Paris from Above
When I told people I was visiting Paris, or when I looked up things to do in Paris, one of the things I was told I “had to do” or “couldn’t miss” was to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower to see a great view of Paris.
Well, upon further research, I found that many people say that the views from the towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral were actually a lot better than the views from the Eiffel Tower, because you got to see the gargoyles and spires of the church up close. Plus, that the lines were shorter and the climb up to the top wasn’t such a bitch (excuse my French).
So during my short stay in Paris, I was determined to see a birds-eye view of Paris from the top of the Notre Dame. Although I had visited the inside of the church the day before (more on that here), I somehow managed to get my friends up very early to head to the Notre Dame before the line got really long.
You enter through a different line than to see the church, on the side of the facade. After buying your ticket, you get to the bottom of the winding stairs. I’m actually glad it was winding, because then you can’t see just how many stairs you had to climb. I just climbed and climbed for what felt like forever hoping every corner I turned would be the last. About halfway through you come to a landing at the bell tower with a gift shop. Naturally, it had Quasimodo and Esmeralda figurines which was great because when I was little I was like, OBSESSED with Esmeralda.
By the time I got to the top, my legs were shaking. I later found out that I had climbed exactly 387 steps. That sounds like a lot…until you learn about the Eiffel Tower’s – wait for it – 704 steps.
So, I got to the top and immediately had to catch my breath (and massage my thighs). But once stood up, I basically had the breath knocked out of me AGAIN. But this time, it was by what was in front of me. There were tons of gargoyles, spires, and beautiful details of the church facade. Honestly, one of my favorite things about this view was getting to see the details of all the gargoyles. Some of them were truly terrifying. You can take your time snapping photos and taking it all in. Then, when you’re ready you can leave that side and go to the next tower for another angle.
In the South Tower you can also visit the belfry that holds the 13-ton Emmanuel bell, which was great for a Hunchback of Notre-Dame aficionado like myself.
The views are honestly incroyable. Its just…so PARIS. Mass amounts of beautiful, white buildings clustered together. Rivers with bridges and boats. The Eiffel Tower in the foggy distance on one side and the Sacré-Cœur basilica on the other. This view really knocked the breath out of me and made me realize, “holy cow, this is Paris. Beautiful, historic, iconic Paris.”
If you’ve never been to Paris and love a good ol’ aerial view like me, I totally recommend the view from the Notre Dame Towers. The towers open at 10AM most of the year. Make sure to get there early because the line does get really long……
The entrance for the visit of the tower is located OUTSIDE of the cathedral, on the left-hand side of the facade, Rue du Cloître Notre-Dame. The entry fee is about €8.50 but student/senior/group discounts are offered. Check out more information here!
Remember, this climb is NOT for the claustrophobic, or anyone who (for some reason) is wearing high heels. Everyone was sweating and out of breath when they got to the top. The climb really isn’t for the faint of heart. But as you can see from the photos, the wait in line and the climb up is TOTALLY worth it!
Although I haven’t climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower and seen the views of Paris from there, I really don’t know how they could beat the view from the Notre Dame. The whole experience was a definite hightlight of my time in Paris!
