Paris with teenagers: 16 activities they will actually enjoy

Climb to the very top

1. The Eiffel Tower by the stairs

The south pillar staircase leads to the second floor in 674 steps: twenty to thirty minutes of effort, with the metal structure within reach and the city opening up at every landing. It is also the cheapest option: €7.40 for 12-24 year-olds, €14.80 for an adult, compared with €11.80 and €23.50 by lift. The "stairs + lift to the top" ticket costs €14 for a young person and €28 for an adult. The youth rate applies regardless of nationality, with proof of age. Buy online from the official ticket office to choose your time slot; since 29 September 2026, groups of more than nine people must book online.

2. The rooftops of Paris, the legal way: the Arc de Triomphe terrace

Faced with "rooftopping" videos, remind them that climbing onto a private roof is an offence, and that fatal falls do happen. The most spectacular legal alternative is the Arc de Triomphe terrace (place Charles-de-Gaulle, 75008 Paris, metro and RER Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile), reached by 284 steps, with a view over the twelve avenues of the Étoile and the Eiffel Tower. Entry is free for under-18s; adults pay €16 from October to March and €22 from April to September. Open daily until 10.30pm in winter and 11pm in summer, last entry 45 minutes before: a good outing at nightfall.

Get the shivers underground

3. The catacombs

Reopened on 8 April 2026 after works, the catacombs (entrance at 1 avenue du Colonel-Henri-Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, metro and RER Denfert-Rochereau) offer a new route with an immersive audio headset. Allow an hour, 131 steps down and 112 back up, and a constant 14 °C. Prices: €15 for 8-17 year-olds, €25 reduced rate (up to 26, students), €31 full price. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.45am to 8.30pm, closed on Mondays; capacity is limited to 200 people, so book a time slot on the Paris Musées ticket office. Under-14s must be accompanied; not recommended for claustrophobic visitors.

Street art, vintage and filming locations

4. A street art walk

Belleville, rue Dénoyez and the giant murals on boulevard Vincent-Auriol in the 13th can be explored for free, on foot and at your own pace. Let the teenager hunt for Invader's mosaics (the dedicated app turns the walk into a game). The best routes are detailed in our guide to street art in Paris.

5. Thrift-store hunting

The vintage shops of the Marais and Oberkampf and the Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market appeal to 14-17 year-olds; set a budget, as branded pieces sell for a lot. Addresses and tips in our selection of thrift and vintage shops.

6. In the footsteps of Emily in Paris and Lupin

Series watched on streaming platforms give a common thread to a day of walking: place de l'Estrapade and the Palais-Royal garden from Emily in Paris, the Louvre, the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Pont des Arts from Lupin. The map of locations, title by title, is in our guide to films and series shot in Paris.

Museums that won't bore them

7. The Cité des sciences

The exhibitions at the Cité des sciences (30 avenue Corentin-Cariou, 75019 Paris, metro Porte de la Villette, line 7) suit secondary-school students, with the planetarium included in the ticket. Open Tuesday to Saturday until 6pm and Sunday until 7pm, closed on Mondays. The exhibitions ticket costs €10 for under-26s and €15 full price.

8. The Atelier des Lumières

In a former foundry in the 11th (38 rue Saint-Maur, 75011 Paris, metro Rue Saint-Maur, line 3), immersive projections cover the walls and floor. In autumn 2026, the programme alternates Van Gogh, the Renaissance and The Little Prince depending on the day, then "Planète Océan" from 16 October. An hour is enough; late openings on Fridays and Saturdays. Full price €18, reduced for young people; book online at weekends.

9. The Musée de l'Armée at Les Invalides

Suits of armour, cannons, rooms devoted to the two world wars and Napoleon's tomb: this is often the favourite museum of 12-15 year-olds. Entry is free for under-18s and for 18-25 year-olds resident in the European Union, €17 for an adult (€10 for the late opening, on the first Friday of the month until 10pm). Open daily from 10am to 6pm, at 129 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris (metro La Tour-Maubourg or Varenne).

A museum where you ride the rides

10. The Musée des Arts forains

At the Pavillons de Bercy (53 avenue des Terroirs-de-France, 75012 Paris, metro Cour Saint-Émilion, line 14), you ride 19th-century carousels and set the musical attractions going. Guided tours only, mostly in French, by reservation, about 1h30; full price €21. Self-guided visits during the Festival du Merveilleux, from 26 December to the end of the Christmas holidays.

Video games, escape games and sport

11. Escape games

Allow €19 to €45 per player for an hour, with the price falling as the group gets bigger. The most common rule: from age 10 accompanied by an adult, and alone from 15; horror scenarios often require an older age. Check each venue's conditions before booking.

12. Paris Games Week

The video game show runs from 22 to 25 October 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (75015 Paris, metro 12 and 8, tram T3a), from 9.30am to 7pm. Dated one-day ticket: €20 for 8-25 year-olds, €29 from age 26, €80 for two adults and two young people. Arrive at opening time: the queues for demos are long.

13. PSG and the Parc des Princes

A match at the Parc des Princes will leave its mark on a football-mad teen, but tickets go fast; the Stadium Tour is easier to get. Ticketing, the best stands for families and access are detailed in our guide PSG and the Parc des Princes.

14. Padel

A fast-growing sport, padel is played in fours and can be learned in an hour: a good parent-teen activity. Courts can be booked by the hour without membership; clubs and prices in our guide to padel in Paris.

15. Cycling

The Seine riverbanks, the Canal Saint-Martin and the Bois de Vincennes lend themselves to cycling. Vélib' is open from age 14, under a parent's responsibility, and forbidden to under-14s even when accompanied. How it works in our Vélib' guide.

16. A safe evening out

In the evening, go for the Arc de Triomphe terrace (until 10.30pm), a late opening at the Musée de l'Armée or the Eiffel Tower's sparkle seen from the Trocadéro, five minutes at the start of every hour. Selling alcohol to minors is illegal in France, including in bars.

Youth discounts and transport

Under-18s, whatever their nationality, get free entry to the permanent collections of national museums and monuments: the Louvre, Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, the Musée de l'Armée, the Panthéon, the Sainte-Chapelle. 18-25 year-olds also qualify if they are nationals or residents of the European Union (or of the European Economic Area at the Louvre). Bring ID, which is requested at the ticket desk. The permanent collections of the City of Paris museums are free for everyone, but not the catacombs.

On the metro, the reduced fare only applies to under-10s: a teenager pays full fare. The Navigo Jeunes Week-end pass was abolished in 2025 and the annual Imagine R subscription is for young residents of Île-de-France. For a stay, compare tickets, Navigo Semaine and Paris Visite with our guide Navigo or Paris Visite.

Independence and safety

Paris is well suited to first outings alone: a dense metro, lively central neighbourhoods, free emergency numbers (112, 17 for the police). Before letting a 15-17 year-old get around alone, set some rules: charged phone and location sharing, a meeting point in case they get lost, back before the last metro. The real risks are pickpockets around monuments and on the metro, and street scams (shell games, fake petitions, bracelets). The full picture is in our guide Is Paris safe?.

Budget for a typical day

Eiffel Tower stairs, Musée de l'Armée and the Arc de Triomphe terrace: for two teenagers, only the tower is paid (€14.80 for both); a parent pays €47.80 in admissions in October. Escape games, catacombs and matches push the bill up.

Practical summary

Prices observed in September 2026, subject to change; youth discounts require ID.

Further reading

If the siblings include younger children too, our guide Paris with kids suggests suitable places. To make the most of free admission, see the list of free museums in Paris, and before an evening out, read our advice on safety in Paris at night.