Notre-Dame Towers skip-the-line — the 424-step climb reopened in September 2025, up past the chimeras and the great bourdon bell to the roof of medieval Paris, with the Seine, the rebuilt spire and the city spread below. Timed slots sell out fast; we secure yours.
See ticket optionsThe 424-step climb — the chimeras gallery, the bell and the rooftop view, timed entry
€28
“We'd tried and failed to get tower slots ourselves — sold out every time we looked. They secured one for the morning we wanted. Standing eye-to-eye with the gargoyles over Paris was the highlight of the whole trip.”
“424 steps is no joke but absolutely worth it. Seeing the rebuilt spire from up close, after everything, was genuinely moving. Book ahead — there is no way to just turn up.”
“The chimeras gallery is unforgettable and the view over the Seine is the best in Paris. The concierge team explained exactly how to also do the free cathedral visit the same day. Seamless.”
5-minute audio guide
Hand-written, narrated by a heritage host, sent to every customer the day before their climb. Five minutes that turns 424 steps into a story — the gargoyles that aren't as old as they look, the great bell that survived the fire, and the view that only the towers give.
Included free with every ticket. No app, no download — plays in any browser.
For most of a decade, the towers of Notre-Dame were silent. The fire of April 2019 destroyed the cathedral's spire and roof, though the two great western towers survived, and for years the whole monument was closed behind scaffolding while France carried out one of the most ambitious heritage restorations of modern times. The cathedral itself reopened in December 2024; the towers followed in September 2025, and climbing them is once again one of the most sought-after experiences in Paris.
The climb is an adventure in stone. A tight spiral staircase of 424 steps — there is no lift — winds up the North Tower and across to the South, rising some 69 metres above the Île de la Cité. Halfway up you emerge onto the Galerie des Chimères, the gallery of grotesques where the 19th-century restorer Viollet-le-Duc set his brooding stone creatures — the pensive Stryge chief among them — to gaze out over the city forever. Higher still hangs the bourdon 'Emmanuel', the vast bell of the South Tower, before the route opens onto the rooftop with its unrivalled view.
From the top, Paris lies open in every direction: the Seine curling around the Île de la Cité, the roofs of the Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur on their hills, and — directly below — the cathedral's own rebuilt spire and freshly restored roof, seen from an angle almost no one had witnessed for years. This ticket is for the tower climb only; the cathedral below is free to enter on a separate booking, and our concierge team is happy to explain how to do both. What we secure for you is the scarce, timed climb slot — the hardest part of the whole visit to get.
Notre-Dame Towers Tickets acts as a facilitator to help international visitors secure skip-the-line, timed tickets to climb the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris, which are owned and managed by the French state. We do not resell tickets — we provide a personalised booking and English-language support service, and our concierge service fee is included in the displayed price. Entry to the cathedral itself is free and booked separately. For those who prefer to purchase the climb directly, the official ticket site is tours-notre-dame-de-paris.fr.
Plan your visit
How the timed slots work, how far ahead to book scarce climb tickets, and the light and seasons that make the view and the gargoyles look their best.
Step by step up the 424 stairs — the chimeras gallery, the great bell and the rooftop view over Paris and the rebuilt spire.
The tower climb is a paid, timed ticket; the cathedral itself is free. Here's how the two work and how to line them up in one day.
A skip-the-line, timed slot to climb the towers of Notre-Dame — the 424-step route past the Galerie des Chimères and the great bourdon bell to the rooftop view over Paris. It also includes our concierge monitoring of the scarce release calendar to secure your slot. Entry to the cathedral itself is free and booked separately; we're happy to explain how to do both.
For the towers only — the climb up to the gargoyles, the bell and the rooftop. Entry to the cathedral of Notre-Dame at ground level is free of charge and reserved separately through the cathedral's own system. Many visitors do both on the same day, and our team will explain exactly how to arrange the free cathedral visit alongside your tower climb.
Yes. After the 2019 fire and the long restoration, the cathedral reopened in December 2024 and the towers reopened to climbers in September 2025. The tower route has been reimagined as part of the restoration, and it is once again one of the most in-demand experiences in Paris.
Because the timed climb slots are small and demand is enormous since the reopening — they frequently sell out days in advance, and there are no on-the-day sales. We watch the release calendar and secure your slot, which is the hardest part of the whole visit to get. Booking ahead is the only reliable way to guarantee the climb.
424 steps up a narrow spiral staircase, with no lift, rising about 69 metres above the Île de la Cité. The route goes up the North Tower, across to the South Tower past the bell, and back down. Allow around 45 minutes to an hour, and wear comfortable shoes.
It is a genuinely physical climb. Because of the 424 narrow steps, some passages just 45 cm wide and low enough to stoop, it is not recommended for those with heart conditions or a strong fear of heights, for pregnant women, or for young children under 6. Anyone reasonably fit who can manage stairs should be fine, with a pause or two.
The highlights are the Galerie des Chimères — the gallery of grotesque stone creatures, including the famous pensive Stryge, set among the towers by the 19th-century restorer Viollet-le-Duc — the great bourdon bell 'Emmanuel' in the South Tower, and, at the top, an unrivalled rooftop panorama over the Seine, the Île de la Cité and all of Paris, with the cathedral's rebuilt spire directly below.
Under-18s climb free, and residents of the European Union aged 18 to 25 also climb free with valid ID. Note that the climb is not suitable for children under 6 for safety reasons. Tell us your group when you book and we will make sure any free places are handled correctly alongside the adult ticket.
Yes. We issue an e-ticket that you present on your phone at the tower entrance — there is no need to print it. Just have it ready to show at your timed slot, and our concierge team is on call if anything needs sorting on the day.
The tower entrance is on the north side of the cathedral, outside — separate from the free cathedral entrance on the west front. It's on the Île de la Cité; the nearest Métro is Cité (line 4) or Saint-Michel, with RER at Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame. We send clear directions with your ticket.
No — the 424-step spiral staircase has no lift and cannot be adapted, so the climb is not wheelchair accessible. The cathedral itself, at ground level, is free and largely accessible. If mobility is a concern, contact us and we will explain what can be enjoyed at ground level.
Yes, for personal use. The Galerie des Chimères and the rooftop panorama are the great shots, best in morning or late-afternoon light. A clear day makes an enormous difference to the view, so if your dates are flexible we can help you pick a promising slot.
Your ticket is for a specific date and climb time. If you need to move it, reply to your confirmation email as early as you can and our concierge team will do its best to adjust the booking with the operator wherever the release calendar allows — though, given how scarce slots are, changes cannot always be guaranteed.
Notre-Dame de Paris is the medieval Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, begun in 1163 and one of the most famous churches in the world, renowned for its rose windows, flying buttresses and twin western towers. Damaged by fire in 2019, it was restored and reopened in December 2024, with the towers reopening to visitors in September 2025.
Yes, and many people do. The cathedral visit at ground level is free and reserved through its own system, while the tower climb is the paid, timed ticket we secure for you. Tell us your plans and we will help you line up a free cathedral reservation around your climb slot so the day flows smoothly.
They are different. The Eiffel Tower is far higher and gives a sweeping distant panorama, with the Eiffel Tower itself, of course, out of your own shot. Notre-Dame's towers put you right in the medieval heart of the city, eye-to-eye with the gargoyles, above the Seine and the Île de la Cité, with the cathedral's spire below — a more intimate, atmospheric and historic view that many travellers prefer.