Gothic Paris for Families

Gargoyles, stained glass, flying buttresses—nothing symbolizes the Gothic mystery of Paris like Notre Dame, which is brought to life by a trained medievalist. Paris' mother church symbolizes the dark, mysterious medieval era like no other--evoking Arthurian legends, castles, dark streets, and a seemingly mythical past. That past, however, is very real. And there are few better places to learn about the Gothic than on Paris' Ile de la Cite--the small island in the city's center that is home not only to Notre Dame, but several other Gothic masterpieces. The goal of this walk is to bring it the gothic to life vividly for young people.

Our walk is designed with kids (and their enthusiastic parents) in mind. For children under 12, we bring along a workbook and other teaching materials. We often will design a "find the gargoyle" treasure hunt or a "draw your own flying buttresses" activity that helps the younger ones connect with some of the basic ideas behind gothic architecture. For older kids (junior high schoolers), we get a little more sophisticated. Here Saint-Chapelle, a masterpiece of gothic art, comes in handy, providing the backdrop for a discussion of how stained glass was made, gothic symbolism, and the relationship between religion, politics, and the common person during the middle ages. (Don't worry, we make it fun and interesting without being silly.)

This kids-focused itinerary is always designed around your children's needs. Although we confine the walk to the Ile de la Cite, in addition to visits to Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle we may spend time at the Conciergerie, the residence of France's early Kings that later became an infamous prison during the Revolution (Marie-Antoinette was detained here prior to her execution) or the excavated Roman ruins beneath Notre Dame. Regardless of how it unfolds our focus remains on the learning experience of the children in the group.

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