Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a historic Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France.

As the seat of the Archbishop of Paris, Notre Dame is the spiritual heart of Paris and one of the most visited venues in the country. Its beauty and splendour are world-renowned and attract millions of visitors each year.

The cathedral is home to some famous relics such as parts of the Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the Cross and some Holy Nails. Constructed over almost two centuries, beginning in 1163 the cathedral was one of the first buildings in the world to feature flying buttresses and gargoyles.

Visitors can view the Archaeological Crypt to view Roman remains, the organ with over 7,000 pipes, the high altar, the beautiful north transept rose window, the portals of St anne, the Virgin and the Last Judgement and of course listen to the famous 10 bells of the towers.

School Visits

Every day of the year, the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris and the C.A.S.A. (Communauté d’Accueil dans les Sites Artistiques) Association organise visits free of charge in various languages. These tours present the spiritual message of this great Christian site, through its History, its architecture, its sculptures, its windows, and more.

English Visits: Wednesday 2 pm; Thursday 2 pm; Saturday 2:30 pm

Notre-Dame de Paris has a Youth Reception service. It is organised by volunteers trained by the cathedral, who lead a visit of the building that varies according to the visitors’ age group. This visit, which lasts approximately one hour (or less for the youngest visitors), highlights the its Christian message by examining the cathedral as a work of art and the artwork it houses. These tours are free of charge, paid for by the cathedral. If you wish, you may make a donation to the cathedral to help cover the fees related to this Service.

Who is the Youth Reception Service ? 
 designed for early primary school classes, who are sensitive to the colours in rosettes; 
 middle school classes who are aware of medieval society and its architecture; 
 high school classes who are studying the history of French literature; 
 university students studying literature, history or tourism… 
 chaplain schools, youth groups 
 the possibilities are endless for all age levels, from primary school to university.

These tours are available by reservation only, during school sessions (Académie de Paris). To organise a visit, send your request several weeks beforehand, by email to [email protected], or by fax to 00 33 142 345 287 or by post to Service Accueil-Jeunes – Notre-Dame de Paris – 6, Place du Parvis – 75004 Paris. Please include the number of students, their age, and any other special requests.