Today, I'm taking you on a tour of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris. It's a deeply emotional experience because, after the terrible fire that ravaged the cathedral in 2019, you really feel how close we came to losing this view forever, to never walking again among these ancient stones… After years of restoration work, the towers of Notre-Dame finally reopened to visitors on September 20, 2025, with a new route that's different from the one that existed before the fire.
In this article, I'll walk you through what has changed, the highlights of the visit, and the key moments along the way. I'll also share lots of practical information about access, tickets, and what you need to know before you go.
- A bit of history: why the Towers have fascinated people for 8 centuries
- The new visitor route through the Towers: what has changed since 2025
- What you see during the tour of Notre-Dame's towers
- Planning your visit to Notre-Dame's towers: practical info & tips
- Is it worth climbing the Towers if you've already visited Notre-Dame before?
A bit of history: why the Towers have fascinated people for 8 centuries
Even though Notre-Dame's towers feel like they've always been there, standing still above Île de la Cité, their story is anything but static. Before we climb those 424 steps (!), let's take a quick look back at their past.
Building the towers: a Gothic feat
Notre-Dame was built between 1163 and 1345 on Île de la Cité in Paris, and its towers date from the first half of the 13th century. At that time, building two towers rising 69 meters high (about 226 feet) was a true architectural feat.
It was the golden age of Gothic architecture, and Notre-Dame perfectly embodied the trends of the time… but not only that. Its location in the very heart of Paris was a way to reassert the power of the Church, while the towers provided a high vantage point over the city.
Even if they weren't official watchtowers, they acted as the “eyes of the city”, overlooking all activity around Île de la Cité (then the seat of power, with the Palais de la Cité). The bells could also warn the population at the slightest danger, whether it was a fire, a flood, or civil unrest.
The legacy of Viollet-le-Duc: gargoyles, chimeras & medieval imagination
If you take a closer look at the details, you'll notice a mix of original elements and later additions in the towers, especially from the 19th century, when the cathedral was fully restored by Viollet-le-Duc. At that time, beyond simply restoring medieval buildings, architects liked to reinterpret them according to their own vision of the Middle Ages.
They added elements that had never existed before, just as Viollet-le-Duc did when he designed the chimeras that are now iconic features of Notre-Dame de Paris, and created a more decorative spire to replace the medieval one, complete with statues of the twelve apostles (including Saint Thomas, whose face is modeled after Viollet-le-Duc himself!). He also introduced many details inspired by Gothic style—animals, foliage, and other motifs—that were not part of the original design.
Viollet-le-Duc famously said, “To restore a building is not to maintain it, to repair it, or to remake it; it is to reestablish it in a condition that may never have existed at any given time.” In other words, restoration always included a creative dimension. He replaced some damaged pinnacles, finials, and gargoyles by adding decorative elements that hadn't existed before or by making them more symmetrical. He also designed the decorative balustrade at the base of the spire.
Notre-Dame's towers in culture, under the shadow of Victor Hugo
If Notre-Dame's towers fascinate so many people, it's also thanks to literature. When Victor Hugo published The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1831, the cathedral was in such poor condition that it was close to being demolished, after years of vandalism during the French Revolution. The novel quite literally saved it. The story of Quasimodo, perched among the bells high above the city, made Paris fall back in love with its own heritage…
The new visitor route through the Towers: what has changed since 2025
After several years of closure and restoration work, the tour of the towers has been completely reimagined. The spirit is the same—climbing up, enjoying the panoramic view—but the experience has been modernized and part of the route is new.
Entrance, tickets, security: a redesigned access
Access, which starts directly from the cathedral square, is much smoother than it used to be before the fire, even though security has been tightened. The reservation system has been clarified and redesigned to limit crowds at the foot of the towers and avoid endless lines.
You now enter on the right-hand side of the cathedral when facing it from the square. After a very quick security check through a scanner, you can start the visit without spending ages waiting around.
A smoother, better-designed visitor experience
You can really feel that the route has been modernized: the spaces are much better signposted (you can even follow your progress as you climb the stairs!), and the towers now have their own digital visitor guide, “Le compagnon des tours”, available in about a dozen languages on your smartphone. It's quite concise, but it gives you a clear understanding of the key areas and what to look for in each space.
You'll also discover scale models of the cathedral, and there's a full sound installation created to accompany the descent of the north tower (Souffles et Scories, a piece by Valérie Vivancos).
The different spaces now follow one another in a more coherent way than before. The climb is still a climb, but the stairs are better lit, the shop (which still serves as a landing, as it did before the fire) is not just a shop anymore—it's also where you can see the scale models. Part of the route now uses a new staircase that is truly a work of art (I'll tell you more about it in a moment!).
This new design has also improved how groups move through the space. Overall, I found that the comfort of the visit is far superior to what it was before the fire.
What you see during the tour of Notre-Dame's towers
Once you've gone through security, the climb begins—424 steps—and the tour lasts roughly 45–50 minutes.
The lower room of the south tower
The visit starts in this intentionally bare room: massive Gothic pillars, thick walls, and huge volumes. The ribbed vault rises to 14 meters (about 46 feet), and this is where you'll find the tower shop and the cathedral models, which show, in section, the different levels you'll walk through during the tour.
In the past, this space served as a chapel. You can still see trap doors on the floor and higher up in the vault, used to move the bells.
The Quadrilobe Room
You then reach the Quadrilobe Room, named after its openings shaped like quadrilobes (four arcs within a circle), a Gothic motif often found in rose windows and façades. The largest bells of Notre-Dame de Paris, the Marie and Emmanuel bourdon bells, are located just above and create strong vibrations when they ring. The room was reinforced in the 19th century with a robust oak structure, the belfry, designed to absorb some of those vibrations.
Since the fire, this is where you'll find what, for me, is one of the most moving moments of the visit: a massive solid-oak staircase, absolutely stunning, with a double-helix structure. The numbers are impressive: 178 steps, 21 meters high (about 69 feet), 20 metric tons (around 22 US tons), 1,200 individual wooden components assembled one by one inside the south tower, 10,600 hours of work (1,400 hours of design and 9,200 hours of fabrication), and over twenty craftspeople involved (carpenters, joiners, apprentices, and a master metalworker).
I've always been fascinated by fine woodworking… but this is on another level. The wood is beautiful, the craftsmanship is exceptional, and the subtle lighting enhances it perfectly. I'll admit it: I was genuinely moved by this staircase, designed and built by MDB (Métiers du Bois).
The top of the south tower: a historic viewing platform… under tight security
At the top of this staircase, you weave your way between the beams of the belfry to get closer to the outside… From this vantage point, the view over the Left Bank of Paris opens up in front of you, with the Panthéon, Sorbonne, Observatory, Saint-Sulpice, and the Eiffel Tower.
This is the only slightly more “controlled” moment of the tour: at regular intervals, visitors are guided up to the upper part of the south tower, where you'll find the observation platform that existed before the fire. It offers one of the oldest panoramic viewpoints in Paris.
It's the perfect place to reconnect with the cathedral's architecture, which you can observe up close: the elegant silhouette of the rebuilt spire, the flying buttresses, the Seine stretching out on either side, and the restored roofs. You'll still see a few cranes and scaffolding here and there, a discreet reminder of the fire's scars… but they quickly fade into the background compared to the beauty of the view.
You can see the rooftops of Paris, Montmartre hill, major churches like Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, the Saint-Jacques Tower, La Défense, and the Grand Palais—there's a lot to take in.
Unfortunately, your time up there is limited… once the five-minute “hourglass” has run out, it's time to go back down. And five minutes go by very quickly when you're trying to soak in such a view. There's also still a fine protective mesh around the platform, which can be frustrating for photography lovers.
The bourdon bells: the cathedral's powerful voice
On your way down, you return to the magnificent wooden staircase and then continue the climb up until you discover, between the oak beams, two bells:
- The great Emmanuel bourdon bell, weighing 13 metric tons (about 14.3 US tons), cast in 1686 and the second-largest bell in France after the one at Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre. It's incredible to think it was made during the reign of Louis XIV! Emmanuel only rings on very special occasions now, to preserve it;
- The Marie bourdon bell, a “youngster” from 2012, cast using older bells that were out of tune. It also rings only for major occasions such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, or Armistice Day on November 11.
The Cistern Courtyard: a unique look at the timber frame
You then reach a much lesser-known space, which wasn't part of the tour before the fire: the Cistern Courtyard, which was once used to collect rainwater and store it in case of fire. Today, this space offers views of an elegant colonnade adorned with foliage, gargoyles, and chimeras, and of the gable wall topped by a sculpture of an angel with a trumpet.
The original sculpture was too badly damaged in the fire to be reinstalled, so a replica now stands in its place.
But above all, the Cistern Courtyard offers something I had always dreamed of: a glimpse of the cathedral's timber frame, with three glass openings that allow you to look into the newly rebuilt “Forest”. The smell of the wood is surprisingly strong even through the glass—an experience in its own right!
The north tower and its belfry: eight bells, another soundscape
After crossing this courtyard, you enter the north tower, which houses a second belfry and eight relatively recent bells (2013). The space has been largely restored, as it was damaged by the cathedral fire.
You can clearly hear the bells of Notre-Dame ringing here, and you can also see the reconstructed clock faces of the former Collin clock from 1867, which was completely destroyed in the fire.
This is where you take the staircase that brings the visit to an end and leads you back down to street level, where you rejoin the hustle and bustle of Paris.
The big missing piece: the Gallery of Chimeras
The only disappointment: the route no longer goes through the Gallery of Chimeras, the legendary 19th-century terrace designed by Viollet-le-Duc. It's a real loss for photographers, as it used to offer a unique opportunity to get close to those fantastical creatures—especially the famous stryge—and frame them against the Paris skyline…
Planning your visit to Notre-Dame's towers: practical info & tips
You do need to plan a visit to the towers a little bit: advance reservations, some physical constraints, tight time slots… but nothing unmanageable if you prepare ahead of time. Here's the key information you need to make the most of your climb.
Booking & ticket prices
No tickets are sold on-site, so you must book online in advance—even for free entry. Without an e-ticket, you won't be allowed into the towers. At the time of writing, the standard adult ticket costs 16€ (about $17 / £13–14).
There is a limited number of free tickets per day, available in particular for visitors under 18, for EU citizens or legal residents in France aged 18–25, for visitors with disabilities and their companion, for job seekers (with proof dated within the last six months), and for recipients of certain social benefits.
If you have the Paris Museum Pass (a pass valid for 2 to 6 days that gives access to over 60 museums and monuments in Paris), you can also enter the towers for free—but you still need to book a time slot.
If the daily quota of free tickets is reached for a specific time slot, only paid tickets will remain. It's best to book early, especially on weekends, during school holidays, or in very popular periods such as Advent and Christmas. You can show your ticket on your smartphone.
Length of the visit and accessibility
Climbing up to the top of the south tower is only suitable for visitors in good physical condition. Be aware of the potential challenges: 424 steps, 69 meters (about 226 feet) of elevation, and some very narrow passages (at times only about 45 cm wide—roughly 18 inches).
There is no elevator, no water fountain, and no restrooms along the route.
The tour is not recommended:
- Aux personnes souffrant du vertige ;
- Aux personnes en insuffisance cardiaque ;
- Aux femmes enceintes ;
- Aux enfants en bas âge (moins de 6 ans).
The visit lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour. There is no locker or cloakroom on-site, so try not to bring bulky bags.
Best times to go up
Because visitor numbers are controlled, there's no huge difference in crowd levels, unless you happen to find a time slot that isn't fully booked… which is still rare for now, as the monument remains one of the most visited in France and the towers are also attracting a lot of curious visitors!
Morning and late afternoon light can be beautiful… but it's hard to plan around the weather when you book several weeks in advance.
In winter, make sure to dress warmly, as part of the route is exposed to wind and bad weather, and it can be very windy on the south tower platform. In summer, don't forget to bring water.
In case of severe weather (strong winds, heatwaves), certain areas may be temporarily closed for safety reasons.
Restrictions (children, strollers, weather, bags)
Because of the nature of the route, strollers are not allowed, and the visit is strongly discouraged for young children. It's generally recommended for ages 7 and up.
The route is not accessible for people with reduced mobility, and like in most major monuments, large bags are not permitted.
One last essential point: access to the towers does not include access to the cathedral itself. The two visits are completely separate and require different tickets. Entry to the cathedral is currently free, and you can book your visit online here. Booking guarantees access to the cathedral and helps avoid long lines.
Is it worth climbing the Towers if you've already visited Notre-Dame before?
If you've already visited the cathedral… or have enjoyed Paris from other high viewpoints such as the dome of Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre, the Montparnasse Tower, or the Eiffel Tower, you might think that visiting the towers of Notre-Dame is optional.
In reality, I think it offers a completely different and truly unique experience: you change your perspective on the monument itself, moving from the sacred—and very busy—space of the nave to something much more intimate.
Thanks to the recent restoration, the route is more thoughtfully designed, and some spaces have been opened to the public for the first time. You can get close to elements that are usually invisible: it feels like stepping into the cathedral's beating heart, between stone and timber, right next to the structure.
At certain points, you can smell an indescribable scent of dry wood, where the new beams repair and reinvent what once burned… this very tactile, raw, immersive side simply doesn't exist in the nave. Sometimes, you find yourself alone—or almost alone—in a room or landing, in a genuine face-to-face encounter with Notre-Dame.
And while it may not be the highest viewpoint in Paris, the panorama from the top of the towers is still magnificent: perched above the Seine, with the spire rising in front of you, rooftops stretching as far as the eye can see, and iconic landmarks all around…
In conclusion, if your physical condition allows you to climb the towers of Notre-Dame, I'd say go for it. It's a rare chance to step into the monument's inner life and feel its weight, its history, and its rebirth. You come away with the sense that you've been close to something rare, powerful, and fragile all at once.
