https://www.eternellenotredame.com/en/
Greetings! We want to buy "Eternelle Notre-Dame" tickets in advance for the Notre-Dame location (NOT the La Defense location). While the website describes both locations, it appears to sell tickets only to the La Defense location.
Is the Notre-Dame location still open? And, if yes, how does one purchase advance tickets to the Notre-Dame location?
On that link, click on BOOK YOUR TICKETS. The next screen should give you a choice of Notre Dame or La Défense. At least it does when I tried it.
The website explains that due to work at square in front of Notre Dame, the location there is no longer available for the exhibit. The Défense location remains open.
Now that the Cathedral of Notre Dame has reopened you can see it live and in person.
For the virtual reality experience you would have to visit the La Defense location.
Your link is for the English version of the website which hasn't been updated. Note that is still referenced the 2024 Olympics.
And that would explain why the website was going to let me purchase tickets to the ND version. Sorry about that, OP.
It's too bad too, because it was really well done. Even though you can see Notre Dame in person, the VR experience starts in the Middle Ages with the beginning stages of the cathedral, continuing on to the present day rebuilding after the fire. I especially liked it for young people as a learning experience made fun for them.
It is well worth doing -- you visit Notre Dame as it is being build in the 13th century -- it is a marvelous experience thqt has little to do with seeing the 'real thing' now. Worth the trip to La Defense IMHO. I have done it both places, once on my own and once with a Paris friend at the ND location.
I agree with Janet that it's a wonderful experience and very different from seeing the Cathedral today.
And I agree with Janet and Elizabeth - The Éternelle Notre Dame 3D visit is absolutely exquisite and such a great learning experience. In addition to seeing the actual cathedral.
Do you know if it is only open certain days, or if the days I am in Paris it has sold out? We really wanted to do this, but alas it seems nothing is available Sunday - Wednesday.
I echo the previous comments that it's a great experience! (And it's a very different experience from visiting the cathedral itself!). The location at Notre Dame closed December 31, 2025 due to the redevelopment of the parvis/square and the new underground promenade that's being built.
We really wanted to do this, but alas it seems nothing is available Sunday - Wednesday.
Hi sarahalida!
As of now, it's currently only available on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and the occasional Sunday.
Will the construction at the cathedral square and underground promenade interfere with a visit to the Archeological Crypt? Will it close down like the Eternelle Notre-Dame site at the square? We plan to visit in late May 2026.
Will the construction at the cathedral square and underground promenade interfere with a visit to the Archeological Crypt? Will it close down like the Eternelle Notre-Dame site at the square? We plan to visit in late May 2026.
Hi! The Archeological Crypt will be open until at least June 28th (2026) :)
No one needs to pay a single cent to visit Notre Dame du Paris. Simply go to mass there. We did that - no problem getting in, 6:45 mass, stunning soprano singing a solo, message in French which I do not speak but that's not important, and communion. I'm not a Christian, so I don't do the communion thing.
I’m going to give the warning about the virtual reality experience
I’m sure it is very good
However, if like me, you have a fear of heights, you may find it impossible to do
I finally took the device off and just stood there. Yes the logical part of my brain was telling me I was not actually going up in the air to the top of the tower at Notre Dame without any kind of barrier between me and the edge of that platform, but the non-logical part of my brain was in full flight mode and it won
No one needs to pay a single cent to visit Notre Dame du Paris. Simply go to mass there. We did that - no problem getting in, 6:45 mass, stunning soprano singing a solo, message in French which I do not speak but that's not important, and communion. I'm not a Christian, so I don't do the communion thing.
Hi! You are correct that it's always free to visit the main floor (and to attend Mass/other liturgical services).
However there are certain areas of Notre Dame that do have a paid admission, such as the Treasury, the bell towers and the Archeological Crypt. And this post/discussion isn't referring to visiting the Notre Dame cathedral itself. It's referring to a VR activit that's off-site, that does have a paid admission.
Another quick FYI, Evening Mass starts at 6:00pm, not 6:45pm.
I finally took the device off and just stood there. Yes the logical part of my brain was telling me I was not actually going up in the air to the top of the tower at Notre Dame without any kind of barrier between me and the edge of that platform, but the non-logical part of my brain was in full flight mode and it won
Carol,
It's wild how far VR technology (and technology in general) has come! I was also surprised at the realism. Admittedly, I teared up at that part in the the bell towers and standing at the top looking at the view of Paris. Haha.
Carol, don't feel bad. I was okay until the end when we were out on that scaffolding on the roof. My niece realized I was on the verge of a panic attack and ripped the headset off me. There were only two minutes or so left of the program, but I couldn't do it.
Virtual Reality my foot!! It's as real as real can get when you're in it!. :)
The first time I did it, I was standing by the organ keyboard and needed to walk down steep stairs to get to level and it was soooo real. I knew I was on level ground, but it was disconcerting. I am old and have some balance and stair issues without a handrail and so it took a bit of girding up to make that trip 'down' those stairs.
The second time, my French friend and i missed getting on the lift to the belltower but we rose up in the air anyway and so were dangling with our feet over the floor 50 feet up clutching each other in terror -- we again KNEW it was an illusion, but it is a dang realistic one. Similarly the Impressionist VR at the Orsay last year at one point involved walking on a narrow board over an abyss -- also very realistic. So if you cannot control the panic, it might not be for you. It was worth it to me but I understand how someone with height issues would find it difficult.
