Skip-the-line available Climbing the Towers and Visiting the Cathedral: How to Do Both
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.
One of the most common points of confusion at Notre-Dame is the difference between the towers and the cathedral. They are two separate visits, with separate entrances and separate booking systems — one free, one paid. This guide explains clearly what each involves, what our ticket covers, and how to combine the free cathedral visit with the paid tower climb into a single smooth day.
Two Separate Visits
Entry to the cathedral of Notre-Dame — walking the nave and aisles at ground level, beneath the great rose windows — is free of charge. Since the December 2024 reopening it operates with short-notice timed reservations to manage the crowds, released through the cathedral's own booking system, and there is usually a queue for those without a reservation. This ground-level visit is not what our ticket covers.
The tower climb is a different thing entirely: a paid, ticketed, timed experience up the 424 steps to the gargoyles, the bell and the rooftop. It has its own entrance on the north side of the cathedral, its own operator and its own scarce timed slots. Our ticket secures this climb. Keeping the two straight in your mind — free cathedral at ground level, paid climb up the towers — is the key to planning the day.
How to Combine Them in a Day
The two visits complement each other beautifully: the soaring interior at ground level and the rooftop climb above, the same great building experienced from within and from on high. Because the free cathedral slots and the paid tower slots are released and managed separately, a little coordination helps — you don't want the two reservations to clash, or to leave too little time between them.
The comfortable approach is to fix the scarce tower slot first, since it is the harder of the two to get, and then arrange a free cathedral reservation before or after it, leaving a buffer to move between the separate entrances. Our concierge team is glad to explain the current cathedral reservation process and help you line it up around the tower climb we secure, so you get both parts of Notre-Dame in one well-paced day.
What Our Ticket Includes
To be completely clear: the ticket we provide is for the tower climb only — the timed slot up to the chimeras, the bell and the rooftop — together with our concierge service securing that scarce slot and our English-language support before and during your visit. We do not sell, and could not sell, the free cathedral entry; that remains free and is booked directly through the cathedral's system.
What we add is the removal of the hardest friction in the whole visit: getting a tower slot at all. We monitor the release calendar, book your chosen date and time, deliver the e-ticket, and stand ready to help on the day — including explaining how to arrange the free cathedral visit alongside. It is a clear division: we handle the scarce, paid climb; the cathedral below remains open to all, free of charge.
Frequently asked
Is entry to Notre-Dame cathedral free?
Yes — walking the cathedral at ground level is free of charge, though since the reopening it uses short-notice timed reservations through its own system to manage crowds. The paid, ticketed tower climb is separate.
Does your ticket include the cathedral?
No — our ticket is for the tower climb only. The cathedral visit is free and booked separately through its own system. We're glad to explain how to arrange it around your climb.
Can I do both the towers and the cathedral in one day?
Yes, and many people do. Fix the scarce tower slot first, then arrange a free cathedral reservation before or after, with a buffer to move between the separate entrances. We can help you line the two up.
Do the towers and cathedral have the same entrance?
No — the tower climb has its own entrance on the north side of the cathedral, while the free cathedral visit begins at the west front. We send clear directions with your ticket.
Why can't you just sell me the cathedral entry too?
Because the cathedral visit is free — it wouldn't be right to charge for it. Our service secures the scarce paid tower slot, which is the hard part to get, and we'll happily point you to the free cathedral reservation.
Which should I do first?
Secure the tower climb first, as it's the harder slot to get, then fit the free cathedral reservation around it with time to spare between the two separate entrances.