Long wait to climb the bell tower so
Ellie and Nathan become “gargoyles”
It’s been a year since our first (only, so far) trip to Paris. Visiting Notre Dame Cathedral an the Eiffel Tower, eating the baguettes… ahhhh….
But, I didn’t expect to love the city.
Millions of visitors each year can’t be right, can they?
Despite my best efforts to doubt Paris, I fell in love with Paris’ uniquely Parisian essence. (I haven’t blogged about the trip before, because I hoped I’d be better able to describe it by now. I can’t. Paris simply is… well…. Paris!)
That trip inspired this website. Talk about having an impact! Anyway…
We enjoyed everything we did in Paris, so much so that I really don’t know where to begin… so I’ll start with our Notre Dame Tower tour, which is the most visited site in the city.
And you thought it was the Eiffel Tower…. Gotcha!
Notre Dame Cathedral — Rear View
Notre Dame Cathedral Bell Tower
Notre Dame Cathedral history
Notre Dame Cathedral is located the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris. Construction on this exquisite French Gothic building began in 1163 and was essentially completed by 1250. The stained glass rose window, stone sculptures and bell tower inspire wonder in more than 13 million visitors each year. Notre Dame Cathedral is also an active Catholic church, a place of pilgrimage, and the heart of the Catholic Church in France. The Cathedral was seriously damaged in the French Revolution and rebuilt a century later.
Notre Dame Cathedral facts and history
- Victor Hugo wrote “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” to raise awareness and appreciation for the cathedral after it had fallen into disrepair and was considered too hideous to be worth saving.
- Much of the cathedral was destroyed during the French revolution in 1793. Restoration was begun by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and lasted 23 years.
- Napoleon was coronated here in 1804.
- The largest bell in the towers is known as the bourdon bell Emmanuel and weighs over 13 tons.
- Visitors who wish to climb the towers should wear comfortable shoes and be in reasonably good health. You’ve been warned! It’s 347 steps to the top!
Just a few of Notre Dame Cathedrals 347 stairs to the bell tower
Not sure those 347 steps are worth the trouble? Maybe these will convince you!
Not only would you “meet” a Notre Dame gargoyle up close, you would also experience sweeping vistas of historic Paris, France. The Seine River, centuries of architecture, the Eiffel Tower and the golden dome of Les Invalides in the distance. Simply breath-taking.
Of course, you also get to see this (adorable girl not included) tiny door that leads to the immense Notre Dame bell tower and the Bell Emmanuel.
A tip for parents: If you share some facts about Paris for kids before travel, they’ll be really excited to see those places come to life during the trip. A little background history gives them an “anchor” to better appreciate where they are.
Yes, that’s our resident photo-bomber, Ben, peeking through the doorway. Obviously, we had fun at Notre Dame Cathedral.
Notre Dame Visit: Know before you go.
- Exploring the main cathedral is free and open to the public every day.
- Notre Dame entrance fee to climb the tower (as of this post): 8 euros for adults, 5 euro for those between 18-25, and free for children under 18.
- The Notre Dame Bell Tower tour is included in the Paris Museum Pass.
- Allow an hour for your climb and exploration at the top. That does not count the wait in line! (See next point)
- Unless you purchase a Notre Dame Tower skip the line package, arrive EARLY! Because the number of people who can climb the Tower at one time is limited, the wait is very long.
- When purchasing a Notre Dame Tour skip the line package, make sure it includes the tower climb, not “just” the Notre Dame Cathedral tour. Entrance to the main cathedral is free — and the lines move quickly. Notre Dame tower tour lines can go as long as two hours.
- Notre Dame tower hours vary by season. The tower is closed January 1, May 1 and December 25. Click here for Notre Dame tower hours and to plan your visit.
- If you get stuck in line like we did, enjoy some of the nearby street food, get to know your neighbors, and/or practice your best gargoyle impression. Make the wait fun!
- Nearby food includes Berthillon Glacier, the best ice cream in Paris.
- Closest Metro Lines to Notre Dame Cathedral are St-Michel Notre Dame – RER B Train Line, St-Michel Notre Dame – RER C Train Line, and Cité – Line 4.
Our visit to Notre Dame Cathedral was both interesting and challenging. Those stairs proved tough, but the view, the sense of history and the sense of accomplishment were well worth it!
Have you climbed Notre Dame? Would you?
Other places you might enjoy:
Christ Church, Dublin, Ireland
Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou, China
Sainte Chapelle, Paris
Becki says
That looks like a fabulous time! It’s been years since I’ve been to Paris and never with my family…too many places, so little time
Karen Dawkins says
Did you climb the stairs at Notre Dame? And yes — way too many places and way too little time!
eileen at FamiliesGo! says
great, helpful tips. and nice photos, too! i’m doing to do a homeswap in Paris, which would make the trip so much more affordable. have you tried it?
Karen Dawkins says
I have not done a home swap yet. I’m a bit nervous about that whole concept. I’m interested to hear how it goes for you!
Also, the few home swap sites I’ve looked at don’t seem to have a Raleigh, NC demand. Sad — there’s so much cool stuff to do here. Maybe you and I can swap one day? 🙂
Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says
You’ve convinced me to climb all those steps up! What a wonderful view. I can’t wait to take my kids to Paris, and we’re considering it for this summer. Notre Dame is definitely on the list. All those visitors can’t be wrong, right?
Karen Dawkins says
Yay! Be sure to work out before you go. My legs were so sore by the end of our trip. Almost everything in Paris involves stairs, even the metro.
Also, check before you go. July and August are the quiet season in Paris. Much of the city shuts down. Nice for you, less crowds. BUT, if you want to see or do something in particular, make sure it’s open when you want to go.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says
Once again, thanks for your excellent Paris posts. We just climbed Notre Dame today. Luckily (or unluckily) we are used to climbing steps because our elevator at our high rise in Malaysia often doesn’t work, so it’s 500 steps up to our unit. Unfortunately, the big Emmanuel bell was closed off for renovation when we visited (June 2013).
Rosey says
We have been, and we have seen. 🙂 Excellent photos!
Karen Dawkins says
Thanks!!! What’s your favorite place in Paris?
Rosey says
The Louvre, hands down. The Musée d’Orsay was a close second. And don’t laugh… Pizza Pino! hahaha, I loved that place! Okay…it didn’t compare to the sites, but I still loved it. 🙂
Karen Dawkins says
My second son loved the two museums best as well. I will never laugh at a pizza reference… there’s a Paris inspired pizza recipe post here on the blog. https://familytravelsonabudget.com/dining/travel-inspired-recipes-pizza-roi-from-paris/
Our first meal in China was Pizza Hut! Didn’t taste the same, but after 24 hours of travel, we needed a reminder of home. 🙂
Rosey says
A trip to China would be worth 24 hours, but oh my that’s a long flight.
Lisa from Gone With The Family says
We stayed near Notre Dame on our last trip to Paris and I loved walking past it so often. Sadly we never made it to the top as the lines were always incredibly long and one of my daughters has a bit of a fear of heights and wasn’t willing to tackle it anyway. Next time, I’m going to the top for the views!
Karen Dawkins says
I never felt like I was up high. The fences keep you so far back from the wall, it doesn’t seem high at all. The views and the exercise of the hike up the stairs are awesome!
Krista says
Hi Karen 🙂 I found your blog through your comment on Jan’s interview of me this week. 🙂 Your photos of Notre Dame are beautiful and your kids make me laugh. They look like they’re having so much fun! 🙂 Hope you have a fantastic weekend. 🙂
Karen Dawkins says
Thanks for stopping by, Krista. I look forward to more of your fabulous photos! My kids are about as nutty as those pictures show. 🙂
Mary {The World Is A Book} says
Beautiful pictures! We fell in love with Paris too and Notre Dame Cathedral was the first attraction we saw stepping off from a subway metro near our hotel. It was one of those awe-inspiring moments. I loved the Rose windows inside. Thanks for all these interesting tidbits. Sadly, we didn’t get to go up to the tower but those views are definitely worth the steps.
Karen Dawkins says
Hi Mary! Our first night in the city, we got a bit turned around. We came around the corner of a building just as the Eiffel Tower lit up in front of us. Our timing couldn’t have been better — we just stood there, awed. I don’t know if there’s a better day than that first big moment in the city. 🙂
As to the steps — maybe worth it. My legs hurt like crazy the next day! I’ll be running stairs for months before I go back again. That climbing was tough!
Courtney~Mommy LaDy Club says
Such a neat city huh! I was so bummed that everything was closed when we were there. I’ll have to go back;)
By the way, the Contest results and feedback are up on the Club-Content blog. Thanks so much for entering! You’re the best!
Karen Dawkins says
Did you go in July? The whole city pretty much shuts down in the summer. Happy weekend.
Susan says
Paris is worth all the hype. Rich history. Excellent food. Unique atmosphere. I look forward to going back soon.
InsideJourneys says
I can sooo relate! I didn’t think I’d love Paris, that it was just overhyped, overrated, all of the overs. But I was blown away by the city, by Notre Dame, by the Eiffel Tower — which was BIGGER than I expected — by the museums, the neighborhoods, even the metro. I saw Notre Dame at night and during the day. The night made it look even more impressive. Thanks for bringing me back a little bit of Paris.
Karen Dawkins says
Oh yay! Another skeptic who converted. I’m not alone! My husband said he’d like to spend his first month of retirement in Paris! Too bad I need to wait 15 years for that. 🙂
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista says
Paris is a wonderful city and one that I find something new and amazing every time I visit! Great pictures of Notre Dame. I agree, the climb is definitely worth it!
Karen Dawkins says
Thanks for the compliment on the photos. The blue skies certainly helped.
budget jan says
The photo of the rose window is exceptional, and the gargoyle horribly scary!
Karen Dawkins says
I loved that gargoyle, which sounds really funny. He had personality.