Trip to Paris in late November with a 15 and 11y old girls - things to do?

[Anonymous]

Hello!

We will spend 8 days is Paris in late November (Thanksgiving week) and I would like suggestions of things to do, places to visit with our girls.

When my 15y old as 18 months we visit Paris during the same time and it was one of our best trips. We visited the museums, Versailles, the Christmas market, etc. We had a wonderful time and I kind of want replicate that now that our children are older.

That said, because they are older and have other interests, I want to incorporate those as well.

My youngest loves museums, so she is set. The oldest loves thrifting/shopping cheaply/fashion.

Can you recommend a good place/neighborhood to take her thrifting?

Also, is there is Paris a fashion/flea market like the one in Nottingham Hill in London?

That trip was my first to Paris and I absolutely LOVED IT! I confess my then toddler was a joy (no tantrums, happy go lucky kind of child) and down to e everything we did.

We went a few years later during the summer months and, while no terrible, it didn’t even compare to the first time experience. I think it was due to the time of the year…


I’m actually trying to NOT have high expectations this time around due to the age of my children, specifically the eldest. You know how teens are…

So I want to plan for things we *should* do/visit and things that just mindless fun for them.

Thanks for any recommendations/inputs.

BTW, we will be staying in the Latin Quarter.

[Anonymous]

I've been to Paris as a family at Christmas and on a girls trip with my 14-year old DD (and once when she was about 6 years old).

I definitely recommend going to Galleries LaFayette. Their holiday decorations will be beautiful (and just the store is beautiful), and my daughter (and admittedly me too) loved the Jellycat Cafe in the store. It also had beautiful views from the rooftop.

I know some people think it's overrrated but we always go to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, and it's beautiful, especially at sunset. We loved getting hot cocoa there last year.

We also have gone to Les Beauxgrenelles shopping mall several times (due to where we were staying and needing to find a warmer jacket for DD), and DD had fun looking in the stores, and my younger kids had fun looking in the huge toy store near there. I wouldn't make a special trip, but if you're in the neighborhood.

We both loved Musee De L'Orangerie. Musee D'Orsay is also amazing. The Louvre is also obviously amazing but overwhelming.





For 8 days, I'd recommend doing a few day trips or even going to Strasbourg for a few days

[Anonymous]

Walk to the top of the Arc D Triomphe, great views and the kids won't have any problem if they're in shape. Then walk down Champs-Élysées to Longchamp and buy them each a Le Pliage bag in the store.

[Anonymous]

Wander the Left Bank. Your thrifting daughter will be enamored.

[Anonymous]

We did a good tour focused on chocolate and pastry… my teens loved it!

[Anonymous]

There are a few places in Paris where you can make your own perfume. I think one is marketed at a perfume museum. Might be fun for them.

[Anonymous]

Cooking class. La Cuisine Paris is excellent - especially the pastry class.

[Anonymous]

Go down to Chenonceau.

Or visit the Chartres cathedral with a tour.

[Anonymous]

I took my teen on the Bustronome and she loved it. They pick you up and drop you off just near the Arc d’Triumph. Super easy and a great view of Paris at night. It’s a bit pricey but well worth it.

[Anonymous]

I used to go to Paris on day trips when I was in my 20's and 30s from London via train.

The Rodin museum is quite contained - it's basically in an elegant house with a garden and it really shows you the range of his work from start to finish. There's a good tabac opposite for a coffee.

And opposite Gare du Nord is Brasserie Nord for a quite traditionally French menu including excellent steak tartare.

[Anonymous]

There are a couple of house museums that are fun. I particularly liked this one https://parisjetaime.com/eng/culture/mad-musee-nissim-de-camondo-p3567

Also Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was held) might interest your daughters.

The Musee de la Mode has fashion exhibitions, but is not open the entire year, so you would need to check whether it will be open when you are there.

[Anonymous]

Catacombs, book as soon as tickets open.

[Anonymous]

I just got back with my two girls!

Highly recommend Baking with the Nonnas on Airbnb experiences. We went to the most adorable atelier and a sweet French grandma taught us how to make 2 different pastries then we ate them with coffee/tea/juice. It was like 2.5 hours but flew by we had a great time.

Also my girls LOVED The Perlerie 22 which is a charm bracelet shop you pick your bracelet and they have a million charms to choose from. It was affordable and a great souvenier. The neighborhood it's in is adorable to walk around- definitely plan a few hours there.

I'm not sure if you've heard of space invaders but definitely look into it. https://www.space-invaders.com/home/ and download the app Flashinvaders. It's little mosaic street art, a lot of which is recognizeable characters- cheshire cat, mario, pikachu, etc- build into the side of buildings ALL over Paris. I think there's 1500 around paris. You use the app to take pics of them and "catch" them and each one is worth a different number of points, the app has a leaderboard. My kids were obsessed and stayed interested the entire week. We did it as we walked around the city. We actually kicked it off with a tour from AirBnb from a lady named Camile. She is great- personable, a mom of tweens, and so knowledgable about Paris and the invaders street art. She walked us around, we stopped for pastries along the way, she showed my girls the trendy kid things in Paris. It was a lot of fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wander the Left Bank. Your thrifting daughter will be enamored.

I have a 12 & 15 year old & the kilo shops were highlights. Also Musée d’orsay. All the security around the Eiffel Tower has kind of ruined it- no picnicking crowds, you just gape at it pointlessly. But seeing all the influencers set up their shots on the bridge is pretty cool & sparked good conversations. The Angelina’s at jardin de Luxembourg is also super fun in sunny weather. Try going to chataue chantilly or fontainblu or Versailles with that many days. The marais is also really fun for shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wander the Left Bank. Your thrifting daughter will be enamored.

I have a 12 & 15 year old & the kilo shops were highlights. Also Musée d’orsay. All the security around the Eiffel Tower has kind of ruined it- no picnicking crowds, you just gape at it pointlessly. But seeing all the influencers set up their shots on the bridge is pretty cool & sparked good conversations. The Angelina’s at jardin de Luxembourg is also super fun in sunny weather. Try going to chataue chantilly or fontainblu or Versailles with that many days. The marais is also really fun for shopping.

You can still do that, just not directly under the tower. Champ-de-Mars is typically completely open for picnics, lounging, etc.