Paris Hidden Gem with Amazing Value for Money: Notre-Dame Cathedral Guide & Tips for Climbing the Belfry to Admire the City View

Text & Photos /INSIDR PARIS

A masterpiece that blends religion, culture, and architectural art, Notre-Dame Cathedral is an absolute must-visit attraction for many travelers coming to Paris. But what stories lie behind this iconic site that draw so many visitors on a pilgrimage? INSIDR is here to share some lesser-known facts about Notre-Dame, along with visiting tips and tricks for climbing its towers.

Located on the Île de la Cité in central Paris, Notre-Dame Cathedral is a Gothic church that holds significant representative value among the many Gothic structures in the Île-de-France region. With a different face from every angle, Notre-Dame captivates every traveler with its unique charm across all four seasons.

With an 850-year history, the construction of Notre-Dame took 87 years to complete (from 1163 to 1250). It boasts unparalleled historical and artistic value and has witnessed centuries of Parisian history. Twenty-four French kings were crowned here, and Napoleon’s coronation ceremony also took place in this very cathedral.

Visiting Information Inside Notre-Dame

. Admission: Free entry
. Opening Hours: Daily from 8:00 AM to 6:45 PM (until 7:15 PM on Saturdays and Sundays)
* As no ticket is required to enter Notre-Dame, long queues of 1–2 hours are common during peak tourist seasons in Paris. INSIDR recommends arriving right when it opens in the morning to avoid the afternoon crowds.
. Reminder: Out of respect for local religious customs, visitors should dress modestly, remain quiet, and refrain from using flash photography or tripods.

The story of Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” is set in 1482 at this very cathedral, and it has been adapted into numerous films, TV series, and musicals. The belfry of Notre-Dame attracts large numbers of tourists each year. Climb the tower to experience the world of Quasimodo and search for the famous gargoyles.

Situated on the Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame offers a prime location with breathtaking views from its towers. From up high, you can admire the stunning sights of the City of Light — including the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica atop Montmartre, the Seine River divided by the Île de la Cité, and the Panthéon. The panoramic view from the tower is a must-see for every visitor to Paris.

Tower Climbing Tips:

. Ticket: €10 (valid with Museum Pass)
. Opening Hours:
- April 1 to September 30: 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM
(July & August: Fridays & Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM)
- October 1 to March 31: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
. Last Admission: 45 minutes before closing
. Closed on: January 1, May 1, and December 25
. Queue Location: The line for the Notre-Dame towers forms on the left side of the cathedral’s main façade.

Tower Climbing Reminders:

. Queues are shorter in the morning than in the afternoon
- During peak tourist seasons in Paris, expect to wait 1–2 hours to climb the towers. INSIDR recommends arriving early in the morning to avoid the afternoon crowds.
. Queues apply whether you have a Museum Pass or buy tickets on-site
- Even with a Museum Pass, there is no express entry to the towers
- If buying tickets on-site, the ticket office is located inside the tower (they also sell Museum Passes)
. Purchase souvenirs in advance
- Souvenirs are sold at the ticket counter inside the tower. They can only be bought before ascending. Once you descend from the viewing platform, you cannot re-enter the ticket area.
．Climb the 387 steps in one go
- The bell tower spaces of the cathedral are very narrow, and due to other visitors following behind, you can't walk side by side or stay in one place for too long

Notre-Dame Cathedral Travel Tips Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

For those familiar with Gothic architecture, do you have a question?

In typical Gothic architecture, a spire is usually designed at the top of the church’s bell tower; however, have you noticed that the Gothic-style Notre-Dame Cathedral does not have a spire on its bell towers?

It turns out that the engineering difficulty of constructing the spire was too high. Among so many Gothic churches in the Île-de-France region, there are actually very few churches where the spires were completed and did not later collapse or fall. Although Notre-Dame originally did plan to build a spire, it ultimately never came to fruition...

Where can you visit Gothic cathedrals that do have spires?

Just an hour's drive from Paris, in the city of Rouen, there is the Rouen Cathedral with a bell tower spire reaching up to 151 meters; it remains the tallest church spire in France and is highly recommended for a visit.

Finally, there is one more noteworthy point — the Point Zéro (Zero Point) in the square outside Notre-Dame, known as the Point Zéro des Routes de France, is the reference point used to measure distances throughout France. Doesn’t this make the symbolic significance of Notre-Dame as the cultural center of France even stronger?