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4 Unforgettable Experiences at Famous Monuments in Paris For Families With Teens

Are you looking to get away with your family and visit the famous monuments of Paris? Then look no further! The capital of France exudes a certain allure for traveling families. It is not an exaggeration to say that Paris is a bucket list-worthy vacation that you never forget because of its charming cobblestone streets, intimate cafes, iconic buildings, rich history, and unpaid painters on the Place de la Tertre. Add to this the delicious aroma of French pastries and sincere children’s giggles.

Everyone has at least once dreamed of traveling to France. What better way to accomplish so than by going to the capital? Paris is a great destination for families with teens. From the top of the Eiffel Tower to the bottom of the Catacombs, this city offers something for everyone. Whether you are looking for historical experiences, Instagram-worthy selfies, or architectural marvels, Paris is certainly a must-see destination!

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Before You Arrive

We strongly advise you to prepare for their amazing journey in advance. If you’re going to France, make reservations for your lodging, your airport transfer from Charles de Gaulle to Paris, and attraction tickets to avoid long lines. For airport transfers, choose a class that meets your requirements. if you’re going with a large family, AtoB airport transfer suggests hiring a minivan or minibus. Book early to get the best prices and don’t put it off until the last moment. This reduces the hardship of traveling and your chance of falling victim to a scam in a foreign nation.

4 Must See Buildings in Paris, France with Teens and Older Children

Let us take a look at four amazing monuments you and your family should visit during your Parisian getaway. We’ll provide a bit of history and travel facts to help you get the most out of your travels and a few tips on the best time to visit.

Eiffel tower at night

Eiffel Tower

Buildings all throughout the world bear the names of kings, generals, and industrialists, but they very rarely bear the names of the engineers or architects who designed them. The enormous tower that greeted guests at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair was only intended to be a temporary building. Perhaps this is the reason why the name of a political and national hero was removed. The tower bears Gustave Eiffel’s name, a talented architect.

Gustave Eiffel was highly motivated by the precise sciences and architecture and worked with the cutting-edge technologies of the day. Everything he does reflects his passion for science. The names of 72 French scientists are listed too on the frieze that surrounds the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.

Elevators are the only means of transportation to the 300-meter viewing tower. You can ascend the tower using four diagonal elevators to reach the height of its spread-out legs and even higher, to the spot where the legs meet the tower’s body. The second voyage will be vertical, moving steadily higher and higher from the centre of the structure. When the elevator stops and you arrive at the observation deck, your getting to the top of the building is complete. Take an airport taxi and see it on your own.

In 1909, the Eiffel Tower might have been taken down. The tower was only kept alive because it had previously served as a radio transmitter and a testing area for scientific experiments. In Bolivia and Hungary, Eiffel’s homes and bridges are still in use. Gustave Eiffel also contributed to the development of the interior base of the renowned Statue of Liberty.

Travel Tips When Seeing the Eiffel Tower:

  • Buy entry tickets to the Eiffel Tower in advance. You can avoid standing in line at the ticket office this way. Your electronic ticket must be printed out or shown on your smartphone.
  • Go at sunrise or sunset as the view is spectacular and offers a unique experience.
  • Get an entry ticket with an audioguide to learn more about the monuments and the history of Paris.
Notre Dame cathedral from Seine

Notre-Dame de Paris

One of the most well-known tourist destinations in Europe is Notre Dame Cathedral, often known as Notre Dame. The cathedral receives over 14 million visitors each year.

There is a bronze sign that reads “zero point” that is located near the entrance lines of Notre Dame Cathedral. All French destinations’ distances are calculated starting from this location. It makes sense that this is the location of Paris’ official centre. Notre Dame is situated on the island of Cité, which is positioned in the centre of the Seine between its right and left banks and is swept by a powerful current. In pre-Roman times, it served as Paris’s geographic core.

The cathedral’s past is depressing. The majority of the bells were taken out and destroyed during the French Revolution, and in 1793, revolutionaries toppled and beheaded 28 royal statues that were located on the main front. When Victor Hugo began to draft Notre Dame de Paris in 1831, the cathedral had sustained significant damage.

It was chosen to renovate the Cathedral in 1840. Eugène Violi-le-Duc, an architect, took on this challenging job and addressed it creatively. In order to add bizarre features to the cathedral’s reconstruction, Eugène adorned its exterior with numerous chimaeras and gargoyles. The cathedral now has a 96-meter-tall lead spire that was also erected by the architect. Bronze figurines of apostles and animals adorn the base of the spire. Pay close attention to the cathedral’s primary stained glass window, which was created in a medieval manner. The figure of the Mother of God, which was repaired after being destroyed, is located in the middle of the stained-glass window, which has a diameter of 9.6 meters.

On April 15, 2019, a fire caused the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral to collapse, yet the structure as a whole miraculously survived. As of February 2023, the cathedral’s parvis, architectural crypts, and Pont au Double are open to the public. During the reconstruction, masses will be celebrated at the church of Saint-Germain L’Auxerrois. 

Travel Tips When Seeing the Notre-Dame Cathedral:

  • Visit the Cathedral at night; it is illuminated and looks even more beautiful.
  • There are no free guided tours, but you can opt for this paid guided tour for your teens, so they can learn more about its history and the details of the building. The particular tour also covers Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, Île de la Cité, and the exterior of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
  • A Seine River Cruise is another option to view the exterior of the cathedral from the river. Some cruises include lunch for a lovely afternoon.

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louvre with woman in center taking picture

Louvre

One of the biggest museums in the world, the Musée du Louvre draws visitors from all over the globe, and you will be among them, just take AtoB Charles de Gaulle airport taxi and come here. The museum preserves works of art from various historical periods, cultures, and civilizations. Only 35,000 of the approximately 300,000 objects in the Louvre’s collection are visible in its halls.

The largest artwork on view at the Louvre is “The Wedding Feast at Cana of Galilee”. Paolo Veronese painted this picture in 1563. It completely encircles one of the halls’ walls. A rather little (77 cm by 53 cm) portrait hangs on the wall adjacent. A woman will be seen gazing enigmatically at you in the picture as you get closer to it. This is Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned Mona Lisa, also referred to as La Joconde in France. Other masters’ works, including those by Raphael, Michelangelo, El Greco, Rembrandt, Titian, and many others, can be found in the Louvre.

On the model of the 21.65-meter-tall Cheops pyramid, a glass pyramid was constructed in 1989 in the middle of the Napoleonic Courtyard in front of the Louvre. This pyramid is regarded as one of Paris’ icons and is frequently depicted on trinkets and postcards.

Travel Tips When Visiting the Louvre:

  • Purchase your ticket in advance to skip the lines at the museum’s ticket office. An electronic ticket can be purchased online.
  • Tours with a private guide can be booked online to help you find your way through the museum’s vast collection more effectively. Even if you don’t have enough time to wander through the entire museum, a tour of the Louvre’s highlights is recommended.
  • The best time to visit the Louvre is usually in the afternoons and early evenings. The museum receives fewer visitors during these times, so it’s much easier to take your time and enjoy the artwork.
  • For your convenience, book a taxi to avoid any problems with transportation. Costs for admission range from €11 to €15.

Related: Travel Insurance for Europe Vacation: Do You Need It?

Paris Catacombs

Catacombs of Paris

The late 18th century saw the emergence of the Paris catacombs. The medieval cemeteries were congested at the time because Paris was expanding quickly. Old graves were dug up and the remains were thrown away in order to make room for new burials, which solved the reburial issue.

Underground tunnels have existed in Paris since the Roman era when limestone was being extracted for the construction of structures like Notre Dame. The cemetery in the heart of the old city has been devastated ever since 1786. The priests and all the corpses were taken to the catacombs.

The entrance to the catacombs is marked with the following: “Arrête! C’est içi l’empire de la mort” (“Stop! This is the empire of death”). When you go inside, the name of the cemetery from where the bones were transferred and the date of burial are displayed above each part of the bones on both sides of the aisles when you enter.

Travel Tips When Visiting the Catacombs

  • Book your entry ticket well in advance.
  • Try to get to the catacombs before they open at 10 o’clock as lines can get very long (often lasting more than an hour).
  • It is useful to take AtoB airport taxi to arrive on time.
  • Plan what you will wear carefully as the tunnels below are about 14°C/57˚F and water occasionally drips from the roof.

Paris is a city that offers something for everyone, and it’s never too late to take your family with teens on the trip of a lifetime. From the iconic Louvre Museum and its glass pyramid entrance to the Catacombs where you can discover Paris’ eerie past, this is an experience they will never forget.

With just a little bit of planning, you can ensure that their time in Paris is as enjoyable and memorable as possible – all while taking advantage of some truly incredible monuments!

For more European Destinations for your Family, see:

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