Paris with 13yo

Travel to/from CDG. . . . . The options I am considering is either a taxi or the bus

What is wrong with RER + métro?
A 13-year-old should be transporting their own case, and the RER and métro will be a good introduction to Paris.

I've never withdrawn cash from CDG as I've always been worried I'd be fleeced on the exchange rate.

It is not the ATM that sets the exchange rate, it is your card issuer (Visa or Mastercard) The ATM owner should be charging your card the exact number of €€€ you take out.
That is except if you accept DCC, in which case the ATM owner IS setting the exchange rate, and that will cost you more.
Same applies to using credit cards - refuse DCC, insist your card is charged the exact Euro amount on the bill, and your card company will give you the best rate.

Have you asked her what she wants to see? It will be her experience, discovering a new city and alien environment (in the correct meaning of the word).
I hope she has her own spending money, which she manages herself. If she wants something, she buys it herself (she does the talking). For a 13-year-old female, I am sure shopping will come into the trip.

Take your daughter to LE CITÉ DES SCIENCES ET DE L'INDUSTRIE , LA VILLETE, and PARC ASTERIX if you get the chance. Kids love stuff like that.

http://www.cite-sciences.fr/fr/accueil/

https://lavillette.com/

https://www.parcasterix.fr/en

I would have your daughter do some research. There are many books and movies that are not only enjoyable but would provide a taste of Paris and insight into what she'd like to do. Midnight in Paris is a very fun movie. You could also watch videos like Rick Steves together and see what peeks her interest. Also, watch the episode of "I'll Have what Phil's Having" set in Paris. Is she interested in a particular artist? photography (beyond selfies)? literature? bike riding? I did this kind of "research with my kids" from a very young age and even when they were college students when planning trips. They get so much more out of the trip this way.

I will second Chris F's suggested of using public transportation. RER B from the airport couldn't be easier as long as you are not so weighted down with luggage. It's often faster than a taxi/urber, and even with two people there will be a savings. When we traveled to big cities I always had the kids participate and then handle the transportation. Now they are quite self sufficient with maps, technology and using mass transit no matter what city they are in. I also feel like you experience more, the more you immerse yourself into a culture. When I took my youngest two, girls, age 20 at the time, they loved the markets, cafes, art museums, walking the bridges and along the rivers, the parks and anywhere with views. The Arc de Triomphe is on the museum pass and has great views, and we enjoyed the walk down the Champs de Elysees to the Tuileries.

Do not attempt Versailles without a timed ticket. It is a bit of a nightmare anyway, but without a timed ticket, it is a nightmare plus endless line waiting. If you use the museum pass, be at the train station in Versailles at 8 -- it takes 15 minutes to walk to the chateau and then there is a perimeter security and you will have a half hour or more to wait till it opens. Best odds of being close to the front. Or get a Kings Apartment Tour which you can pair with your museum pass and let's you skip the security line -- it has its own entrance (you do do the perimeter security line of course and you need a KAT ticket for your daughter but she doesn't need a chateau ticket)

Give the daughter an illustrated guide book and ask her to plan one of the days and do what she picks. My kids often chose things I would not have thought of and it gives them buy in as well. Get timed tickets ahead to the top of the Eiffel Tower or else plan to walk up if she is game and you are. That is pretty fun and you can buy tickets for the elevator from floor 2 to the top when you buy the walking ticket.

We made a little ritual of getting a pastry in the afternoon; we would let the kids choose whatever they wanted from a nearby bakery and then take it to a local park for an afternoon snack. They loved trying all the interesting looking options.

I've stayed at Hotel du Champ de Mars and really enjoyed it. It's cute and felt very French to me, lol.

IF you decide go forward with your stay here, purchase your Museum Pass at the Tabac on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet just at the end of Rue Cler. You do have to walk past the Amorino gelato shop on the way though, lol!! If you are going to get a Navigo Decouverte they also sell them there. The ticket booth at Ecole Militaire Metro stop is also staffed so you can purchase from a person instead of having to use the machines.

https://goo.gl/maps/8GxhXULayTekmMdA6

I know many take public transport but if you are transiting thru Dublin and then on to Paris I'd be tired and would opt for a taxi from the official taxi rank at CDG. You can ask the taxi before you get in if they take credit cards, if not, go back to the curb and say to the taxi manager who is directing traffic "credit card". They will know what you mean. I always budget the 55E for a taxi just because I'm tired, a bit punchy and don't want to have to deal with staying pickpocket proof on public transit.

In the Rue Cler area, I usually get cash at the BNP Paribas ATM on Rue Chevert. On the map link I gave you above, it's on the corner across from where it shows the Hotel Turenne and around the corner from the Kebab shop. I use this one because on my first Rick Steves tour to Paris this is where the guide told us was a good place to get money. It's quiet and I've never been nervous about getting money out by myself at this location.

1. Price out the separate costs of where you think you will be visiting. I have been (with various family members) to Paris a number of times, and its never been cheaper for us to buy the passes. I don't know if it's because we tend to spend a lot of time in museums, of what. How it works with kids under 18 seems to depend on the place; as I recall, at least one of them has you print out tickets that say "free" along with your paid tickets.

2. Depends on where you're staying and the time of day. One time we took a taxi on a Sunday afternoon in the early summer, that was a bad idea because the roads were full of people returning to the city after a weekend in the countryside. Other times we've taken public transport; either works just fine.

3. I know you can get cash all over, but it gives me peace of mind to arrive at my vacation with cash in hand of the local currency, so I pick up some in my home city before I leave. Just one less thing to think about when jet-lagged. Yes I know it's not cost-efficient.

4. It depends on her and your interests. I've taken my kids at similar ages (gender doesn't have much to do with it, IMHO). None of us like shopping, so I have no advice on that. The evening (city lights) Seine boat cruise we do almost every visit. All those other things you mentioned. We get the small-size macarons and share them, comparing the various patisserie offerings (hmm, they're grown up now, and we still do this). Montmartre, especially for my kid who loves the Impressionists. The Pantheon, with the kid who read The Hunchback of Notre Dame. For the kid who likes Napoleon, we visited Les Invalides, and took a day trip to Fountainebleu. Saint-Chappelle; I tried to trick them into thinking the lower chapel was all there was, then surprising them with the upper level, but they were on to me. The bird and animal market on Sundays. Paris Opera House, if they've seen The Phantom of the Opera. Almost every trip, we love to go to the Arc de Triumph and watch the vehicles (and bicycles) whizzing around.

I have some general suggestions. I'll leave the details up to you, but only do one museum a day. It is easy to get burnout. Besides, you'll be in Paris in May! You want to spend as much time as possible outside, just soaking up the city. I'm looking at everything you have listed in #1 and #4 and I think you are trying to cram in way too much. You can't do it all in 4 days.

I agree about getting your daughter heavily involved in the itinerary and doing her own research. I'm sitting at my desk looking at a photo of my wife standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. We were on a school trip together and she was 14 when I took the photo. Based on her experience, I think your slightly younger daughter will have a great time! Exactly two weeks from today (yikes!), we will be arriving at CDG and heading out to the Loire Valley, 53 years after our first time in France together.

Your daughter does not need a Paris Museum Pass. She walks in for free with you. Only Napoleon's Tomb/Army Museum and the Arch de Triomphe require her to stop to pick up a free ticket from the ticket counter.

The Paris Museum Pass does cover Versailles, up to a €30 value. Note that the free kids rule at Versailles is different when entering the garden portion on musical fountain days.

I think you have more on your list than you can do in 4 days. That's okay, just be sure to prioritize, so you know which things you really want to do and which you're willing to let go of when/if it becomes apparent that everything won't fit.
1. Re: Versailles. The palace itself is big, and crowded. You and your daughter might enjoy spending some of your time seeing Marie Antoinette's Petit Hameau. Our granddaughters (9 and 12 at the time) really enjoyed the Night Fountains show, complete with fireworks (Saturdays only).
2. I agree with the suggestions to take a cab from the airport to your hotel unless cost is a major consideration. You'll be tired and pulling/carrying luggage. Le Bus Direct is comfortable and a good idea if your hotel is very near where the Bus stops. You're sitting up high so you can see Paris a bit during the trip. I've not encountered any issues on public transportation, but you might be considered a target coming straight from a flight. Once you put your luggage down, public transportation is the way to go.
3. There are ATMs in the airport and there is a Tourist Information office where you can get a Museum Pass and get answers to questions.
4. Our granddaughters loved eating lunch up in the Eiffel Tower, and going all the way to the top. They both (but especially the younger one) liked the Catacombs.
I agree with the suggestions to involve your daughter in creating a "must see" list.
We've enjoyed the rue Clear area and Hotel du Champs de Mars. I think you'll have a great time.

I think you're bringing your daughter to Paris at a good age. My daughter's first trip to Paris was when she was 15 with me. We did not stay as long in Paris as our real intent had been London. I believe we stayed just one night, so we had most of 2 days there. My daughter didn't do any advance research, but she was taking French, although she was too shy to use it at the time. I would throw out suggestions on the day and she'd decide and we'd alter as the day went. We did a lot of walking along the Seine, through the streets, and along the Champs Elysee, to the Latin district, and I believe we went to the Rhodin Museum on that trip. But basically we walked, looked, watched and got a feel for Paris. We are not shoppers, but we enjoyed all the food shops and windows, and watching people. This was her first trip to Europe. When I traveled with my daughter, I followed her lead regarding her mood and interests. We rarely had definite plans. She ended up spending her Junior Year Abroad in Paris, and returning to work in France after she graduated from college teaching English in their elementary school system for a year so I think something about that free wheeling system worked. ln the end she spent 7 years in Europe before returning to the US.

If you are going to take a taxi for part of the way, I'd suggest you take one direct from the airport. We stayed on Rue Cler during this first trip, not for our return trips, but it is kind of awkward from the airport, IMO. It's also very American.

With this being a quick visit to Paris, I would highly recommend you not waste time walking along the Champs - it's just so full of chain stores (many which can be found in the U.S.) and there is really nothing particularly special about it other than its famous name. If you find yourself in Paris on a Friday, your 13 year old might enjoy attending a fashion show at Galeries Lafayette. The show used to be free, but you now have to pay a small amount to go. Double plus is she can do a little shopping there and they also have a good rooftop terrace open to the public where you can take in a fantastic 360 degree view of Paris.

Another fun activity with a 13 year old girl could be going to Musee du Parfum and signing up for the Perfumer's Apprentice Workshop. In 90 minutes she will learn something and get to create her own fragrance to take home with her. If they are booked, there are a number of perfume boutiques that will do private workshops so you can each create your own perfume.

Agree with Jules M to get your daughter involved in researching and planning some things that interest her. But disagree that "Midnight in Paris" would be a "fun movie" for a 13 year old. Sorry, not sorry, but no 13 year old should be forced to endure 2 hours of Woody Allen's pompous, middle-aged banter even if his film features some pretty shots of the Eiffel Tower. There are far better films featuring Paris a young girl her age can be watching with you to build some excitement about the trip. If you can find it on Netflix or Prime, I'd recommend Diane Lane's first starring role (as a 13 year old, no less) in "A Little Romance" where she meets and falls in love for the first time with a French boy. Most of it is set in Paris although there are some scenes set in Italy which could stoke her interest in a future trip there. Another one would be "Amelie" - yes, it's got subtitles in English, but she's about to hear a whole lot of French being spoken all around her and it's a cute film with beautiful shots of Paris.

Another one would be "Amelie" - yes, it's got subtitles in English, but she's about to hear a whole lot of French being spoken all around her and it's a cute film with beautiful shots of Paris.

Amelie is a charming movie and I highly recommend it. However, consider your relationship with your daughter before sitting down together to watch it. There's implied sex off screen and while Amelie tracks down leads for a mystery, she stops in an adult store where sex toys are in plain view. I wouldn't want you or your daughter to be surprised. Of course, it might be an opportunity to spark some further discussions on sexuality that might be mutually beneficial.

@Ceidleh, have you seen Midnight in Paris? It's a really tame movie. I'd let my kids watch that before Amelie. I don't enjoy many of Woody Allen's movies and I would agree he has questionable morals. He is not in the movie and there really is no trace of him in the movie. There are lots of shots of Paris beyond the Eiffel Tower. I don't think its Oscar movie, but I'm surprised that it would be a movie that would generate strong opinions. In any case, there are many movies and books set in Paris, so avoiding a few isn't exactly a tragedy.

If you do decide to purchase a Museum Pass they are also available at CDG. After you have collected your luggage & walk out of the secured zone there are large booths that sell the Pass. You can pick them up there prior to heading to the Taxi stand. You print your name and date on it when you first use it.

Enjoy your trip, I will be there myself at the end of May.

@JulesM: Yes, I've seen all of Midnight in Paris. I didn't make any statement at all about Woody Allen's "morals" - I'm simply saying the dialogue he writes for his characters skews more towards middle-aged tastes and it would hold little appeal to a 13 year old girl. OP can look at our opposing views on Midnight in Paris as a sort of Siskel & Ebert disagreement and simply find a trailer for that film online to see if Woody's movie appeals to her teenager.

I was hardly recommending a mother/daughter film fest of "Last Tango in Paris", but fair enough on the other warning to the OP that "Amelie" has roughly 90 seconds devoted to a scene that alludes to 2 people getting busy behind closed doors and, in another equally short scene, the 13 year old may see an errant sex toy since 1 character works as a sales clerk at a shop in Pigalle. The OP can determine best what is suitable for her daughter. However, it always amazes me how one never sees someone publicly warn parents to shield their young teens from movies depicting guns, gratuitous violence or violence against women, but if there is the flash of a nipple or even the mere suggestion 2 people may have engaged in consensual sex the Parental Advisory alarm bells immediately go off. Perhaps there would be fewer mass shootings in schools today if people stopped worrying so much about the sex and worried a little more about the guns...just sayin'.

Good luck with that.

CDG to hotel: check out airport shuttles.

@Ceidleh, I don't think Midnight in Paris, is the world's greatest movie. It's a cute little movie. I watched it with my teen girls. They also thought it was just a cute little movie. If we hadn't liked it or if I thought it inappropriate, we would have turned it off and that is what the OP can do as well.

Ceidleh's comment--But disagree that "Midnight in Paris" would be a "fun movie" for a 13 year old. Sorry, not sorry, but no 13 year old should be forced to endure 2 hours of Woody Allen's pompous, middle-aged banter even if his film features some pretty shots of the Eiffel Tower. There are far better films featuring Paris a young girl her age can be watching with you to build some excitement about the trip".

I questioned whether you had seen the movie since your comments were so strong and negative in response to a simple little movie. Truly surprised me how that movie could generate such a response. Honestly, "forced to endure"??

What really disturbed me was your rude and condescending comments. Is this the way you'd talk to a friend that made this recommendation? There was no need to go off with snide comments. Please note the person that responded to Amelie with his/her thoughts. The comments provide facts, and an alternate opinion in a polite way. And in regards to your comment to the comments on Amelie--again, there are ways to politely disagree. As a parent, I would appreciate a heads up about some detail in a movie that might require explanation or censure. I do share with you Ceidleh, concern about violence in movies as well as in our world in general. There is a way to respond that is not preachy and snide in response to comments about Amelie. I have received quite a few personal messages from people who will not publicly comment on this forum due to the rude and abrasive comments they've received. The world won't come to end if the OP watches or not watches the movie. (though I think perhaps they'd be so intrigued at this point to watch it) but if we can just talk to each nicely on the forum it would be so much more pleasant.

I apologize to the OP whose general post about Paris turned into a movie review.

Wholeheartedly agree, jules m
"if we can just talk to each nicely on the forum it would be so much more pleasant."
...and informative
...and helpful

Yes, Cite des Sciences, which is covered by the museum pass. I did it with my then 13 year old daughter, and we did it again when she was 26. We both enjoyed the revolving room where you throw balls and they curve 90 degrees. It's in the top floor in the math/physics section. Or just ask.

We also enjoyed the "all you can eat chocolate mousse dessert" at Chez Janou. You can find it with Google maps.

Actually, to respectfully disagree with those who say the Champs Elysee not worth a walk, I think walking up the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triomphe is important for anyone, but a 13 year old will soon be studying world history in more depth in middle school and high school. IMO, it is not about shopping...that is fun for many and that is fine, but superficial at best. Picture the history that has taken place there. Being historically oriented, my daughter and I could almost feel the celebratory march of the Germans (twice, I believe) and then later the Allies in WWII entering the city, to say nothing about the Arc's symbol and so many events since Napoleon. It is also an explanation of why, with the wagon-wheel design of wide boulevards and avenues, Paris is so easily invaded. Then walking to the top and see the view around it as you are now the center. When your daughter studies more of 19th c. and 20th c. history in school, she'll be able to feel the history, not just read about it.

PS., Maybe watch some documentaries showing the armies marching/driving into Paris at this location. Thirteen year olds are smart, and make good conversationalists about important matters...(at least girls as I didn't have a boy). Oh, and maybe look at photos from the Worlds Fair as it is fun to pick out some of these remaining exhibit buildings near the Seine ?1889...I think that was the year, but could be off on the date.

Wray, I agree with the importance of walking the Champs Elysees. We didn't go in a single store and agree that its sad there are so many like Disney and H & M (tho, I found H & M handy when I needed some leggings under my dress when I felt chilly) The architecture is beautiful and just to walk to the tuileries didn't take an extraordinary amount of time, but was fun to walk such a busy and historic street.

Thank you all for the suggestions. La Villette looks amazing with the King Tut exhibit. Not sure we'll get to that area, but I'll keep it in mind. I've actually seen Midnight in Paris many times and my 13yo has seen it too. I've also had her watch the Rick Steves episodes on Paris (the ones on Hulu). Her sightseeing priorities are the Eiffel Tower, Louvre (for the Mona Lisa), Orsay, Versailles (she is very interested in the bike tour), Napoleon's tomb, Notre Dame (what can be seen now), Ste. Chappelle, & Champs Elysees/Arc de Triomphe. This is her 2nd year taking French in school and I'm surprised that they haven't covered much of what there is to see in Paris. Much of what she knows (as far as sights) comes from my travels and the Rick Steves episodes.

I don't like a rigid itinerary and am extremely hesitant to book anything far in advance that can't be changed. That being said, I should probably book the Versailles bike tour, just debating on doing it either Friday (outdoor market but no fountains) or Saturday (fountains but no outdoor market). I don't want to do it Sunday as it's our last day. As far as the Museum pass goes, I'm still debating. The Versailles bike tour includes the tickets with skip the line access to the palace. It also doesn't look difficult to book Louvre tickets a day or so in advance. Our rough itinerary is looking like this:

Wednesday: Arrive CDG at 9:30, do Eiffel Tower and Seine boat cruise. Might squeeze something else here, depends how tired we are.
Thursday: Morning: Orsay or Louvre/ Afternoon: Tuileries, Orangerie, Rue St. Honore.
Friday: Morning: Orsay or Louvre/Afternoon: Ste. Chappelle, conciergerie, Ile St. Louis, Notre Dame.
Saturday: Versailles
Sunday: Arc de Triomphe & Champs Elysees (not walking the whole thing, but the area near Etoile, the shopping here reminds me of Times Square, and maybe show her the Sephora there), shopping in Ste. Germain, anything else we want to return to.

As far as transportation from CDG to Paris, I've decided to just take a taxi. I am a little nervous that we (mainly my daughter) will stick out as easy pickpocket targets and the added stress isn't worth the savings.

Though I wouldn't pick Rue Cler if I were going with my husband or friends, I think it is a good choice for her first trip. This hotel I've stayed at on 2 prior trips-- once with my dad back in the 90's and once with my husband while pregnant with her in 2005 (when it didn't have a/c, just shoot me), so it is somewhat nostalgic for us. It will be easy for us to pop over to the Eiffel Tower each night if we want and there's a good selection of decent restaurants around (i.e. Cafe Constant). The last 2 times I was in Paris (2015 & 2016 with mom friends), we've stayed on Ile St Louis and in an Air BNB on Rue Maitre Albert, which is a stone's throw from Notre Dame in the 5th.

Thanks all!

You have things well planned out.

How wonderful that your daughter has had some French. I'm guessing she knows of Les Miserables and Hunchback by Hugo. You can visit his lovely home (free!) on the Place des Vosges, a beautiful park in the Marais. My daughters love falafel, and we picked up some and ate in the park. Also, if you do like to window shop, Marais has some interesting stores.

Lastly, if you have the time and she's familiar with Phantom of the Opera (one of my girls is crazy about the book and the musical) you could tour the opera house. The domed ceiling was painted by Chagall.

At the risk of starting another debate, if you have Amazon Prime I'd suggest the "Alice in Paris" series. They are one minute vignettes of a young woman living in Paris (often featuring food). Someone in this forum recommended them and they're super charming, featuring all parts of Paris.

I watched Alice in Paris today while working out! Appreciate the recommendation, very cute and I think a 13 year old would love them! Also, look for "I'll have what Phil's having", the Paris episode. Also very cute and fun! You can google the eating establishments he visits if you so choose. I just think Phil is charming.