Paris With a Tween

Traveling to Paris with my son is in its golden phase: Now 13, as long as he has a croissant every morning and a museum at some point in the day, he’s happy. The lunches can be easy, the dinners don’t have to be bucket-list. The only shopping needed (for him) is a trip to Monoprix. It’s the opposite of how I visit the city, and I have to say: It’s pretty great not to be scheduled into oblivion while writing a guide. (Such as this, this and this. And…this.)

We built each day’s itinerary around a single museum, selecting cafés and restaurants in its orbit. Because my son is lucky to have visited the Louvre and the Jeu de Paume on every trip, I wanted to try smaller or less-loved ones. Researching the Paris Museum Pass — only worth it if you’re visiting two or more places per day — led us to a couple of places I’d never heard of before, such as the Galerie Géologie et Minéralogie in the Jardin des Plants and the Musée de l’Architecture et la Patrimoine, which had the extra benefit of not being overrun.

In terms of meals, he’s a vegetarian (who eats oysters and snails — I try not to discourage him by pointing out how not-vegetarian this is) and doesn’t care to be dragged around to the latest opening from a former Arpège cook, so I save those spots for my own trip. Kidding. I always sneak in one.

Below are our favorite spots from a recent trip. Should you decide to use the listings for yourself, I’ve added where I would eat or shop nearby on my own.

- Don’t exhaust everyone trying to find the coolest new coffee bar or onigiri spot. Even touristy cafés are charming here, and the (parbaked) croissants, baguettes and butter are 99% better than what you’d get at home. (Same goes for the kir royales.)

- Only book one timed-entry museum ticket a day to allow for lazy mornings at the (touristy) café, missed buses and pleasant distractions.

- You don’t need to go to the Berthillon. Every other café on the Ile Saint-Louis will sell you a scoop. (If you do go, opt for the tea room next door, and hit it before or during lunch, when the line is shorter.)

- Don’t try to max out every meal: An in-room (or park) picnic allows you to try all those cheeses, rotisserie chickens, bread and pastries you’ve been eyeing around town and at La Grande Epicerie.

- The Skip the Line pass at the Eiffel Tower is 1000% worth it.