Hi. Does anyone know a tour or private guide for the interior of Notre Dame? I know there are free tours of the outside and that there are no tours of the interior given by the cathedral. Friends of Dads just came back and had a guide for the inside but can't remember the name. Thanks
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
3463 posts
Dianejay,
It is my belief that it is forbidden to give any paid spoken commentary inside the cathedral, although the guide can give as much info and commentary as they want outside the church. They are not permitted to make any charge for entry to the church as it is free to anyone. They can only charge for their external guiding service and pre-visit logistics. It is a house of worship so no guide commentary is allowed there. If a guide does so, he is not respecting the purpose of the cathedral by making money off of it.
My 2 cents.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
3463 posts
CASA is an organization of volunteers who will take you inside and discuss the cathedral. They DO NOT charge. And their inside discussion will not be focused on the building/restoration, but more on religious/spiritual subjects. I would definitely go with them. One of the most knowledgeable contributors here, "emilyofnotredame" reminds us that "tours" of Notre Dame often refers to the towers of Notre Dame, which are run sperately from the cathedral. They need a reservation time, charge a fee, and entail lots of steps up and down. Be aware of what exactly the tour operators you contact are talking about. I hope you enjoy the cathedral. I haven't been since the restoration and look forward to another trip to Paris to visit it. Enjoy!
Posted by
Massachusetts
1782 posts
This thread has more information: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/notre-dame-inside-tour
Posted by
OP
New York, NY, USA
826 posts
Thanks so much!! The Casa tour is exactly what I was looking for!
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
17396 posts
I did the Casa tour last April and it was very good. I think the presentations vary from volunteer to volunteer. Mine did talk about the rebuilding and in fact said she could see the fire from her apartment and was brokenhearted. We spent the majority of our time inside, just enough outside for her to talk about the different portals and statuary.
The volunteers have a sign they hold and wear green vests so are easy to spot. They meet in the area where Rue d’Arcole intersects with the cathedral plaza.