After nearly a 12 months of its reopening, many Secrets and techniques of Paris readers nonetheless have questions on visiting Notre‑Dame Cathedral. Right here’s the best, up‑to‑date information to understanding the non-compulsory reservation system, the newly reopened Bell Towers visits, and our personal private experiences visiting many occasions over the previous 12 months.
Visiting the Cathedral
Fast Information
- Official web site: https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/
- Hours: Monday-Friday 7:50am-7pm (Thursday till 10pm). Weekends 8:15am-7:30pm. Final entry Half-hour earlier than closure.
- Entry value: Free entrance for everybody to the cathedral, with or with out reservations; non-compulsory €12 entry to entry the Treasury (pay instantly as soon as inside).
- Accessibility: Cathedral entry for wheelchair customers; Towers aren’t accessible (stairs solely).
- Safety: Airport‑fashion bag checks; keep away from massive baggage; no glass bottles, knives, or scissors.
- Restrooms: There are none within the cathedral; free Sanisettes on the Rue d’Arcole, and a paid public rest room downstairs simply outdoors the cathedral exit between the South Tower and the Charlemagne statue.
Reservations are Non-obligatory
When the cathedral first reopened, a brand new free reservation system was put in place to assist handle the movement of holiday makers. Whereas a reservation can nonetheless shorten your wait, it’s utterly non-compulsory.
You possibly can reserve your free time slot on the official Notre‑Dame web site or by utilizing the official “Compagnon de Visite” smartphone app (iOS/Android). Reservations are solely open 72 hours upfront, and new time slots are added frequently.
I’ve had extra success with the web site than the app, particularly if I attempt it simply after midnight Paris time. Nonetheless I’ve discovered that many individuals are unsuccessful at getting a time slot (particularly for these visiting Paris who don’t have time to be on-line all day checking for brand spanking new time slots).
Displaying Up And not using a Reservation
It has at all times been doable to only present up and get within the line for these with out reservations. It’s a straightforward line to identify, as a result of it often snakes all the best way across the sq. in entrance of Notre Dame. Don’t let this scare you off! Simply comply with it till you discover the tail, and seize on, as a result of it often strikes shortly (the holdup is often attributable to folks in line taking images and never realizing the road retains shifting).
I’ve examined this a number of occasions on busy days (like Sunday) and have by no means waited greater than 12 minutes. Those that arrive weekday mornings earlier than 10am can often simply stroll proper in. Right here’s a video we recorded two weeks in the past on a Sunday morning, exhibiting how lengthy it took us to get in with out reservations:
Keep away from the Scams
As talked about proper on the cathedral’s dwelling web page, there aren’t any paid “skip-the-line cathedral entry tickets.” If somebody sells you one, it’s not legit. In case you are buying a ticket to a guided tour, confirm the tour is INSIDE the cathedral (not simply the outside), and that the information is a registered information conferencier, the one ones permitted to steer excursions in Notre Dame.
Visiting the Cathedral
In the event you visited earlier than the fireplace, the very first thing you’ll discover when visiting in the present day – in addition to how amazingly clear it’s – is that the course of the go to now goes clockwise. There’s an info desk simply to the left of the doorway the place yow will discover brochures. In any other case, the app talked about above for making reservations additionally serves as a guided tour of the cathedral and its chapels. You possibly can learn every entry, or if you happen to introduced earbuds, you possibly can take heed to the audio information (in English and three different languages).
One other factor you may discover is how crowded it’s. They appear to desire letting everybody in somewhat than making folks wait outdoors till it empties out a bit. That’s good for many who don’t wish to be caught outdoors in dangerous climate ready to get in, however it does imply chances are you’ll should be affected person to get an in depth have a look at the chapels or studying the informational plaques all through the cathedral (additionally in three languages).
This implies generally the chatter can get a bit loud, so that you’ll sometimes hear a recorded voice over the loudspeaker hushing you, “Silence!”
Word that the seating is just for these attending providers, so chances are you’ll be requested by the ushers to make room for these coming in simply earlier than mass begins (see under if you happen to’re particularly coming for mass).
The Treasury
Notre Dame’s Treasury is the separate room the place the cathedral’s valuable “treasures” and objects utilized in Catholic liturgy are stored, together with sacred vessels, ornaments, and liturgical books. I recall a number of jewellery, robes and headdresses worn by the completely different bishops and clergymen over time. It used to price a token €2 price to enter, however is now a whopping €12 (payable on web site, no advance tickets doable). They justify this value by explaining that “the treasury now advantages from a brand new museography. This highlights the spiritual, creative, and historic wealth of the collections, offering a contemporary and immersive presentation for all guests.” I’ve not visited to verify or deny this, so if any of you resolve to go to, tell us what you suppose!
Exit via the Reward Store
The reward store is on the finish of the go to circuit, simply earlier than you exit the Sainte Anne Portal. It’s closed throughout mass (though you possibly can nonetheless purchase commemorative cash within the machines all through the cathedral…they make a disturbingly loud clanking sound popping out). There’s additionally an official e-boutique on-line, though transport to the US is a bit problematic as of October 1st, 2025.
Attending Mass
Reservations aren’t wanted to attend mass. Merely get into the devoted line in entrance of the cathedral’s central doorway (Final Judgment Portal) 20-Half-hour earlier than the beginning of service, and you may be escorted to the seating space. Right here is the total schedule for each day lots. The Crown of Thorns is introduced on the primary Friday of every month from 3-5pm.
Caveat: Lots for Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and different necessary Catholic holidays are often fairly crowded, with folks lining up hours upfront. Large screens are often arrange on the sq. in entrance of the cathedral for individuals who can’t slot in to observe the service reside.
Attending Live shows
There are music live shows on Tuesday nights at 8:30pm organized by the Musique Sacrée à Notre-Dame de Paris. Buy your tickets upfront on-line for these live shows, they promote out quick! The free organ recitals on Sundays at 4pm don’t require tickets; enter the cathedral as you’d for an everyday go to (with or with out reservation).
Heather’s Images of Notre Dame’s Inside
Click on on the images to enlarge and skim captions.
The Reopened Bell Towers
Reopened since September 20th, 2025, the renovated Bell Towers are accessed from the outside of Notre Dame (entrance to the correct of the south tower, exit to the left of the north tower).
Buy Tickets in Advance
The Bell Towers are open for visits from 9am via 11pm (final entrance 9:45pm).Till 5:30pm from November via March (final entrance at 4:15pm). Closed January 1st, Might 1st and December 25th.
Visits are managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN) and price €16 for adults (free for kids below 18, EU college students and residents 18-25, and Paris Museum Move Holders). Entrance is free for everybody the primary Sunday in November, December, February, and March (no reservations; first come, first served).
Tickets have to be bought on-line upfront (no on-site ticket gross sales doable); you possibly can presently buy tickets for visits via the tip of 2025.
Beware the Stairs!
Whereas fully renovated for essentially the most snug go to doable, it’s necessary to know that the Bell Towers aren’t accessible for anybody with decreased mobility, these with coronary heart situations or susceptible to dizziness, pregnant ladies or younger youngsters (below six years outdated). There are 424 spiral steps, no carry, no restrooms, and no bag examine.
Moreover, these in flip flops or stiletto heels won’t be allowed in. Strollers, bike helmets, drones, tripods, skateboards, and huge baggage aren’t allowed to be carried in (the location says baggage have to be no larger than 40cmx40cmx20cm).
Plan on spending roughly visiting the Bell Towers from begin to end.
The Bell Towers Go to
After I final visited the Bell Towers in 1995, I recollect it being a darkish, claustrophobic, and exhausting expertise that left me with wobbly legs and no need to return anytime quickly. However the renovations have actually improved the customer expertise.
When you undergo airport-style safety, you begin up the spiral stone stairs of the South Tower. There are indicators all through telling you what number of stairs are above (and under) you, fashionable new lighting, and durable railings to carry onto. And most significantly, there are two breaks on the best way up!
The primary is the brand new reward store, with two chimeras on show, scale fashions of the cathedral and towers to see the place you might be, historic oil work on the partitions, and an interactive video display screen to elucidate the key occasions in Notre Dame’s historical past (and all info is in French, English, and Spanish).
The following pause level is the renovated “quadrilobe room” on the foot of the belfry. Right here you’ll discover the outdated picket beams utterly cleaned, and a brand new picket staircase put in taking you up into the belfry to see Notre Dame’s largest bell, Emmanuel, which solely rings for particular events.
They restrict how many individuals can go as much as the ultimate ranges to keep away from crowding, so chances are you’ll be requested to attend for some moments between completely different ranges.
Whenever you ascend to the very prime of the South Tower, you might be given 5 minutes to benefit from the view from all 4 sides (there are indicators exhibiting what you’re ). It’s secured by a safety fencing on the edges and prime, so there’s no threat of falling or dropping something over the aspect, however there’s no safety from wind or rain, so you’re going to get moist if it’s raining!
For sure, if you happen to go on a transparent day the panoramic views over Paris are completely well worth the climb!
After the South Tower, you descend one staircase earlier than crossing between the towers to enter the North Tower, the place the eight bells that ring all through the day are situated. In the event you time your go to proper, you may get to listen to them in motion up shut.
On the platform between the 2 towers there’s details about the chimeras (some folks erroneously name gargoyles) you possibly can see up shut, and a glass window with a view into the “Forest” that was rebuilt to carry up the roof and spire (it was not nicely lit, so I didn’t take a photograph).
Whenever you’re prepared, you descend the steps of the North Tower – multi function go – all the way down to the exit on the Rue du Cloitre Notre Dame (the place you’ll discover just a few cafés the place you possibly can sit to let your wobbly legs get better).
Extra In regards to the Renovations: Some Accomplished and Some Ongoing
Learn my unique article in regards to the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral if you happen to’d like images and particulars of the renovations, in addition to the continuing works on the outside’s flying buttresses and the inexperienced areas surrounding the cathedral, scheduled via 2027: Every thing You Must Know for Notre Dame’s Reopening
Bonus Video for Members: Heather’s Go to to the Newly Reopened Notre Dame Cathedral
Grow to be a Member
