but I think La Folie en Tete or Au Limonaire would be preferable, unless you want regular jazz clubs. There is something else but you didn't give your dates so I can't tell, they have an outdoor, very famous jazz festival at La Villette (music museum, center and park in the northeast), that is June 30 to July 7.

terri

Thank you for your information. I think we will pass on the cabaret shows. And, believe it or not, my daughter has very eclectic tase in music and so I think she would be intrigued by a variety of places. We will be there July 4-7 and are very interested in the Jazz fetival. Can you tell us more?

Lesli

If your daughter likes ballet at all, a performance at the Opera Garnier is truly an unforgettable experience. You can buy tickets either in advance, or take your chances at the box office when you get to town - I was able to get a 7th row center ticket a just a few days ahead of time in April. <BR> <BR>If you'd like to check the schedule, there is a website: http://www.opera-de-paris.fr/ (This also has info on performances at the Opera Bastille.) <BR> <BR>If she enjoys classical music, the concerts at St-Chappelle are also very special and unique. Your daughter is very lucky; I had to wait until I was twice her age to get to Paris!

Dianne

Christina, why didn't you tell me about the French chanson-style clubs when I asked about the 3 cabaret clubs and my teenage daughter previously on this forum? I think we'd like that! The cancan is not that important! Do you, or anyone else, know of a safe hip teen club or cafe that has French popular or alternative music that my 17 yr. old daughter and her friend can hang out at by themselves for one night? I can be sure to meet them when it's time to go back to the hotel. They want to be be on their own for one night while I am with my adult friends. If no one knows, I'm sure we can find out when we get to Paris. It's just nice to have things planned before we go as we only have 8 days and there is so much to do and see!

Ben Haines

If you go into http://www.pariscope.fr, then try "Musique populaire", "Jazz", and similar pages you'll have an idea of the range available this week. Then at the airport you can buy the weekly listings magazine "Pariscope". <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, of London, in Teplice