Guided Tour of Notre Dame Cathedral & Sainte Chapelle

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Highlights

  • Explore the Ile de la Cite, the very heart of the city, as you stroll around the island's picturesque avenues with commentary from an expert local guide.
  • Witness the legendary Notre Dame from the outside, immortalized in several literary works and media, and marvel at this incredible feat of engineering, complete with over 6500 sq ft of stained glass.
  • Skip the long queues to enter into the Sainte-Chapelle, and see it's incredible architecture and artworks firsthand and intimately with a small group of 25.

Your Experience

The city of Paris was founded at the site of the Ile de la Cite, situated on the Seine River. It is the heart and historic center of the city and houses some of the most well-known monuments of Paris and is the setting for many romances, revolutions and intriguing stories.

You will visit the Notre Dame cathedral first. Since the cathedral is now closed for the public, you will see it from the outside. The Notre Dame is a treasure of Paris and is regarded as one of its most important monuments. Constructed in the early 14th century, architectural features such as the flying buttress and spires were considered incredible feats of engineering in that period. Once you set your eyes on this marvel, it is easy to understand why Victor Hugo chose this monument for his critically acclaimed novel, the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Your guide will tell you fascinating stories associated with this cathedral and you will also understand its role in the history of France. The Gothic influence is unmistakable, with towering spires and looming gargoyles staring right into your soul.

You will be whisked past the large crowds, with your exclusive skip the line entry to the interiors of the Sainte Chapelle. Situated in the Ile de la Cité within the Palais de la Cite, it was once the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century. The stone walls are merely just the framework holding the enormous glass windows. Scenes of the Infancy of Christ can be seen on the left, the Life of John the Evangelist can be seen on the right and the centerpiece consists of scenes from The Passion. The windows present on the nave, eleven in number, are full of paintings of the Old Testament. The last window shows the retrieval of the relics of Christ and their relocation to the city of Paris. The stained glass covers 6500 square feet of area, and almost 70% has been recently restored.

Includes

  • Guided tour of Notre-Dame de Paris from the outside.
  • Skip-the-line ticket to Sainte-Chapelle
  • An informative and friendly English-speaking tour guide
  • Headsets when appropriate, so you can always hear your guide
  • Small groups of 25 fewer