Please sign in to post.

Notre Dame: Tower visits to resume summer 2025

Press is now reporting information on another element of the re-opening of Notre Dame: the towers !

Here's something I didn’t know . While the State hands back operating of most of the church itself to church authorities (even for tourist visits), the French State (through its Centre des Monuments Nationaux, National Monuments Center) retains for itself the operating and tourist visits of the north and south towers.

The work to finish the towers is still ongoing, so they won't re-open to paying visitors until summer 2025.

They haven't yet set the price — before the fire, a ticket to climb the towers was 11€. They will increase the prices but haven't yet decided by how much.

Before the fire, about 400,000 people each year visited the towers.

They are also slightly modifying the visit, although it will still include the 422 steps up a narrow spiral staircase, but there will be additional intermediate landings. There will be a new staircase that will allow visitors to get closer to the huge Marie and Emmanuel bells. And visitors will be able to walk on the gallery between the north and south towers — and see the huge wood frame of the roof , thanks to new windows opening back that way.

And the view of the gargoyles and of Paris from 226 feet in the air will remain !

Information taken from an article in Le Parisien of December 22.

Posted by
1099 posts

Thanks Kim. That's an enticing description of the tower visit --I'll have to plan a visit again in the fall just to see the wood frame of the roof! I'll be in Paris in just a week. Hoping to get tickets inside.

Posted by
16704 posts

Thanks from me too, Kim. The Towers were a must during our marvelous week in the city some years back; just HAD to shoot my own black-and-whites of chimeras and gargoyles, and the panorama over the city was breathtaking! I'm not sure my knees could take on those steps now but I'm delighted for future travelers with more obliging joints!

Posted by
4331 posts

Thanks for the update Kim. Our next visit will have to be in 2026 as next year is all booked.

Posted by
14963 posts

Oh gosh, thank you Kim! You know I have a fear of heights but I might try and make myself do this one especially since they've got extra landings. I'm sure my knees couldn't do the 422 in one fell swoop! I did them on my first few trips to Paris in 1973 and 1974, hahaha.