Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals in the world.
Located on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris, it has been a symbol of French heritage, architecture, and religious significance for centuries.
On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire broke out, destroying the iconic wooden spire and much of the roof.
Thanks to extensive restoration efforts, the cathedral reopened in December 2024.
In this article, we explain everything you should know before booking tickets for the Notre Dame in Paris.
Top Tickets
# Exterior guided tour
# Combo guided tour
# VR experienceIt’s highly recommended to book your Notre Dame tickets in advance. These tickets sell out quickly, so securing your spot early ensures you don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience.
What’s ahead
What to expect
Notre Dame is about 127 meters (417 feet) long and 48 meters (158 feet) wide and can hold around 9000 people.
The three enormous stained glass windows are its most prominent feature.
The glass windows were created in different periods, but the parts are from medieval times.
The diameter of the two large rose windows is 13.1 meters (43 feet).
The rose window on the West, over the portals, was the first and smallest of the windows in Notre Dame.
Once you are inside, you must check out the top floor, made entirely of oak wood.
It is believed that they cut a forest of 21 hectares (52 acres) to construct this masterpiece.
There are around 29 chapels in the cathedral.
In the chapels, you will find a silver statue of the Virgin Mary dating back to the 14th century.
Don’t miss out on the “Mays” of Notre-Dame de Paris.
These paintings are referred to as ‘Mays’ because the Parisian Goldsmiths’ Society commissioned them every year to be gifted to the cathedral on May 1.
The organ of the Notre Dame has around 7800 pipes and is 30-foot-wide.
The Cathedral has five bells, the largest of which is called Emmanuel.
It has been part of Notre Dame since the 16th century.
Emmanuel is in the South tower and weighs over 13 tons.
This bell is always rung first, at least 5 seconds before the rest. The other four bells are in the North Tower.
Notre Dame’s most valuable relic is the Crown of Thorns, a legendary cultural property from Judea.
Where to book tickets
The entry to the main floor of Notre Dame is free and doesnot require a ticket.
But there is an online reservation system that allows you to book your visiting slot online so that you do not have to wait in 2 to 3 hours long queues to enter the site.
While reserving your slot is not mandatory, its highlighly recommended as tourists in large numbers waiting to visit the newly renovated and reopened Notre Dame Cathedral.
Certain areas, such as the Treasury and bell towers (reopening in 2025), require seperate entry tickets.
While the tickets details for the bell tower are still to be announed, you can buy the tickets for the treasury onsite only.
While the guided tours inside the cathedral is not available, visitors can take an exterior guided tour and self explore the cathedral from inside.
How do online reservation work
The reservation system is free and allows visitors to book up to two days in advance:
- New time slots are released at midnight (Paris time) for two days ahead. For example, at midnight on April 1st, time slots for April 3rd will become available.
- Additional same-day time slots open four hours in advance. For example, at 5 am, slots for 9 am may become available.
- Spontaneous slots may be released throughout the day, depending on capacity.
You can reserve a time slot on Notre Dame’s official website or through their official mobile app, available for Apple and Android devices.
Navigate to the reservation section and select the option for booking a time slot.
Choose your preferred date and time, keeping in mind that availability opens two days in advance.
Next, select the number of visitors, with a maximum of six people per booking.
Enter your personal details, ensuring they match the ID you will bring. Once completed, confirm your reservation and receive an email with a QR code.
Download or print your confirmation and have it ready for entry.
Recommended
Notre Dame tickets
No guided tours/tour groups are allowed inside Notre Dame before June 9th.
But if you want to know detailed insights about the cathedral, you can take an outdoor guided tour.
Notre Dame Cathedral tour of the exterior
In this 1 hour guided tour, a knowledgeable guide will walk you around the outside of Notre Dame and explain its amazing details, like the tall spires, stone gargoyles, and huge rose windows.
The guide will also talk about the big fire in 2019, which destroyed part of the roof and the tall spire. You’ll learn how people came together to save and rebuild the cathedral, finally completing the restoration in December 2024.
After the guided part, you can go inside Notre Dame on your own.
Why take this tour?
- You learn interesting facts from an expert.
- You see Notre Dame up close, inside and out.
- You explore at your own pace after the guided part.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (4+ years): €25
Child ticket (up to 3 years): Free
Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, Notre Dame guided tour
This 2-hour guided walking tour takes you to the historic Île de la Cité, where you’ll explore famous Paris landmarks.
You’ll start with an exterior visit to Notre Dame Cathedral, where your guide will explain its magnetic architecture, rich history, and the impact of the 2019 fire.
Next, you’ll visit Sainte-Chapelle, famous for its breathtaking stained-glass windows, and Conciergerie, once a royal palace and later a prison.
The tour includes pre-reserved tickets for both Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie.
With a small group and a knowledgeable guide, you’ll enjoy a fascinating journey through Paris’s past, ending with tips for further exploring the city.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (18+ years): €93
Youth ticket (9 to 17 years): €89
Child ticket (3 to 8 years): €84
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free
Notre Dame Outdoor Tour with Sainte-Chapelle / Crypt
This small-group walking tour lets you explore Notre Dame Cathedral from the outside, with a 30-minute guided tour explaining its history, architecture, and the 2019 fire.
You can add extras like entry to Sainte-Chapelle, known for its stunning stained-glass windows, or the Archaeological Crypt, which reveals Paris’s ancient past.
If you choose the full package, you’ll also visit the Conciergerie, a historic prison.
The tour starts at 21 Quai de Montebello and includes a knowledgeable guide.
All options include the outdoor Notre Dame tour, while entry to other sites depends on the ticket you select.
Ticket Prices: From €39 per person
Buy This TicketRecommenced reading: Everything about climbing Notre Dame Towers
Eternal Notre-Dame Virtual Experience
The Eternal Notre-Dame is a 1-hour virtual reality experience where you explore Notre-Dame Cathedral’s history in a unique way.
Using immersive VR gear, you’ll travel through time to see how the cathedral looked across different centuries.
You’ll also learn about the restoration work after the 2019 fire.
The experience is for ages 11 and up (kids under 8 are not allowed).
You need to arrive 15 minutes early and show your ticket at the entrance.
If you choose a refundable ticket, you can get a full refund if you cancel before 11.59 pm the day before your visit.
Ticket Prices:
Adult ticket (17+ years): €31
Children ticket (8 to 17 years): €21*
On weekends, children tickets will also be same priced as of adults.
How to reach
Notre Dame Cathedral is located on the île de la Cité in the heart of the city.
It’s one of the two remaining natural islands in river Seine.
Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris. Get Directions
You can reach the cathedral by public transport or personal vehicle.
By Metro
If the Paris Metro is your preferred mode of transport, you can get down at any of these Metro stations
• Cite Station or Saint-Michel station on Line 4
• Hôtel de Ville station on Lines 1 or 11
• Cluny – La Sorbonne or Maubert-Mutualité station on Line 10
• Châtelet RER station on lines 7, 11 or 14
By Train
Paris also has the commuter/rapid transit system – Réseau Express Régional (RER).
On both Line B and C of RER, you can get down at the Saint-Michel l – Notre-Dame station.
By Car
If you are driving by car, turn on Google Maps and get started.
You will find enough car parking spots.
Timings
The main floor of Notre Dame is open for visitors from Monday to Friday between 7.50 am and 7 pm, with extended hours until 10 pm on Thursdays.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the cathedral welcomes visitors from 8.15 am to 7.30 pm.
The last entry is 30 minutes before closing, but the ambulatory (the back) starts closing earlier, so it is recommended to enter at least an hour before closing.
Other important timings
💎 For those visiting the Treasury, it is open from Monday to Saturday between 9.30 am and 6 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm on Thursdays. On Sundays, it is open from 1 pm to 5.30 pm, with the last entry 30 minutes before closing.
🏛️ The Archaeological Crypt is accessible from Tuesday to Sunday, operating between 10 am and 6 pm.
🎼 The grand organ has a free performance every Sunday at 4 pm, and concerts inside the cathedral take place every Tuesday at 8.30 pm.
ℹ️ The visitor services desk operates from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 6 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm on Thursdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, the desk is open from 9 am to 7 pm.
🎁 The gift shop opens from Monday to Friday between 9.30 am and 7 pm, staying open until 10 pm on Thursdays, and on weekends from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm.
Mass times at Notre Dame
For those attending Mass, services are held from Monday to Friday at 8 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm.
On Saturdays, Mass takes place at 8.30 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm.
On Sundays and holidays, Mass is scheduled at 8.30 am, 10 am (Gregorian), 11.30 am (International), and 6 pm (Diocesan, led by a Bishop or the Archbishop of Paris).
Here is a table for timings of other services you might want to attend:
| Services | Timings |
| Vespers | Monday to Friday at 5.30 pm; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at 5.15 pm |
| Lauds | Sundays and holidays at 9.30 am |
| Rosary | Monday to Thursday and Saturday at 3 pm |
| Eucharistic Adoration | Thursdays at 6.45 pm |
| Veneration of the Crown of Thorns | Every Friday from 3 pm to 5 pm |
| Confession services | Monday to Saturday between 10 am and 12 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm; Sundays from 4 pm to 6 pm |
How long does the Notre Dame take
A visit to the main floor of Notre Dame typically takes around 30 to 45 minutes, not including the time spent waiting in the queue to enter.
However, the duration can vary depending on how crowded it is and whether you’re exploring additional areas like the Treasury or attending a Mass.
If you’re visiting during peak times or without a reservation, the wait time in line can range from no wait at all to as long as 2-3 hours, especially between 10 am and 4 pm or during busy seasons.
Therefore, it’s recommended to allow at least an hour and a half to two hours for a complete visit, including potential waiting time.
Best time to visit Notre Dame
Since the Notre Dame Cathedral has reopened for visitors, a huge number of tourists are flocking to the site to admire its restored beauty, which has led to long queues, increased demand for reservations.
If you prefer fewer crowds, it’s best to visit before 9.30 am.
The cathedral opens at 7.50 am on weekdays and 8.15 am on weekends, and the first hour is usually the quietest, allowing for a peaceful experience.
Visiting after 4 pm is also a good option since most tourists leave by late afternoon.
On Thursdays, the cathedral remains open until 10 pm, making the evening a great time for a quieter visit.
For those visiting without a reservation, the shortest wait times are usually early in the morning or after 7 pm on Thursdays.
If you don’t mind a little rain, visiting on a rainy day is another great option, as fewer people tend to wait in line when the weather is bad.
Avoid visiting between 10 am and 4 pm, as this is when Notre Dame is busiest, especially on weekends and holidays.
Best time to experience the stained glass
For the best stained-glass experience at Notre Dame, mornings and late afternoons are ideal.
In the morning, the sunlight streams through the eastern windows, illuminating the intricate designs with a soft glow.
Late afternoon is also a great time, as the setting sun enhances the rich colors of the western windows, creating a breathtaking display of light and shadow inside the cathedral.
Visiting on a sunny day will offer the most vibrant views, while an overcast day can provide a softer, more diffused light, allowing you to appreciate the details of the stained glass without glare.
Best months to visit
Queues at Notre Dame are the longest from April to October.
The best months for a quick visit are from November to March – you won’t waste a lot of time queuing up.
When NOT to visit Notre Dame
Major religious holidays like Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, Ascension Day, etc., are not the best days to visit Notre Dame, Paris.
You must avoid visiting for a few days before and after these significant religious holidays because many believers attend the church.
Notre Dame is also exceptionally crowded in the French Spring holidays, Easter Weekend, and 14 July.
As much as possible, avoid Sundays because it is teeming with believers who want to attend the service.
Notre Dame Tower
The Notre Dame Towers were previously a major attraction before the 2019 fire, that is why they remain closed due to restoration work.
Now they are expected to reopen in summer 2025.
The reopening has been delayed due to unexpected damage to the south belfry, which required extensive repairs.
In addition to restoration, a new visitor route has been designed to enhance the experience.
Once reopened, visitors will be able to climb to the top and enjoy panoramic views of Paris, along with up-close encounters with the cathedral’s famous gargoyles and bell chambers.
Here’s everything about Notre Dame Paris Towers that you must know before planning your visit.
Dress code at Notre Dame
Since Notre Dame in Paris is also a place of worship, a strict dress code gets followed.
Visitors found violating the dress code get stopped at the entrance.
Women must wear clothes that cover their shoulders and knees.
Low cut or sleeveless clothing, shorts, miniskirts are a strict no.
Men must avoid shorts and hats as well.
If you visit on a Sunday and plan to sit for the service, you may want to dress up a bit.
Safety in Notre-Dame
During your trip to Notre Dame, please be on your guard – it could mean the difference between an excellent tour of the Cathedral or a holiday that went bad.
Outside Notre Dame (and in other tourist areas of Paris), you can be approached by locals requesting you to sign a petition.
Do not sign anything; walk away.
Once you show interest, you will be asked to donate money, which goes into the scamster’s pocket.
