Gothic Cathedral Towers · Île de la Cité · 4th Arrondissement
Tours de Notre-Dame & the Paris Museum Pass
Gargoyle-eye views across Paris from 69 metres up — reopened September 2025 after the 2019 fire. Covered by the Museum Pass. Booking required.
Individual ticket
€15
With Museum Pass
Included
Timed slot
Required — book in advance
Open
Daily
Hours
10am–6:30pm (9:30pm Jul–Aug)
Last updated: February 2026 · Prices and details verified
Is the Tours de Notre-Dame de Paris included in the Paris Museum Pass?
Yes — the Paris Museum Pass covers entry to the Tours de Notre-Dame, saving you €15 per person. A timed-entry reservation is required — book at notredamedeparis.fr. Entry to the cathedral itself is free and completely separate.
Is Tours de Notre-Dame de Paris Included in the Paris Museum Pass?
The pass covers the tower climb: 387 steps up to the Gallery of Chimeras at 46 metres and the South Tower summit at 69 metres. The cathedral interior, which is managed separately by the Church, is free to everyone.
Booking Your Timed Entry Slot
A timed-entry reservation is required for the Tours de Notre-Dame. Slots are released at midnight Paris time for dates two days in advance, with additional same-day slots opening 4 hours ahead. Demand is high — the towers attract over 400,000 visitors annually.
Reservation required — do not arrive without one. Tower tickets sell out quickly, particularly during peak season (April–October) and summer (June–August). Book at notredamedeparis.fr as soon as your travel dates are confirmed — select the Museum Pass option. Walk-in is not available for the towers; you must have a confirmed timed slot. Maximum 6 people per booking.
Book at notredamedeparis.fr/en/visit — select the Museum Pass option. The reservation is free; you are only securing your entry time.
Note: The North Belfry has limited access due to ongoing restoration works — visitors can pass through the area but full access to the bells is restricted. The 2019 fire damage is still visible in some areas as restoration continues into 2026 and beyond. The cathedral interior (nave, Treasury, side chapels) is free to enter separately — a free timed slot is recommended but not mandatory for the cathedral itself.
What to See — Collection Highlights
Notre-Dame de Paris is an 850-year-old Gothic cathedral — construction began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and the main structure was largely complete by 1345. The towers reach 69 metres and took over 100 years to build. The April 2019 fire destroyed the spire and the oak roof but the twin towers and stone vaults survived. After five years of restoration, the cathedral fully reopened in December 2024.
Highlight 1
The Gallery of Chimeras — the famous gargoyles and fantastical hybrid creatures at the base of the towers, up close at 46 metres, with Paris spread below them
Highlight 2
Emmanuel the great bell — the 13-tonne bourdon bell in the south tower, cast in 1686, which rings for major Catholic celebrations and national events
Highlight 3
The panoramic view from the south tower summit — 69 metres above the Île de la Cité, with Sainte-Chapelle, the Seine, the Latin Quarter, and central Paris simultaneously visible
Suggested Itinerary — 1–1.5 Hours
The tower visit follows a set route upward — 387 steps, no elevator. Allow time at the Gallery of Chimeras before the final climb to the summit.
Enter
The climb — North Tower staircase
The entrance is on the left (north) side of the cathedral facade. The 387-step climb begins in the North Tower via a narrow spiral staircase. The staircase widens as you reach the upper sections. No elevator — all visitors must climb.
+ 20 min
Gallery of Chimeras — gargoyles at close range
The Gallery of Chimeras at the base of the towers (46 metres) is the highlight for most visitors — the famous gargoyles, grotesques, and hybrid creatures up close, with Paris below them. Allow 20 minutes here.
+ 40 min
South Tower summit — panoramic views
The final climb to the South Tower summit at 69 metres. Emmanuel the great bell is here. 360° views over the Île de la Cité, the Seine, Sainte-Chapelle below, the Latin Quarter, and central Paris. Last admission 1 hour before closing.
Practical Tips
Tip 1
Slots release at midnight Paris time for dates two days ahead — set a reminder and book at exactly midnight if your preferred date is during peak season. Same-day slots also open at 4 hours before your desired entry time.
Tip 2
The tower visit and cathedral entry are completely separate. You can visit the cathedral interior (free) without a tower ticket at any time. The tower entrance is on the left (north) side of the facade — separate queue from the cathedral entrance.
Tip 3
Combine with Sainte-Chapelle on the same morning — both are on the Île de la Cité, 5 minutes apart. Book both timed slots in advance. The Conciergerie is also 5 minutes away and pass-covered, making the Île de la Cité a natural half-day museum circuit.
Getting There
Tours de Notre-Dame de Paris — Fast Facts
Address
6 Parvis Notre-Dame — Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris
Nearest Metro
Cité (Metro 4) — 3 min walk (Metro 4)
RER
RER B/C — Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame — 5 min walk
Bus lines
21, 24, 27, 38, 85, 96
Opening hours
Daily 10am–6:30pm · July–August until 9:30pm · Closed 1 January, 1 May, 25 December
Yes — the Tours de Notre-Dame are covered by the Paris Museum Pass, saving €15 per person. The towers reopened on 20 September 2025 after being closed since the 2019 fire. A timed-entry reservation is required — book at notredamedeparis.fr. Note: entry to the cathedral interior is free for everyone and separate from the tower ticket.
Book at notredamedeparis.fr — select the Museum Pass ticket type. Slots are released at midnight Paris time for dates two days ahead, with additional same-day slots opening 4 hours in advance. Maximum 6 people per booking. In peak season (April–October) book immediately when slots open — they sell out fast.
387 steps to the South Tower summit, with no elevator. The staircase is narrow and spiral in places. The climb is not recommended for visitors with significant mobility impairments, heart conditions, or claustrophobia. There is no minimum age restriction but young children must be able to climb independently. Strollers are not permitted.
On 15 April 2019 a fire broke out in the attic of the cathedral during renovation work. The 19th-century spire (added by Viollet-le-Duc) collapsed, and the medieval oak roof (‘the forest’) was destroyed. The stone vaults and twin towers survived largely intact. Five years of intensive restoration followed, with the cathedral reopening in December 2024 and the towers in September 2025. Some restoration work continues into 2026.
Yes — entry to Notre-Dame cathedral (the nave, side chapels, and interior) is free for all visitors. A free timed slot is recommended to reduce waiting time but is not mandatory — you can arrive and queue. The tower visit (€15, pass-covered) requires a separate paid timed slot booked in advance. The Treasury (€12) requires a separate ticket purchased inside the cathedral.
Yes — both are on the Île de la Cité, 5 minutes apart on foot. Both are pass-covered and both require advance timed reservations. Book both slots when you confirm your travel dates — Sainte-Chapelle slots often sell out faster than the Notre-Dame towers. The Conciergerie is also 5 minutes away and pass-covered, making the Île de la Cité an efficient three-venue half-day.
Combine Tours de Notre-Dame de Paris With These Museums
The Notre-Dame towers are at the centre of the Île de la Cité cluster — three pass venues within 10 minutes on foot.
