My wife and I arrived at the Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris early on a Sunday morning. It was a brisk walk from the hotel and was a bit chilly at the end of October. We thought we would be early enough that we wouldn’t have to stand in line too long, but as we approached the Cathedral, we saw the long line of tourists flowing down the side of the building. The view from Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris must be worth the wait.
Get ready to climb
We had already toured the inside of Notre-Dame on a previous trip to Paris, France. This time we wanted to climb the more than 200 narrow steps to the viewing platform high above Paris’s streets. We stood in line, barely moving every 15 minutes. They only allow a small number of people to climb the steps of the tower at a time. Once you get to the platform high above the entrance doors, you’ll know why they only let a few people in at a time. We almost decided to leave and come back another day, but I’m glad we waited for the chance to see a fantastic sight. When we finally began our climb. The steps are old, stone, narrow, and so wonderful. You wind your way in a spiral staircase, taking your time as you go because 200 steps are more than you think. Luckily we were in pretty good shape and had good shoes on for the climb.
Breathtaking view from Cathedral Notre-Dam de Paris
When you finally walk through the doorway at the top of the stairs, your breath is taken away by the awe-inspiring sight. Not only do you have the opportunity to see the many statues and gargoyles that perch around the towers and ledges of the Cathedral. But you also get a breathtaking view of Paris that is like no other. We saw the many narrow streets and quaint neighborhoods where we previously walked — the boats on the river below us with tourists looking like ants far below. The Eiffel Tower on the horizon would be our next stop on our tour of this beautiful city. Take in all of the details of the architecture that you don’t see when touring the inside. The roof, statues, spires, and more built so long ago are worth climbing to the top.
