Can someone help me find a 2-night trip that my teenage son will love going on with me .... in Paris?

[CinnamonTart]

DS (16) would like to go to go on a 2-night trip to Paris with me <omg>
He wants to see the Eiffel tower. I have absolutely no idea where to stay or what to see - but I do know that I would kill for him to enjoy this and to remember us doing this together.
Can anyone help??
I’d love a hotel with a pool as it’s going to be so hot. We’re happy to walk - all ideas very welcome!

Hand him his phone

Tell him the budget

Let him send you 3 possible choices

When? Really wouldn't recommend it while the Olympics are on!

Ideally 15th and 16th aug! Ish!

15th is a public holiday.

I've been this week and really wouldn't recommend it! Extremely tight security, needed a pass to access the interesting bits so I didn't bother (live close so go several times a year).

What are his interests ?

Hotel with a pool?? Not gonna be cheap.

Does he like football? Paris Saint Germain stadium tour? A boat trip down the Seine, if you go at dusk you get to see the Eiffel tower lit up. A gallery and museum but don't overdo it. Catacombs tour. Lots of food.

Thank you all. He isn’t in to football. Loves food, basketball, gym, interesting stuff.

I actually looked recently on love holidays for those dates. It was only £2-300 per person including flights for fancy hotels with pools! I'm hoping to do the same with DD so understand wanting to make it magical.

https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/?destinationIds=2842&departureAirports=BHX-EMA-MAN&nights=2&rooms=2&date=2024-08-15&flexibility=5&sort=POPULAR

So hard to know what 16 year olds want. I'd say have a beer together. He'll feel grown up.

https://www.viator.com/en-GB/tours/Paris/Small-Group-Normandy-D-Day-Beaches-Day-Trip-with-Omaha-Beach-American-Cemetery-and-Cider-Tasting/d479-7249P9

https://www.viator.com/en-GB/tours/Paris/Bistro-Style-Seine-River-Dinner-Cruise/d479-6557DINNERCRUISE

https://www.getyourguide.com/paris-l16/moulin-rouge-show-with-champagne-t189477/?ranking_uuid=f421cd8f-5fc5-457d-85a0-c38470031996

https://www.getyourguide.com/paris-l16/louvre-museum-skip-the-line-entrance-ticket-t145779/?ranking_uuid=9c75438a-7751-4a6f-aa41-2fbc2bda7ae7

https://www.getyourguide.com/paris-l16/catacombes-of-paris-and-seine-river-cruise-t477227/?ranking_uuid=29ee9b6d-9c94-4899-ae38-f6ab201e825d

https://www.getyourguide.com/-l16/?cmp=ga&cqsrc=googleeads&cqcmp=15505299273&cqqcon=136148805012&cqterm=paris%20for%20young%20adults&cqqmed=&cqplac=&cqqnet=g&cqpos=&cqqplt=gp&campaignid=15505299273&adgrouppid=136148805012&targetid=kwd-832794690694&loccphysicalms=1006959&matchhtype=e&adid=569326980611&keyword=paris%20for%20young%20adults&addposition=&feeditemmid=&placement=&device=m&partnerid=CD951&gaddsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmzJCPJYL5q3a2yUgtOinRFp-GRT&gclid=CjwKCAjw2Je1BhAgEiwAp3KY7w2FNh0zGyDBP6x5up7d3xSPTI1CtPGYsyX1wkIMUbjSCJWFCNgiOBoCqv0QAvDBwE

Wishing you the best of luck.

You'll need to book everything in advance. Once you've found a hotel, book the Eiffel tower straight away. Tickets sell out weeks in advance. Same for the catacombs.

I will avoid Paris at the moment because of Olympic most of hotels will be fully booked try Berlin, or wait until Olympic finishes.

We’ll def go after the Olympics finish!

@ShanequaAndWhat thank you SO much for all these links - that’s amazingly helpful. I have a mental block with how to get around Paris - is it walkable??

There is the Olympics. And Paris half closes down in August so whatever you do plan, make sure it hasn't closed down for the month.

Paris walkable, no. Not if your activities are across the city from each other. But walking randomly through Paris is wonderful.

@OnlyFrench and @WonderingWanda the Eiffel Tower and the Seine would be great - and thank you for the public holiday tip - is everything closed then? Should we definitely avoid the 15th?
If we stay in a hotel just outside the city centre, is it easy to get in and out if you don’t have a car?

We went Paris the weekend before the Olympics... big mistake! You can't get near any of the main tourist destinations as they're all behind secure fences for the Olympics.

The city is crawling with armed police and army, who are shouting and yelling at people all the time. Not very pleasant.

I wouldn't go anywhere near Paris until the Olympics and Paralympics are all over.

If he's mad keen to go to France, maybe go on an e-bike tour out of the city?

He might enjoy the catacombs.

This is not the summer for a spontaneous trip to Paris. Don't forget the paralympics are happening later in August, so the disruption and infrastructure will all be staying in place - you can't just assume it will all be back to normal mid August.

As pp say the paralympics will be in in late august

omg re paraolympics - you’re so right - we’ll rethink our dates!

Hi Op I live in Paris and would agree maybe rethink dates because of the Olympics. Seeing the sights is difficult without QR code to move around freely etc. I had visitors last week who were miffed they couldn't get close to the Seine or the tower as it was all closed off.

As for where to stay I would always suggest mama shelter hotels because they are cool and also good price. No pools though but they definitely have cool points

Alternatively stay somewhere on the end of a metro line, for example Vincennes, Saint Mandé is at the end of the line 1 which takes you directly to champs Élysée, Tuileries etc. It's just outside of the périphérique so not considered true Paris. I would liken it to Bromley/London

The metro system here is great most of the time (if a little stinky), get a navigo easy card and explore. The Marais is another cool area, all the hip people hang around there
Take a river cruise in the evening to see the tower sparkle.

It's a great city, have fun

You definitely don't need à car, public transport is great. Download the bonjour rapt app, gives you all your options bus / tram / walk.

www.bonjour-ratp.fr/

Highly recommend krakow as a city break with teens

Lots to do

@stormonaspringmorn do you need the games pass during the Paralympics to get around the tourist attractions or just the opening ceremony? Sorry to hop on to this thread but I'm visiting from 27th August

@stormonaspringmorn I’m hoping I can pick your brains again. We’re coming on the 14th Dec for the day - can you advise on timings for the tower at night, a trip on the seine and the catacombs - as in how long for each and where is the best place to buy tickets to escape the queues. Thank you!
p.s. have booked into mama shelter west on your advice!