A visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral

 A trip to Paris isn’t complete without visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral. This famous landmark in Paris is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the city, or the world as a matter of fact.

Read our guide on how to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral so you can plan that family trip to Paris, and visit one of the most famous landmarks in the city.

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How to get to Notre Dame Cathedral

You can easily get to Notre Dame Cathedral on foot or by train. The closest train station is the Saint-Michel Notre Dame and is just a short walk away.

Another way to get to some of the main attractions in Paris is on a bus tour. We took the Big Bus tour on our visit to Paris and it dropped us off right in front of the Cathedral, which makes it so much easier when traveling with kids.

Visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral

I still remember our first visit and how the feeling of serenity just envelops you as you enter. Our little one always lights a candle at every church we visit, and it was so special to get to light one at this marvelous Cathedral!

With the recent fire, It’s just so sad to think that future generations wouldn’t be able to experience the Cathedral in all it’s glory.

Is it Free to enter Notre Dame Cathedral

Entrance to Notre Dame is completely FREE, just be prepared for long lines to get in. The best time to visit the Cathedral would be early in the morning to experience it without the crowds.

To visit the Towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, there is an entrance fee which costs 10 euros. Once you make it up, you get the most amazing views of Paris.

Be aware that you will have to climb over 300 steps to get up, which is something to think about when visiting with kids.

History of the Notre Dame Cathedral 

Notre Dame is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in Paris, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It’s one of the most stunning monuments in Paris, and will leave you in awe of it’s grandness.

Construction of Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1160 and was completed around a hundred years later in 1260! The iconic spires were added later from 1844 to 1864. 

The Cathedral was made even more famous soon after the publication of Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831, and was the site of the Coronation of Napoleon I as Emperor of France as well. Since then it has become one of Paris most visited landmark.

There’s so much history behind the Notre Dame Cathedral and has stood the test of time for over 850 years, and it’s so sad that a fire can erase all that history in one swoop!

The interior of Notre Dame Cathedral 

As you enter the Notre Dame Cathedral, you are just left breathless at the beauty before you. 

The stained glass windows of Notre-Dame, particularly the three rose windows, are among the most famous features of the cathedral. Some of them date to the thirteenth century. 

One of the highlights in the cathedrals treasury is a reliquary, which houses some of Catholicism’s most important relics, including the purported Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross, and one of the Holy Nails.

Rebuilding the Notre Dame Cathedral

On April 15, 2019, The city of Paris and the world witnessed it’s beloved monument, the Notre Dame Cathedral, engulfed in flames. The Cathedral has suffered significant damage, including the collapse of it’s iconic spires! It was such a tragic moment and was difficult to watch as the flames consumed part of the Cathedral!

The good news is that France will rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral, and that the structure, including its two front towers, had been “saved and preserved as a whole,” but that two-thirds of the roof had been destroyed.

Firefighters were also able to save some of the cathedral’s artworks, and that some have already been removed because of the renovations! 

I’m so glad that we got to visit The Notre Dame Cathedral with our little one and experience one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. Just so happy that future generations can one day experience it as well. 

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