Notre-Dame de Paris: how to see it, and whether to go inside
The Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, begun in 1163, reopened in December 2024 after the fire of 2019, with its spire rebuilt to the old design. Entry to the cathedral is free, and booking a free time slot online saves queueing; the towers cost €16. Our Paris bike tour stops in front of it, and our medieval walking tour passes it too.
Notre-Dame at a glance
- What it is
- The cathedral of Paris, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, begun in 1163
- Address
- Parvis Notre-Dame, Île de la Cité, 4th arrondissement
- Getting there
- Métro Cité (line 4), RER B and C Saint-Michel Notre-Dame
- Cathedral
- Free entry; a free time slot can be booked online
- Towers
- €16, 424 steps, no lift; free for EU residents under 26
- Open
- Usually from early morning to the evening every day, later on Thursdays; services take priority
- On our tours
- Paris Bike Tour and Paris Medieval Walking Tour
Towers price checked on the official towers site on 10 November 2026. Cathedral hours change with services and events, so check the official site before you go.
What you see with us
The Paris Bike Tour crosses to the Île de la Cité after Sainte-Chapelle. We stop at the spot with the best view of the façade, not just the nearest corner, and always leave time to take photos and look around on your own.
While you look, your guide tells the story of the place: how to read the carved portals, what happened on the night of the fire and after, and the facts and anecdotes behind the stone.
We don't go inside on the tour. Entry is free, so it's easy to come back on your own once you know what you're looking at.
- Eiffel Tower
- Musée d'Orsay
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Notre-Dame
- Hôtel de Ville
- Louvre
What our guides tell you here
Point Zéro
On the square in front of the cathedral, look down for a small bronze star set in the paving. It is Point Zéro, the spot from which road distances to Paris are measured.
The fire and the rebuild
On 15 April 2019 the roof and the spire burned while the world watched. Five years of work followed, and the cathedral reopened in December 2024, with the spire rebuilt to its 19th-century design.
Saved by a novel
By the early 19th century the cathedral was in poor shape. Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris, published in 1831, made people care about it again and helped launch the great restoration led by Viollet-le-Duc.
Chimeras, not gargoyles
Gargoyles are the stone water spouts. The famous creatures leaning over the towers' balustrade, watching the city, are chimeras, added during the 19th-century restoration.
A book in stone
The three portals of the façade tell stories for people who could not read: the Last Judgement in the centre, the Virgin Mary on the left and Saint Anne on the right. Your guide shows you where to look.
Visiting the inside
- Entry is free. You can queue at the door, or book a free time slot online on the cathedral's official site to save waiting.
- Go early or late. Queues are longest in the middle of the day. Thursday evenings are often quieter.
- The towers are separate. The climb costs €16 and is booked on the official towers site. There are 424 steps and no lift.
- Respect the services. It is a working cathedral, and some areas close during Mass.
- Allow about an hour for the cathedral, and more if you climb the towers.
Combining it with our tours
See the façade with a guide first, then go inside on your own.
- Morning bike tour at 10:15: come back to the cathedral in the afternoon.
- Afternoon tour at 13:30 or 16:45: visit in the morning, before the queues build.
- For the medieval city around it, try our Paris Medieval Walking Tour.
“I love Paris, especially the architecture and history associated with it. The history of Notre Dame and the symbolic signs that can be read on the façade of this building is fascinating. It was very interesting and I never thought so much politics and intrigue were hidden on the surface of these walls.”
Paris Bike Tour
Three hours from the Eiffel Tower along the Seine to Notre-Dame and the Louvre. Small groups, guides in English or French. ★ 4.8 from 223 reviews on GetYourGuide.
About Notre-Dame
Is Notre-Dame open again?
Yes. The cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, and the towers have reopened to visitors too.
Is entry to Notre-Dame free?
Yes, entry to the cathedral is free. You can book a free time slot online to skip most of the queue. Climbing the towers costs €16.
How many steps are there to the top of the towers?
424 steps, with no lift.
What is Point Zéro?
A small bronze star in the paving in front of Notre-Dame. It marks the point from which road distances to Paris are measured.
Can I see Notre-Dame on a tour?
Yes. Our Paris Bike Tour stops in front of it, and our Paris Medieval Walking Tour passes it on the way through the old city. Neither tour goes inside.
Last updated 10 November 2026.