🇫🇷 Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris
Construction began in 1163 and took ~200 years. The 2019 fire destroyed the roof and spire, but the medieval stone vaults held — exactly as Gothic engineering was meant to.
The most famous cathedral in France, on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris. After the 2019 fire and the reopening in late 2024, this is a special moment to visit — the restored interior is luminous.
Even if the interior queue is long, the exterior and surrounding square (Parvis Notre-Dame) are worth the visit on their own.
Entry is free — but reserving a time slot a few hours ahead at notredamedeparis.fr/en/visit/reservation-free skips the walk-in queue. Slots open ~48 hours in advance and same-day slots are common.
Audio tour: Notre-Dame is the starting point of Rick Steves' Historic Paris Walk, a free self-guided audio tour in the library.