Paris for Teenagers: A Street Art Exhibition

Paris. It sounds so tempting, but when you have teens, holiday planning can get complicated, especially when your heartstrings are being pulled toward a sophisticated city of museums and fine dining and your teen just wants to have fun. Figuring out an itinerary in Paris for teenagers is an extra challenge on a rainy day, especially when they claim to have seen enough art to last them until adulthood. At least that is what we were informed on a Saturday morning when we coerced our teen into joining us for an exhibition at l’Adresse Musée de la Poste* (34, boulevard de Vaugirard, in the 15th Arrondissement), “Au-delà du Street Art” (on view until March 30).

“Au-delà du Street Art” is a dynamic show in a relatively small space, featuring confirmed street artists with an international reputation. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, or question its place in the art world, you’ll recognize the work of Shepard Fairey, the man behind the famous Obama posters. There is the work of Banksy, with his £10 notes that accidentally became illegal counterfeit, and the stencil paintings of Miss.Tic. The space Invaders that have taken over Paris are here, and you get close enough to see that some are actually made with Rubik’s Cubes. Along with the art, there are videos showing the artists at work, revealing their strategies and giving an interesting perspective on what they do. 

After the show we headed across the street to Doursoux (3, passage Alexandre, in the 15th Arrondissement), the army surplus store that Inès de la Fressange raves about in her book Parisian Chic. This is where she gets her signature Greek fisherman caps, looks for navy coats and stocks up on vintage men’s watches. My teen was thrilled to dig into a large bin searching for an authentic French army shirt that she can also wear as a light jacket. She found one with the name of the military base Villefranche-sur-Mer stamped inside, and at 26 euros it was a great deal for a fashion basic. While she went for fashion, there are also great bags, camping equipment and entire cases of toys for boys. 

Having enjoyed some serious art and a bit of shopping, we were ready for lunch, which worked for me, because crossing the street once again we were in front of Ty Breiz (52, boulevard Vaugirard, in the 15th Arrondissement), my favorite traditional crêperie in Paris. Paned windows, dark wood and eclectic art on the walls crate the sense that you’re in Brittany. After 42 years, the kitchen at Ty Breiz has made an art of the traditional galette, sourcing the best-quality ingredients, with andouille from Pont-Audemer, fish soup from Petrossian and Berthillon ice cream. It was an easy, delicious meal for everyone, adding to the perfect recipe for a morning with teens in Paris.
*La Poste is the French postal service. 

Related Links
L’Adresse Musée de la Poste
Doursoux
Ty Breiz