Guide to visit Notre Dame Cathedral: entrance, opening hours and fun facts

The best time of the year to visit Notre Dame is whatever you prefer. The magic of the cathedral shines through every month of the year. If we’re talking about the best time of the day so that there are not too many people, then first thing in the morning is ideal, around 8am. For a unique photo experience, I recommend the light of sunrise or sunset in Paris. Savor the magical details of its Gothic style. If you have to choose a day of the week, try to rule out weekends as it will be busier.

Notre Dame opening hours

Open from 7:50am to 7pm during the week, and Saturdays and Sundays from 8:15am to 7:30pm. On Thursdays it is open until 10pm. Entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral is free and you can book your ticket online on the official website. You can also visit the ticket office and wait in line to enter. The last entry is made 30 minutes before closing.

Ticket prices

Tickets for the cathedral are free and you can buy at the entrance. If you want to avoid the queues, you can book the time that suits you best on their official website and avoid waiting hours. Entrance to the Treasury of Notre Dame costs €12 and a €6 ticket.

How to get to Notre Dame?

A great way to get here is to walk from the Eiffel Tower alongside the Seine, or if you want to go more directly, you can take several nearby metro stations: Cité (line 4), Saint-Mizel Notre-Dame (line 4 and RER B and C), or bus lines: 47, 75, N15 and N22. You can also get on a tourist bus that tours the center of the French capital

When was Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral built? Construction began as a great temple around 1163 and was completed two centuries later. This architectural work was under the patronage of Bishop Maurice de Sully and had religious values from the very beginning. 

Highlights its elegant Gothic style

It is also known as The Grand Dame and its architecture is in the early Gothic style with influences from the Norman Romanesque style that predominated in the twelfth century. The most outstanding features include rose windows and stained-glass windows, and an interior design based on a cruciform floor plan with five naves and two arenas.

The majestic central nave of Notre Dame

The central nave of this Parisian temple rises up like a stone forest that invites you to look up to the sky. Enjoy the colored light emanating from the stained-glass windows and an ambience of solemnity and grandeur that comes from the Gothic style.

The main façade of Paris Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral is famous throughout the world and has a main façade on several levels, with the sculpted gallery of the kings, the chimeras, the two tall towers and the three entrance doors. If you climb these two towers of Notre Dame, you will see why it is one of the most important monuments in Paris and you will feel it. 

The façade itself tells a lot about the history of Christianity. Some of the scenes and characters that appear in the Bible are also seen in this masterpiece of Gothic and neo-Gothic architecture. 

The gargoyles of Notre Dame

The gargoyles and chimeras are the result of a renovation carried out in the mid-19th century by the French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and add a part of the neo-Gothic style of the period. He also added the imposing spire that crowns the Parisian cathedral and is guarded by the 12 offerings at its base.

The grand rose window in Paris

The western rose window of Notre Dame, although visible from the inside, is also impressive from the outside. It is a reminder of the virtuosity of medieval artisans as they worked to fill the temple with light and colour.

It is true that Notre Dame Cathedral has witnessed many of the events that have occurred over a period of nine centuries. It went from being an important church for Christians to a warehouse after being looted in the French Revolution, and to the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte, among other historical events. 

"Our Lady of Paris" by Victor Hugo

It has been the focus of thousands of views of artists and writers who made it even grander and more important than it already was. Many people know about Victor Hugo’s novel about the adventures and misadventures of the bell ringer who lives in the cathedral, Quasimodo. better known as "the hunchback of Notre Dame", he gave a leading role to the Grand Dame, her statues and their bells. The building was brought to life by the mysterious gargoyles, friends and companions of the main character. Even today, when you get up close, it seems like at some point in time they will speak to you.

For Quasimodo it was a window on the world, and the views in the book are even more incredible when you see it with your own eyes. The cathedral places Paris at your feet.

When the cathedral was being restored, it suffered a horrific buffeting that made the entire world silenced by the images of the cathedral on fire. The Grand Dame consumed the fire as a large team of firefighters came to put out the fire. The Notre Dame fire erupted on April 15, 2019 , consuming two thirds of the roof and central spire and affecting the fabulous rose windows, witnessed by millions of people. 

Recovery of Notre Dame de Paris

Thanks to a global campaign, millions of donations and the efforts of architects, artisans and curators, the cathedral is now open to all. Major personalities from the international political scene attended its reopening on December 7, 2024.

Visiting the French capital means planning well every time of day you are there. You can choose to see the tourist attractions or try some of the activities offered by some of the most famous monuments in the city. This year we will discover the best experiences in Notre Dame as well as its interior, its towers and even its Treasury.

Concerts, exhibitions and cultural activities at Notre Dame

Throughout the year it provides regular updates on the cultural activities taking place in the cathedral. The venue for concerts and exhibitions so you can take home the most endearing memories of your visit to Paris. You can check the calendar on the official website to see what activities you can enjoy during your stay in the French capital.

Something very special

If you want to learn more about the history of Paris Cathedral and its secrets in a more personalized way, I recommend you book one of our unique experiences that will take you beyond the familiar. 

Exclusive experience at Notre Dame

The Hotel Villa Marquis Meliá Collection allows you to connect with the destination during your visit and offer the following experiences if you want to level up. This is a unique opportunity to explore Notre Dame accompanied by an expert guide as you reflect the passage of time, admiring the beauty of the architecture and all its details, while also discovering the most intimate part of the cathedral. The experience ends with brunch at the Dos Almas restaurant , serving exquisite cuisine inspired by Parisian traditions with a Mediterranean flair. The result of this experience is a perfect memory that includes history, culture, learning and good taste.

To make the most of your visit to the famous Paris Cathedral, we recommend you have other interesting locations nearby so you can end the day in a great way.

1. Stroll around the Èle de la Cité

The island on which Notre Dame is located is open to the narrow streets and access to it over wonderful bridges. Nearby is the Saint-Chapelle. This church is well known for its stained-glass windows and because it was an old prison during the French Revolution and has centuries of history.

2. The bridges near Notre Damel

One of the secrets to enjoying Notre Dame is to see it from different angles. The Pont de l'Archevêché and Pont Saint-Louis offer spectacular views, especially at sunset when the stone turns golden. One of the most famous bridges in Paris, the Pont Neuf, gives you access to the same island on which the cathedral is located.

3. Navigate the Seine

A cruise on the River Seine allows you to admire Notre Dame, among other things. Seeing a silhouette reflected in the water is one of those images that stays in our memory forever.

4. The Latin Quarter

The Latin quarter or Quartier Latin is one of the oldest quarters in the French capital. The district is home to major tourist attractions such as the Pantheon, home to great French personalities, the Luxembourg Gardens and the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore, among others. Don’t miss it!

There are many curiosities and secrets that have been discovered throughout time in the famous Paris cathedral. Let's start with the most visible things. Under the porticoes is a gallery of the kings of Judea with 28 statues that had to be reconstructed after the French revolution. The original heads of 21 of them are now in the Cluny Museum after being found by workers who were renovating a courtyard in the 9th district in 1977. How they got there is still a mystery.
The second major architect responsible for the reform in the 19th century, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, left his face as a signature on one of the sculptures of the king (facing upwards) and of a Saint. All of them were miraculously saved from the flames in the Notre Dame fire in 2019.

The Treasure of Notre Dame

Although many people know it all and go there to appreciate it, Notre Dame is a treasure that can be visited between 9am and 6pm. It contains a piece of the cross of Christ, his crown of thorns and a nail of the crucifixion. The price is around €12 for adults and €6 for kids aged under 12. You can see more information on their official website.

Discover anecdotes about Paris Cathedral

Among other historical anecdotes, we would like to highlight that Napoleon Bonaparte and his woman were crowned before the Grand Lady; in the interior, the beatification of Joan of Arc; and John Paul II celebrated Mass in the square.

The famous bell in the south tower is the largest in Notre Dame and is named Emmanuel, weighing 13 tons. In the Disney movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", Quasimodo calls her "The great Marie".