Notre Dame de Paris

Getting There

 Where is it? 4th District, 6 Place du Parvis Notre Dame, Isle de Cité
 How do I get there? Catch the Metro to Cité Station
 When is it open? Monday to Friday 08h00 to 18h45. Saturdays and Sundays 08h00 to 19h15
 What does it cost? General access is free. There are opportunities for donations, and charges for events like concerts.

When You Get There

Take time to walk around the outside walls first. You are looking at a Church where construction began in 1163 but took a further 182 years to complete. In those days the height of buildings was strictly limited because the weight of roofs collapsed the walls. The architects of Notre Dame changed all this by inventing the flying buttresses that are effectively triangular props outside. These were as revolutionary as the Eiffel Tower in their day.

Enter the Cathedral of Our Lady with respect. It is a fully functioning Church, although many of the twelve million people who visit every year are not practicing Christians. Yet who can fail to sense the presence of something other-worldly here, or ignore the call of history. Take your time. Gaze up at stained glass windows that have withstood eight hundred years of wars. This is a building as miraculous as the faith it represents.

There were few time pieces when the Cathedral was built and the custom was to ring a bell to announce Church services. The South Tower of Notre Dame contains a great bell that is as heavy as ten motorcars, and is used to mark the passing of the hours. There are four smaller bells in the North Tower that are rung for services and festivals. If you are fortunate enough to be there at that time, stay a while and take in the delightful cacophony of glorious sounds.

The Insider Edge

 Great Medieval Cathedrals cost unimaginable sums of money to build and maintain, most of which were provided by faithful pilgrims. In exchange for their support they were allowed to view sacred relics that were believed to have mystical powers. On the first Friday of every month at 15h00 you can see this ancient tradition repeat itself as the Crown of Thorns is exhibited to the people in the Treasury. Your €3 will go towards the upkeep of the building.

 Music has always been part of Cathedral life at Notre Dame and the tradition continues to this day. There is something haunting about the acoustic qualities of stone walls and floors. Try to include a lunchtime concert or a mid-week evening service in the Choir. Memories like these will last a lifetime.

Things You Didn’t Know

 The Gothic architects who built Notre Dame were perfectionists who personally supervised every detail. Yet the three main entrance portals are different shapes. This was not an oversight, but a strategy to avoid monotony. The interior is full of details like this. Have fun spotting them.

 You can climb the North Tower from an entrance just outside the main doorway. There are 422 spiral steps up, and the same 422 spiral steps down again. Attempt this only if you are fit. If you do, you will be met with glorious views across the City, and opportunities to get close to gargoyles and the enormous bell.

 The Cathedral building has been desecrated several times, and in the process stripped of much of its original decoration. The Huguenots rioted here in 1548, followed by Revolutionaries in 1793. In 1871 the chairs were set alight during the Paris Commune. In 1939 the giant windows were temporarily removed for fear of German bombs that thankfully never fell that close. After the war, the magnificent windows were returned.

Can You Afford to Miss It?

A visit to Notre Dame is the sine qua none of every Paris visit. That the Cathedral survived the centuries is miracle enough. Visit it in a contemplative mood. Find a quiet corner where you can take refuge from the noisy streets outside. Opportunities like this are special. This one comes free.