Paris: Notre Dame & Sainte Chapelle Walking Tour with Entry

Medieval Paris in One Morning: Notre Dame's Exterior & Sainte Chapelle's Glass

You walk the exterior of Notre Dame with a local guide who explains its medieval architecture and history, pass through Shakespeare and Company, then enter Sainte Chapelle to see its famous stained glass windows up close. The entry fee to Sainte Chapelle is included, and the whole route stays in the 1st and 4th arrondissements on Île de la Cité. Strollers are welcome, and the pace suits most walkers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. 4th Arrondissement1h
2. Shakespeare and Company5m
3. 1st ArrondissementEntry included50m

Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle Tour

• Historic outdoor walking tour Notre-Dame
• Visit Shakespeare and Company bookstore
• Enter Sainte-Chapelle and see stained glass

The experience

You're standing on Île de la Cité, the oldest part of Paris, and your guide is already pointing out details in the stonework you'd walk past alone. The Notre Dame walking tour starts right here, not inside the cathedral, which is still under restoration, but around it, in the square and the narrow streets where the medieval city actually lived. Your guide unpacks the architecture, the history layered into every buttress and gargoyle, and the reason this island became the spiritual center of Paris. It's the kind of thing that makes the place stop being a postcard.

From there you move through the 4th arrondissement on foot, and the route includes a small stop at Shakespeare and Company: the famous English bookshop that sits just across the Seine. It's crowded, but your guide knows the timing, so you're not stuck there long. The real pull is what comes next: Sainte Chapelle, which sits a short walk away in the 1st arrondissement. This is where the tour shifts. The stained glass windows here are the kind of thing that photographs don't prepare you for. The light comes through in colors that seem to belong to a different century, and your guide explains what you're actually looking at: biblical scenes, royal patronage, the reason this chapel was built. The entry is included, which saves you the line and the separate ticket.

The whole thing moves at a walking pace through medieval streets, so you're not rushing between stops. Your guide is a local who knows the arrondissements well enough to point out which buildings are original, which are reconstructions, and which stories got lost and then found again. Strollers work fine if you're traveling with small children, and the route is manageable for most fitness levels. It's walking, not hiking. The tour wraps at Sainte Chapelle, so you finish inside one of the most visually striking churches in Europe, which is a better ending than most.

What’s included

Your tour includes guide service throughout, the outdoor walking tour around Notre Dame Cathedral in the 4th arrondissement, a stop at Shakespeare and Company, and entry to Sainte Chapelle with its stained glass windows. Public transportation is available nearby if you need it, and the route is suitable for all fitness levels.

Options for this experience

2 options

Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle entryGuide in English · 12:00 and 14:00

Private TourGuide in English · 10:00

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

Before you book

Lasts 2h, runs every day at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00, from € 66 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (2 and older) · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

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

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by THE PERFECT VACATION

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want the medieval heart of Paris explained by someone who knows it, and you want to see Sainte Chapelle's stained glass without buying a separate ticket: the guide and the included entry are what make the whole morning cohere instead of feeling like a series of stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 2).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can you go inside Notre Dame Cathedral on this tour?

No. The cathedral is under restoration. The tour covers the exterior, the surrounding medieval streets, and the history of the building. Entry to Sainte Chapelle is included instead.

Is Shakespeare and Company included?

There's a small visit to the bookshop as part of the route, but it's a brief stop. Entry to the shop itself is free. Any purchases are separate.

What's included in the price?

Guide service, the outdoor walking tour around Notre Dame, and entry to Sainte Chapelle. The exterior of Notre Dame is free to view.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes. The tour is suitable for strollers and prams, and infants can ride in one or sit on an adult's lap.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

No, the tour is not wheelchair accessible.

Which arrondissements does the tour cover?

The 4th arrondissement (around Notre Dame and Île de la Cité) and the 1st arrondissement (where Sainte Chapelle is located).

Do I need to book entry to Sainte Chapelle separately?

No. Entry is included in the tour price, so you skip the separate ticket line.