Visiting Paris with teenagers is the perfect opportunity to choose some more fun and quirky activities all while exploring the capital. Here are the 10 most memorable things to try!
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In the district of La Défense, fans of virtual reality theme parks like to head to Parc Illucity. There is plenty of entertainment on offer: laser game in virtual reality (VR), escape game in virtual reality (VR) or arcade games. Fun guaranteed for youngsters (from 8 yrs) and older kids, on their own or in a team with original and fun experiences. Thanks to the game masters at Illucity, even beginners can have a go. The best in technology is available at the Parisian Park (helmets, controllers, backpacks, D-BOX chairs, vibrating floors, 4DVR experience …) where a dozen escape games are waiting to be discovered, like the game Toyland crazy Monkey, exclusive to Illucity.
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All across Paris, escape games are thriving and offering games dedicated to kids and teens, with a huge choice of scenarios worthy of the greatest action movies. Everything is possible: dive into the Assassin’s Creed games (The Game, Paris 5th), travelling back in time with Freak Show (Artimus, Paris 20th) or even reliving the plot of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (Phobia, Paris 13th), take the subway to Gotham City then get an interview with the Joker (Batman Escape, Paris 19th) . My Urban Experience offers outdoor escape games, which are a great, original way to discover Paris while having fun. You can choose from a range of games exploring the city’s most important historic sites: Mysteries of the Latin Quarter (Saint-Germain, Saint-Michel, Latin Quarter), Secrets of the Marais, and Mysteries of Montmartre (Sacré-Cœur).
© Edouard Eyglunent
Weecandoo offer beginners workshops in artisanal techniques in the studios of real artisans. Along with discovering these artists’ practical know-how, the aim is also to make and take home your own creation. Wecandoo collaborate with over 100 Parisian artisans eager to share their passion and give you tips and advice. Kids workshops are designed for doing activities as a family, but bigger kids can also choose to try a solo activity. Making macarons, creating a concrete statue, sewing made-to-measure clothes or even making mozzarella, each workshop is a real experience! Discover French artisanal crafts and enjoy a chance to create a wonderful souvenir completely by hand.
© MY URBAN EXPERIENCE
My Urban Experience offers quirky visits to help you discover Paris in a different way. The concept is based on a unique combination of culture and fun, with each 90-minute visit having a particular theme. An original and entertaining activity leading you around the Paris of videogames reveals the settings that inspired the famous Assassin’s Creed and Tomb Raider games. A number of walks can teach you about street art by sending you on a trail to discover urban artworks, and history lovers can follow in the footsteps of famous figures from Ancient Egypt, learn the secrets of the Bastille, visit Paris’s criminal underworld or discover the city during the Belle Époque. This is Paris as you’ve never seen it before!
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The Catacombes de Paris area is a must-see in the capital for those who are brave enough. This municipal ossuary, one of the largest in the world and one of the only underground examples, houses the remains of millions of Parisians who were moved there once the city’s cemeteries became too unsanitary starting in the 18th century. This unique site is a veritable labyrinth. The Catacombes go 20 m deep (equivalent to the height of a 5-storey building) and contains 243 steps, with a total walking distance of 1,500 m! Visitors can discover famous figures such as Rabelais, Charles Perrault, Danton and Robespierre. An unusual visit that will make an impression on all the family!
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Water sports fans and thrill-seekers can now learn wakeboarding or waterskiing on the Seine! The Ski Nautique Club de Paris lets visiting skiers take beginner sessions every weekend from 2pm to 6pm, not far from the Longchamp Racecourse (16th arrondissement). And at the Base Nautique de la Villette, kids from 12 to 17 can take free beginner classes in canoe-kayak and rowing, as long as they know how to swim.
© Sylvain Bachelot
This is the oldest theme park in Paris and is a must-see for teens. With thrilling rides, funfair stands and areas for meeting animals, it is a magical place that that they are sure to enjoy! Classic attractions like the shooting gallery, the darts stand, the distorting mirrors and the flying chairs are combined with more sensational rides like the speed rockets which send visitors zooming around a 400 m track full of twists and turns. Another thing worth noting is the newest attraction, Wild Immersion, which is the first natural park in virtual reality! This is the perfect place to have fun on a sunny day.
Paradox Museum Paris, a place where the impossible becomes reality! Immerse yourself in a fascinating universe where optical illusions and visual paradoxes challenge your perceptions. Each room is an invitation to explore, interact and capture surprising moments that push back the limits of your mind. With family, friends or on your own, come and enjoy a unique and fun experience, ideal for fans of immersive experiences and unforgettable selfies. Prepare to be amazed by this museum where illusion reigns supreme!
© Guillaume Ombreux
Discover Paris with the Pari Roller & Mobilités, a safe event suitable for all levels. Share a sporty and cultural moment in this magical Paris by night. Enjoy this unique and free ride on rollers, bikes, gyroroue, trottinette or skate. Have fun roaming the illuminated streets of Paris for an evening! Come along for an unforgettable evening, alone or with friends, every Friday evening starting at 9.30pm on the forecourt of Montparnasse station.
