Paris Notre Dame Cathedral Early Access Walking Tour with Optional Sainte-Chapelle Entry
by LetzGo City Tours
Choose from 6 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€118Overview
This two-hour walking tour in Paris begins with early access to Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité, allowing guests to enter before the general public. The visit inside Notre Dame lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes viewing the restored 12th and 13th-century Gothic architecture, such as the limestone vaults, columns, altar, painted chapels, and the oculus with cherubs. The guide explains the reconstruction work carried out by over 2,000 craftsmen. After exiting the cathedral, the tour continues with a walk to Square Jean XXIII, where visitors learn about ancient Roman and Celtic history and see Notre Dame’s flying buttresses. The route proceeds along the Seine River, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before returning to Île de la Cité to visit several landmarks on foot. These include the Point Zero des Routes de France, the plaza in front of Notre Dame with the Statue of Charlemagne, the Préfecture de Police building showing WWII bullet marks, and the Flower Market located between Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. Participants also view the Palais de Justice, the Conciergerie prison where Marie Antoinette was held, and the 650-year-old Tour de l’Horloge clock tower. The tour ends at Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, offering views of the Louvre, Seine River, Eiffel Tower, French Academy, and Monnaie de Paris. Guests have the option to upgrade for a 60-minute interior visit to Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century royal Gothic chapel built by King Louis IX, which includes time to explore its stained glass windows and architecture. The entire tour is guided on foot with commentary on the history and architecture of each site. Hotel pickup, transportation, food, and drinks are not included.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Square Jean XXIII
This former religious site reveals archaeological remains including a pillar used for propaganda by the Nautes, a merchant corporation. The guide explains how the Romans used the Nautes to integrate Celtic and Greco-Roman gods. The spot also offers good views of Notre Dame’s flying buttresses.
5 min
The Seine
Guests walk along the banks of the Seine River, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Paris.
5 min
Ile de la Cite
The tour visits Île de la Cité, an island at the center of Paris that hosts landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle.
10 min
Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Guests enter the 12th- and 13th-century Gothic monument covering more than 450,000 square feet of cream-colored limestone, cleaned of ash, lead dust, and grime. They see soaring vaults, thick columns, and tall walls that appear bright. Visitors admire new liturgical furniture like the altar and delicately sculpted scenes from Christ’s life. They observe gold-leaf stars on a deep blue ceiling in a painted side chapel and look up at cherubs on the oculus at the transept crossing. The restored central nave was rebuilt by over 2,000 craftsmen.
45 min
Point zero des routes de France
This spot marks the point from which distances to Paris are measured. Historically, criminals stood here to repent before execution.
Notre Dame Plaza
The group walks on the plaza in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, currently being redesigned for better visitor flow. The guide discusses the square’s Roman origins and points out the Statue of Charlemagne and His Guards.
5 min
Prefecture de Police
Guests see the Paris Police Prefecture building for 5 minutes. This unit of the French Ministry of the Interior manages police, fire, and administrative services for Paris and three surrounding suburban départements. The historical building shows bullet damage from World War II during Paris’s liberation.
5 min
Marche aux fleurs - Ile de la Cite
The group visits the Flower Market located between Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. The market, established in 1830, consists of covered and open-air pavilions mainly from the early 1900s. If closed, the tour still passes through the area.
5 min
Palais de Justice de Paris
The tour stops for 5 minutes at the Palais de Justice, one of Paris’s oldest and most prestigious official buildings. The site has served as a government center since Roman times, followed by the Merovingian and Capetian dynasties. The guide provides an overview and time for photos.
Sainte-Chapelle
The exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is shown to all guests. Those who upgrade enter for a 60-minute tour of the 13th-century royal Gothic chapel inside the medieval Palais de la Cité, former residence of French kings.
5 min
Conciergerie
Guests pause for photos and an introduction to the former prison where Marie Antoinette was held for nine months. The Revolutionary Tribunal sentenced 2,639 people here during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.
Tour de l'Horloge
Guests spend 3 minutes viewing the 650-year-old Clock Tower, originally a watchtower for the Royal Palace. The rectangular tower is massive, 47 meters high, with walls nearly one meter thick. It underwent extensive restorations from 1840 to 1843 to consolidate the lower part and add a guardhouse, then between 1843 and 1848, and again between 1860 and 1861 to restore its medieval appearance, especially the upper parts. The vaulted room on the fourth floor and the tower’s upper level were completely restored.
3 min
Place Dauphine
Guests see Place Dauphine, Paris’s oldest square built by King Henri IV for his first son. It is known as a popular spot for the French game la pétanque.
Pont Neuf
The tour concludes at Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Guests see views of the Louvre, Seine River, Eiffel Tower, French Academy, and Monnaie de Paris. This is the tour end point for those not entering Sainte-Chapelle.
5 min
Meeting point
MEETING TIME: 15 minutes before the scheduled start time Or a little earlier if you want your guide to point you to the best ice cream shop of Paris MEETING PLACE: Place Louis Aragon, Quai de Bourbon, 75004 Paris MEETING POINT: Meet your guide at the benches under the trees
End point
Please note, that the tour will end in Sainte-Chappelle for guests, who upgraded to entry tickets to Sainte-Chappelle included.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Paris Notre Dame Cathedral Early Access Walking Tour with Optional Sainte-Chapelle Entry
by LetzGo City Tours
Choose from 6 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€118Overview
This two-hour walking tour in Paris begins with early access to Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité, allowing guests to enter before the general public. The visit inside Notre Dame lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes viewing the restored 12th and 13th-century Gothic architecture, such as the limestone vaults, columns, altar, painted chapels, and the oculus with cherubs. The guide explains the reconstruction work carried out by over 2,000 craftsmen. After exiting the cathedral, the tour continues with a walk to Square Jean XXIII, where visitors learn about ancient Roman and Celtic history and see Notre Dame’s flying buttresses. The route proceeds along the Seine River, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before returning to Île de la Cité to visit several landmarks on foot. These include the Point Zero des Routes de France, the plaza in front of Notre Dame with the Statue of Charlemagne, the Préfecture de Police building showing WWII bullet marks, and the Flower Market located between Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. Participants also view the Palais de Justice, the Conciergerie prison where Marie Antoinette was held, and the 650-year-old Tour de l’Horloge clock tower. The tour ends at Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, offering views of the Louvre, Seine River, Eiffel Tower, French Academy, and Monnaie de Paris. Guests have the option to upgrade for a 60-minute interior visit to Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century royal Gothic chapel built by King Louis IX, which includes time to explore its stained glass windows and architecture. The entire tour is guided on foot with commentary on the history and architecture of each site. Hotel pickup, transportation, food, and drinks are not included.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Square Jean XXIII
This former religious site reveals archaeological remains including a pillar used for propaganda by the Nautes, a merchant corporation. The guide explains how the Romans used the Nautes to integrate Celtic and Greco-Roman gods. The spot also offers good views of Notre Dame’s flying buttresses.
5 min
The Seine
Guests walk along the banks of the Seine River, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Paris.
5 min
Ile de la Cite
The tour visits Île de la Cité, an island at the center of Paris that hosts landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle.
10 min
Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Guests enter the 12th- and 13th-century Gothic monument covering more than 450,000 square feet of cream-colored limestone, cleaned of ash, lead dust, and grime. They see soaring vaults, thick columns, and tall walls that appear bright. Visitors admire new liturgical furniture like the altar and delicately sculpted scenes from Christ’s life. They observe gold-leaf stars on a deep blue ceiling in a painted side chapel and look up at cherubs on the oculus at the transept crossing. The restored central nave was rebuilt by over 2,000 craftsmen.
45 min
Point zero des routes de France
This spot marks the point from which distances to Paris are measured. Historically, criminals stood here to repent before execution.
Notre Dame Plaza
The group walks on the plaza in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, currently being redesigned for better visitor flow. The guide discusses the square’s Roman origins and points out the Statue of Charlemagne and His Guards.
5 min
Prefecture de Police
Guests see the Paris Police Prefecture building for 5 minutes. This unit of the French Ministry of the Interior manages police, fire, and administrative services for Paris and three surrounding suburban départements. The historical building shows bullet damage from World War II during Paris’s liberation.
5 min
Marche aux fleurs - Ile de la Cite
The group visits the Flower Market located between Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. The market, established in 1830, consists of covered and open-air pavilions mainly from the early 1900s. If closed, the tour still passes through the area.
5 min
Palais de Justice de Paris
The tour stops for 5 minutes at the Palais de Justice, one of Paris’s oldest and most prestigious official buildings. The site has served as a government center since Roman times, followed by the Merovingian and Capetian dynasties. The guide provides an overview and time for photos.
Sainte-Chapelle
The exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is shown to all guests. Those who upgrade enter for a 60-minute tour of the 13th-century royal Gothic chapel inside the medieval Palais de la Cité, former residence of French kings.
5 min
Conciergerie
Guests pause for photos and an introduction to the former prison where Marie Antoinette was held for nine months. The Revolutionary Tribunal sentenced 2,639 people here during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.
Tour de l'Horloge
Guests spend 3 minutes viewing the 650-year-old Clock Tower, originally a watchtower for the Royal Palace. The rectangular tower is massive, 47 meters high, with walls nearly one meter thick. It underwent extensive restorations from 1840 to 1843 to consolidate the lower part and add a guardhouse, then between 1843 and 1848, and again between 1860 and 1861 to restore its medieval appearance, especially the upper parts. The vaulted room on the fourth floor and the tower’s upper level were completely restored.
3 min
Place Dauphine
Guests see Place Dauphine, Paris’s oldest square built by King Henri IV for his first son. It is known as a popular spot for the French game la pétanque.
Pont Neuf
The tour concludes at Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Guests see views of the Louvre, Seine River, Eiffel Tower, French Academy, and Monnaie de Paris. This is the tour end point for those not entering Sainte-Chapelle.
5 min
Meeting point
MEETING TIME: 15 minutes before the scheduled start time Or a little earlier if you want your guide to point you to the best ice cream shop of Paris MEETING PLACE: Place Louis Aragon, Quai de Bourbon, 75004 Paris MEETING POINT: Meet your guide at the benches under the trees
End point
Please note, that the tour will end in Sainte-Chappelle for guests, who upgraded to entry tickets to Sainte-Chappelle included.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.