Notre-Dame de Paris is the Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire and brighter inside than it has looked for generations. Entry is free. As of October 2026 it opens Monday to Friday 7:50–19:00 (Thursday to 22:00) and Saturday and Sunday 8:15–19:30. A free time slot booked on the official website is optional but cuts the wait. Climbing the towers costs €16 and must be booked online. Allow an hour for the cathedral and another 1½ hours for the towers.
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Tickets and tours for Notre-Dame de Paris
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Why Notre-Dame matters
Building began in the 1160s and took close to two centuries, giving Paris one of the defining works of Gothic architecture, with its twin-towered west front, flying buttresses and great rose windows. It has been the stage for coronations, royal weddings and national services ever since, and it is part of the “Paris, Banks of the Seine” UNESCO World Heritage site. On 15 April 2019 a fire destroyed the roof and the 19th-century spire. Five years of restoration followed, and the cathedral reopened in December 2024 with a rebuilt spire and cleaned stone, glass and paintings.
Notre-Dame is first a place of worship, with several Masses a day. Pope Leo XIV visited on 25 September 2026. This autumn six new stained-glass windows by the artist Claire Tabouret, on the theme of Pentecost, are being installed in the south aisle chapels, with an unveiling planned for December 2026.
What you’ll see
- The west front: three carved portals, with the Last Judgement in the centre, under the gallery of kings.
- The nave and transept: pale, freshly cleaned stone, the medieval rose windows and the new liturgical furniture installed for the reopening.
- The Treasury: reliquaries and liturgical objects, with its own ticket (€12, €6 reduced) sold at the Treasury desk.
- The towers: 424 steps up the south tower to 69 metres, past the gargoyles and chimeras, with views over the river, the Latin Quarter and the new spire.
Tickets and how to visit
From the cathedral’s official website and the towers’ operator, the Centre des monuments nationaux, as of October 2026:
- Cathedral: free every day. Monday to Friday 7:50–19:00, Thursday until 22:00; Saturday and Sunday 8:15–19:30. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours change for major services and events.
- Free booking: optional time slots on the official website or app, released a few days ahead. Nobody else is authorised to sell entry, so ignore paid “skip-the-line” offers.
- Towers: €16; free for under-18s, EU nationals and residents aged 18–25, visitors with a disability plus a companion, and everyone on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December. Tickets are sold online only, and everyone, including free visitors and Paris Museum Pass holders, needs a timed e-ticket. Under-18s must be with an adult.
- Towers hours: October to March 9:00–17:30, April to September 9:00–23:00, last admission one hour before closing. Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and in bad weather.
- Dress and behaviour: modest clothing that covers shoulders, stomach and thighs; men remove hats; silence inside.
- Security and bags: everyone is screened. In the cathedral, luggage and large bags are not allowed; backpacks up to 20 litres are fine. For the towers the limit is 40 × 40 × 20 cm, with no lockers, and helmets, selfie sticks, tripods, pushchairs, glass bottles and sharp objects are banned.
Climbing the towers
The climb is a workout: 424 steps with no lift, some passages only 45 cm wide and low enough to duck, and no water point or toilets on the way. It is not advised for people with heart problems or vertigo, pregnant women or young children. Time at the very top is limited to five minutes, but there are viewpoints at several levels. No flip-flops, stilettos or bare chests. The towers entrance is on the right as you face the cathedral, on Place Jean-Paul II.
When to go
Queues are longest from late morning to late afternoon. Come at opening time, on a Thursday evening, or with a free booked slot. Avoid Mass times if you want to walk around the whole nave, and note that the towers close at 17:30 in winter.
Accessibility
Wheelchair users enter through the central portal with priority access and no booking needed; the exit for visitors with reduced mobility is at the Portal of the Virgin, with help from staff. Inside there are ramps and a lift platform, plus braille booklets and tactile models. Audio guides cost €5 at the reception desk, and a free official app offers tours in English, French and Spanish. The towers are not accessible.
Getting there
Metro line 4 stops at Cité, a few minutes’ walk away, and at Saint-Michel. RER B and C stop at Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame, just across the bridge, so it is a direct ride from Charles de Gaulle airport on RER B. Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11), Châtelet (lines 7, 11 and 14) and Maubert-Mutualité (line 10) are all within a short walk.
Combine it with
The Sainte-Chapelle is 450 metres away on the same island, and the Crown of Thorns that Saint Louis built it for is now kept at Notre-Dame. Then cross to the Île Saint-Louis for ice cream, or walk west along the river to the Louvre. A Seine cruise is a fine way to see the restored roof and spire from the water; see our boat trips guide and our Paris travel guide.
Notre-Dame de Paris FAQ
Is Notre-Dame free to visit?
Yes, the cathedral is free every day. Only the towers (€16) and the Treasury (€12) charge admission.
Do I need to book Notre-Dame?
No, but a free time slot from the official website or app cuts the queue. The towers are different: an online booking is compulsory for everyone.
What are Notre-Dame’s opening hours?
As of October 2026, Monday to Friday 7:50–19:00 (Thursday until 22:00) and weekends 8:15–19:30, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Can you climb Notre-Dame’s towers again?
Yes. The 424-step climb costs €16 and is bookable online only; from October to March it runs 9:00–17:30.
Is there a dress code at Notre-Dame?
Yes. Cover your shoulders, stomach and thighs, avoid see-through clothing, take hats off inside and keep quiet.
Can I bring a suitcase into Notre-Dame?
No. Luggage and large bags are refused; backpacks up to 20 litres are allowed. The towers have no lockers, so leave big bags at your hotel.