Notre-Dame and the Latin Quarter
One hour on the oldest ground in Paris, from the parvis of the cathedral to the booksellers and cafés of the Left Bank.
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Ticket
- No ticket needed
- Languages
- English, French or Hindi
- Price
- from €39 per adult
Notre-Dame has been a building site since 1163, and it reopened in December 2024 after five years of restoration. We read the façade from the parvis, cross the Seine, and walk into the Latin Quarter, where the streets are older than the cathedral and the cafés open earlier than the guidebooks say.
This is an outdoor walk. Going inside the cathedral is free but the queue is unpredictable, so your guide tells you the best hour to come back for the interior.
The walk, step by step
- The Charlemagne statue. The meeting point is in front of the bronze Charlemagne on the parvis. Your guide holds a beige, blue and red flag. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start.
- The parvis and the point zéro. Set into the paving is a small bronze star, the point zéro from which every road distance in France is measured. Most visitors walk over it without looking down.
- The façade. The kings of Judah, the gargoyles and chimeras, the rose window, and what changed between the fire of April 2019 and the reopening of December 2024.
- The Seine and the bouquinistes. Across the bridge, the booksellers' green boxes line the parapets. The color is fixed by city rules, the trade goes back to the 16th century.
- The Latin Quarter. Named for the Latin its students spoke until the Revolution. Rue de la Bûcherie, Shakespeare and Company, Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre and the oldest tree in Paris, planted in 1601. The hour ends near a café terrace, on purpose.
Included. A guide for one hour, in English, French or Hindi, confirmation by email right after payment.
Not included. Entry to the cathedral (free, but with its own queue), food and drinks.
Good to know
- Outdoor walk, flat, with some cobbles. Strollers and wheelchairs manage.
- The cathedral interior is not part of the tour.
- Groups of 20 people at most.
- Runs rain or shine. In heavy rain the bouquinistes close their boxes; the cathedral stays where it is.
Meeting point
Statue de Charlemagne, parvis de Notre-Dame, 75004 Paris
- Cité (métro 4)
- Saint-Michel Notre-Dame (métro 4, RER B et C)
Please arrive 15 minutes before the start. Groups of 20 people at most.
What travelers say
Mina was a great Tourguide, lots of Information, good mood
Daydream28612066753, August 2026, on TripAdvisor
Mena was an amazing tour guide! Knowledgeable, friendly and great to listen to.
Christopher H, August 2026, on TripAdvisor
Questions we get every week
Do we go inside Notre-Dame?
No. Entry is free but the queue moves at its own pace, so the walk reads the cathedral from the parvis and the riverbank. Your guide will tell you when to come back for the interior.
Do children pay?
€29 from age 4 to 12, free up to 3. The route is flat and short: one hour.
What if it rains?
The walk runs. Umbrellas welcome.
What if we are late?
Send us a WhatsApp message. The group waits a few minutes by the Charlemagne statue, then starts.
Can I combine it with a Tower tour?
Yes, many people do a walk in the morning and the Tower in the afternoon, or the other way round. Allow 30 minutes between the two by métro.
Can I cancel?
Free of charge up to 24 hours before the start, refunded automatically to your card. Within 24 hours the booking is due.
