Notre Dame Paris Walking Tour with Optional Crypt Entry

The rose windows, flying buttresses and the restoration unfolding inside them.

A guided walking tour of Notre Dame Cathedral and the islands of central Paris with a live English-speaking guide and small group of 15 people. The tour covers the cathedral's Gothic architecture, the 2019 fire and ongoing restoration, Place Dauphine, the Conciergerie, and Shakespeare and Company bookstore. Entry to the Archaeological Crypt beneath Notre Dame is optional at checkout. Children from age 1 are welcome, and the tour runs about 1.8 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. 4th Arrondissement45m
2. Shakespeare and Company10m
3. Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la CitéEntry included30m

Explore Notre-Dame and Paris landmarks

• Learn Notre-Dame history and restoration
• Visit Shakespeare and Company bookstore
• Explore Notre-Dame archaeological crypt

The experience

Your guide walks you through the 4th Arrondissement to Notre Dame Cathedral, where the tour focuses on what you can see from outside: the façade, portals, rose windows, flying buttresses and gargoyles that define the Gothic style. The guide explains the construction process, the towers, the Emmanuel Bell, and the meticulous restoration efforts underway since the 2019 fire: the skilled artisans and the materials being used to preserve the cathedral's centuries-old structure. This is not a tour of the cathedral's interior, but a close reading of its exterior and the work reshaping its future.

From Notre Dame, the group crosses the Seine to explore the hidden corners of Île de la Cité: Place Dauphine, a quiet square of 17th-century townhouses, and the Conciergerie, where the guide covers the building's history. The walk then leads to Shakespeare and Company, the legendary bookstore on the Left Bank that has sheltered writers and book lovers since 1951. You wander through its shelves and reading nooks overlooking the river, absorbing the literary atmosphere the guide has contextualized.

If you choose the crypt option at checkout, you'll have access to the Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité, where you explore the ancient foundations beneath Notre Dame on your own: a self-guided descent into the city's Roman and medieval layers. The tour itself is led throughout. The crypt is the one part you move through independently.

What’s included

• Guide service in English.
• small group of 15 people.
• walking access to Notre Dame Cathedral exterior, Île de la Cité, Place Dauphine, the Conciergerie and Shakespeare and Company bookstore.
• optional self-guided access to the Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité (available at checkout).

Options for this experience

2 options

NotreDameOutdoorTour No CryptGuide in English · 12:00 and 14:00

Outdoor tour of Notre Dame Paris including entry to the cryptGuide in English · Available from 1 Apr 2027

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h 45m, runs every day at 12:00 and 14:00, from € 19 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 12:00 and 14:00

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (4 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 3 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by THE PERFECT VACATION

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand Notre Dame's architecture and restoration without waiting for the cathedral's interior to reopen, or if you're drawn to the literary and historical layers of central Paris rather than a single monument. The small group size and live guide make the walk feel like a conversation rather than a lecture, and the optional crypt adds depth if you want to go deeper into the island's ancient past.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 17 years); Child (1 to 3 years).

What does the guide actually show you at Notre Dame if the cathedral's interior is closed?

The guide walks you around the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral, pointing out and explaining the Gothic architecture: the façade, rose windows, flying buttresses, gargoyles, towers and the Emmanuel Bell. You'll also learn about the construction process and the restoration work happening since the 2019 fire, which you can see from outside.

Is Shakespeare and Company included in this tour?

Yes, Shakespeare and Company is a stop on the walking tour. You visit the bookstore, wander its shelves and reading nooks, and the guide provides context about its history as a haven for writers since 1951 and its role in Parisian literary culture.

What's the difference between the two tour options?

The main difference is whether you add access to the Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité. Both options include the guided walk of Notre Dame, Île de la Cité, Place Dauphine, the Conciergerie and Shakespeare and Company with a live English-speaking guide. The crypt option gives you a self-guided ticket to explore the ancient foundations beneath Notre Dame on your own.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs about 1.8 hours. If you choose the crypt option, that time covers the guided walking portion. The crypt is self-guided, so you can spend as much or as little time there as you want.

Will we go inside Notre Dame Cathedral itself?

No, the tour focuses on the exterior of Notre Dame and the surrounding neighborhoods. The cathedral's interior entrance is free and open to all, but it is not part of this guided tour. The optional Archaeological Crypt is a separate, self-guided experience beneath the cathedral.