“Paris, the city of lovers is glowing this evening, true that’s because it’s on fire but still there’s l’amour” — The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Fun fact you may not know about me: I constantly listen to Disney movie soundtracks when drafting blog posts {and in life in general}. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that during my first trip to Paris, I made it my mission to get a peek at what it was those Gargoyles were constantly singing about in the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Location
The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is located on a piece of land in the middle of the Seine River, in the historical heart of Paris. The closest metro stops to Notre Dame are St-Michel Notre Dame {blue and yellow lines} and Cité {fuschia line}. The area surrounding Notre Dame is unbelievably charming so {as always}, I suggest you walk everywhere in Paris to get the opportunity to enjoy it.
Logistics
Now, I got a bit confused during my visit to Notre Dame. I assumed that when I purchased my tickets, I would have entrance to both the towers and the cathedral itself. Here’s the deal, you purchase tickets to climb the towers only, because admittance to the cathedral is free to the public every single day. That being said, everyone is required to wait in line for the cathedral upon exiting the towers. And datssss a lowwwng line.
Tickets/Pricing
Entrance to the towers is 10 euros for adults, with a reduced price of 8 euros if you are under 26 and a national of a Member State of the European Union. There are no online ticket options available, therefore we arrived the morning of and waited to purchase tickets up to the tower. I was prepared to queue regardless, so arrived well before opening hours {10:00 AM}. The wait wasn’t terrible. I grabbed a coffee and posted up with my travel partner on a balmy morning in Paris. Things could have been worse, let me tell you. You should see the queue upon arrival, but if you happen to be first, the ticket office is located at the bottom of the north tower {left side of the building}.
The website does {somehow} offer the option to choose a designated time to visit, but I did not use this feature so I am unable to comment on the functionality of it. The Paris Museum Pass is also accepted at this location. For more information, click here. You can also find closing hours here, which differ depending on the time of the year.
What to Expect
The best piece of advice I can give you before stepping foot into the stairwell leading up to the towers, is be prepared for one hell of a climb. Not only are there 422 steps, but they lead up very narrow, spiral staircases that seem never-ending. I made a mental note to re-watch The Hunchback of Notre Dame to see if they portrayed these staircases accurately. I can confidently say, they did not. And you are technically in a group, meaning you have to just keep on keepin’ on in order to keep the flow of traffic moving. Personally, I got quite dizzy a few times as I ascended.
Despite the climb, it’s completely worth every step once you reach the top.
The first glimpse I received of Paris from above, truly took my breath away. You are standing next to gargoyles of all shapes and sizes, sans the whole coming to life and singing about love thing, which was disappointing for some {read: me}. While standing above the city, you have access to the interior of one of the bell towers where you can witness the real bells of Notre Dame. Magnificent doesn’t even begin to describe their glory. These things are massive.
Another thing to note, there are two different exterior levels that you will reach on your visit. The first one, which is amazing enough, is only the first of two view points. Be prepared for another chunk of winding staircase which will lead you to the upper level of the towers. Again, completely worth the unexpected glute workout once you feast your eyes on the view.
They did not give us much historical background on the landmark, but you will have some time before you head up to browse the visitor center which has plenty of books, pamphlets, etc.
Altogether, I had a fantastic experience visiting Notre Dame {and it wasn’t solely because I pictured myself singing alongside Quasimodo the whole time, which I did}. I would highly, highly recommend purchasing tickets if the cathedral interests you in the slightest. The views alone would have sold me. Unfortunately, I chose not to queue up again to see the interior of the cathedral, but plan to during my next trip to Paris!
Would you make it a priority to visit Notre Dame next time you are in Paris?
