Field notes
- Operator
- Centre des monuments nationaux — manages the towers only, separate from the free cathedral
- The climb
- 424 steps, no lift, narrow and low in places; the route takes about 50 minutes
- Height
- 69 metres, at the terrace on top of the south tower
- Reopened
- 20 September 2025, after closing with the April 2019 fire
Climb tickets for the towers are reserved online only, through the operator's own booking system, with no sales at the tower door, so a day that is fully booked online means no climb that day.
The climb, stop by stop
What the reopened route shows you, from the foot of the south tower up to the terrace and back down through the north tower.
-
The south tower
Where the climb begins
The route starts at the foot of the south tower, entered to the right of the west front. The first rooms set out models of the cathedral's construction and chimera figures you can study at eye level.
-
The Quadrilobe Room
Old timber, cleaned
At the foot of the belfry, the Quadrilobe Room shows the tower's old wooden beams, cleaned during the restoration, with a soundscape of the cathedral's bells and organ.
-
The double-helix staircase
Built during the restoration
A new oak staircase of 178 steps rises 21 metres through the belfry's timber frame. Its two intertwined flights let climbers going up and coming down pass without meeting.
-
The belfry
Emmanuel and Marie
The south tower holds the cathedral's two largest bells: Emmanuel, completed in 1686 and one of the few bells to survive the Revolution, and Marie, cast in 2012 to hang beside it.
-
The south tower terrace
69 metres up
The climb ends on the open terrace at the top of the south tower, 69 metres up, with the Seine, the Left Bank and the rebuilt spire around you. Time at the top is limited to a few minutes.
-
Between the towers
The way down
The descent crosses the courtyard of the cisterns between the two towers, with a view onto the restored timber roof of the nave, then comes down through the north tower to the exit.
There's no lift, some passages are narrow and low, and time on the summit terrace is limited to a few minutes. Allow about 50 minutes for the whole route.
Two visits in one building
A paid climb, a free cathedral
The cathedral of Notre-Dame, at ground level, is free to enter and run by the Diocese of Paris: no ticket is needed, and reserving a free time slot is optional. The towers are a separate paid climb, ticketed and managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, with their own entrance at the foot of the south tower, to the right as you face the west front.
What actually reopened in 2025
The towers closed after the April 2019 fire. The cathedral itself reopened in December 2024; the towers followed on 20 September 2025, with a redesigned visitor route, a new oak staircase and the belfry's old timbers, cleaned during the restoration, on show in the south tower.
424 steps, no lift
The climb is a genuine stair workout: 424 steps, taken in stages, with no lift at any point and passages that are narrow and low in places. It isn't recommended for anyone with a heart condition or prone to vertigo, for pregnant visitors or for young children, and it isn't accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Where Viator fits in
This guide doesn't sell tower entry: climb tickets are reserved online with the Centre des monuments nationaux, with no sales on site. Viator's Notre-Dame page lists cathedral visits and city walks, among them an Île de la Cité walking tour that includes the tower climb.
Guides to the climb
Inside the climb
What you actually see climbing the towers of Notre-Dame
The south tower rooms, the Quadrilobe Room, the new staircase, the bells and the terrace, stop by stop.
Read the guide →Towers vs cathedral
Notre-Dame towers and the free cathedral visit, explained
One building, two visits, two different operators — and why that matters for planning your day.
Read the guide →Timing
The best time to visit the towers of Notre-Dame
When the climb is quietest, and what the weather does to the view.
Read the guide →Getting there
How to get to the towers of Notre-Dame
Métro, RER and the walk to the right entrance — the tower door isn't the cathedral door.
Read the guide →Restoration
Notre-Dame after the fire: the towers' long road back
From the April 2019 fire to the towers reopening in September 2025, told factually.
Read the guide →Questions people ask before they climb
Is this guide run by the people who manage Notre-Dame's towers?
No. This is an independent visitor guide. The towers climb is ticketed and managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, and the cathedral at ground level is run separately by the Diocese of Paris. We aren't affiliated with either.
Do I need a ticket to visit Notre-Dame cathedral?
No. Walking into the cathedral itself, at ground level, is free. Reserving a free time slot is optional; without one, you join the queue at the west front. A paid ticket is only needed for the separate climb up the towers.
How many steps are there to the top of the towers?
424, with no lift. Part of the way is a new oak double-helix staircase, and some passages are narrow and low. Plan on about 50 minutes for the route, in comfortable flat shoes.
What will I actually see on the climb?
The route starts at the foot of the south tower with rooms of models and chimera figures, passes the Quadrilobe Room and its cleaned old timbers, climbs the new oak staircase to the belfry where Emmanuel and Marie hang, and ends on the south tower terrace, 69 metres up. The way down crosses the courtyard between the towers and descends through the north tower.
Are the towers suitable for children or anyone with mobility issues?
The stair-only climb isn't accessible to people with reduced mobility and isn't recommended for young children, pregnant visitors, anyone with a heart condition, or anyone prone to vertigo. Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult. The cathedral at ground level is a separate, easier visit.
When did the towers reopen after the 2019 fire?
The cathedral reopened in December 2024. The towers took longer to rebuild and reopened on 20 September 2025, with a new staircase and a reworked visitor route.
Can I book the towers climb through this guide?
No. This guide doesn't sell tower entry. Tickets for the climb are reserved online with the Centre des monuments nationaux, with no sales on site. Viator's Notre-Dame page lists cathedral visits and city walks, including an Île de la Cité walking tour that includes the tower climb.
What's the best time of day to climb?
An early or late slot is usually the calmer choice, as at most Paris monuments. Clear skies do more for the terrace view than the hour you pick.
The walking tour on Viator
On Viator's Notre-Dame page, an Île de la Cité walking tour includes the tower climb. The other listings there are cathedral visits and city walks, so read what each one covers before you book.
Check the walking tour on Viator