Visiting Notre-Dame de Paris in 2027: cathedral, towers and Île de la Cité

Notre-Dame de Paris: eight centuries of history on the Île de la Cité

Bishop Maurice de Sully launched the building work in 1163, under Louis VII. Construction dragged on until around 1345, while the two towers of the west front were completed around 1250. The cathedral therefore blends early Gothic, plain and massive, with the Rayonnant style seen in the great transept rose windows, counted among the largest in Europe.

Viollet-le-Duc and the spire of Notre-Dame

In the 19th century, after decades of decay, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc led a far-reaching restoration between 1845 and 1867. He was responsible for the 1859 spire destroyed in 2019, as well as many of the statues and chimeras on the upper gallery. The decision was taken to rebuild that spire to his design, in oak clad with lead.

The fire and rebirth of Notre-Dame

The blaze of 15 April 2019 destroyed the spire and most of the roof. The towers, the façade and the bulk of the treasures were saved, including the Crown of Thorns, which returned to the cathedral on 13 December 2024. The great Cavaillé-Coll organ, coated in soot, suffered no structural damage. Exterior restoration continues until 2027, so expect some scaffolding in places.

What to look at inside Notre-Dame de Paris

The first surprise is the light. Cleaning the masonry has given the stone a pale tone that completely changes how the nave feels. Take time to walk round the ambulatory rather than staying on the central aisle.

The rose windows and choir screen of Notre-Dame

• The north and south roses: best viewed from the crossing of the transept, ideally on a bright day.
• The choir screen: its carved reliefs tell the life of Christ, and their painted colours read better from the ambulatory.
• The great organ: it towers over the west gallery; if a recital or service is under way while you are there, stay a few minutes.

Notre-Dame de Paris is a place of worship first

The cathedral is still a place of prayer: services take place every day and some areas may be closed during celebrations. Respectful clothing and silence are expected, and covered shoulders are appreciated.

Free entry to Notre-Dame: do you need to book a slot?

Entry to the cathedral is free. An optional booking system for time slots, also free, gives access to a dedicated queue and cuts the wait on the forecourt. Without a booking, you go in through the walk-up queue, which grows longer at peak times.

Notre-Dame de Paris opening hours

The cathedral opens every day, with hours that vary by day of the week and by the liturgical calendar. Check the day's times when you book, particularly on Sundays and feast days, when services alter the flow of visitors.

When to come to Notre-Dame for smaller crowds

Early weekday mornings remain the smoothest time. Late afternoons in autumn and winter offer a different mood, as the interior lighting takes over from daylight. School-holiday weekends and the Christmas period draw the biggest crowds.

Climbing the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris

The towers are visited separately from the cathedral, with a paid ticket and a new visitor route. It is a physical outing: 424 steps for a 69-metre climb, through passages that narrow to 45 centimetres in places. Time at the top is limited to a few minutes.

Notre-Dame tower tickets and hours (indicative)

Price indicative, checked October 2026. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Fitness requirements for the Notre-Dame towers

The climb is not recommended for people with heart conditions or vertigo, pregnant women or young children. Backpacks larger than 40 × 40 × 20 cm, suitcases, selfie sticks, drones and glass bottles are refused.

Guided tour of Notre-Dame de Paris and Saint-Séverin

A self-guided visit is enough to take in the space, but the cathedral makes more sense with a guide: the symbolism of the portals, the stages of the medieval building site, the choices made in rebuilding after 2019. The option offered on this page combines the Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame and the church of Saint-Séverin on the Left Bank.

Why pair Saint-Séverin with Notre-Dame

Saint-Séverin, in the Latin Quarter, provides a valuable counterpoint: a later, Flamboyant Gothic, famous for its double ambulatory and twisted pillar. Moving from one to the other shows how the Gothic style evolved in Paris over nearly three centuries.

Alternative: a guided tour of Notre-Dame alone

For a shorter outing, the Notre-Dame-only version concentrates on the forecourt, the façade and the interior. The real price for the day is shown in the availability module.

How to get to Notre-Dame de Paris

The cathedral occupies the eastern part of the Île de la Cité, in the 4th arrondissement. The forecourt is now officially called Place Jean-Paul-II.

Metro and RER to Notre-Dame

• Metro line 4: Cité, about five minutes on foot.
• RER B and C: Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, just across the Petit-Pont.
• Metro lines 1, 7, 11 and 14: Châtelet, then cross the Seine.
• Buses: routes 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 75, 81, 85 and 96 serve the area.

Walking to Notre-Dame

From the Hôtel de Ville, the Pont d'Arcole leads straight to the forecourt. From the Latin Quarter, the Petit-Pont or the Pont au Double bring you out facing the façade or the east end. On the forecourt, look for the Point Zéro plaque, from which road distances from Paris are measured across France.

Practical tips for Notre-Dame de Paris

Bags are checked at the entrance. Bulky luggage is not admitted, so leave suitcases and large bags at your accommodation or in a left-luggage locker before you come.

Notre-Dame with the family

The cathedral itself suits all ages, and a self-guided visit can be kept to thirty or forty minutes. For children, a spotting game works well: find the chimeras from the forecourt, count the statues in the Gallery of Kings, look for the Point Zéro.

How long a visit to Notre-Dame de Paris takes

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the cathedral, an extra hour for the towers, and around two hours for the guided tour with Saint-Séverin. Add any queuing time, which varies with the season.

Stay alert around Notre-Dame

As at every very busy sight, keep your belongings closed and in front of you in the forecourt crowds.

Around Notre-Dame de Paris and Paris in 2027

The Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie are five minutes' walk away, so you can devote a full day to the Île de la Cité. The Île Saint-Louis, reached by the Pont Saint-Louis, invites a slow wander along its quays. On the Left Bank, the lanes of the Latin Quarter extend the stroll as far as the Luxembourg Gardens.

Notre-Dame and the Seine

Seeing the east end and flying buttresses from the water gives you another reading of the building: a Seine river cruise passes right below the cathedral. In the evening, the lower quays around the island are a popular place for a walk.

Which season for Notre-Dame in 2027

Spring and early autumn combine pleasant light in the nave with days long enough to fit in both the towers and the guided tour. Advent and Christmas have a special charm, with heavier crowds; book your slot further ahead at that time.

The Notre-Dame de Paris availability calendar

For the guided tour of Notre-Dame, the calendar on this page saves you the searching: click on the day you are interested in, then on “Check availability”. We show you immediately whether places remain on that date. If everything is taken or bookings have not opened yet, enter your email address and we will let you know as soon as a place appears. Online booking is handled by our booking partner, with the price displayed before you confirm.