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Notre Dame Cathedral

Impressive Gothic cathedral that was the inspiration for Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Listing from Wikivoyage: Paris, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre Dame Cathedral
The early Gothic Cathédrale de Notre Dame (Our Lady) has a 12th century design but wasn't completed until the 14th. Still it is a good example of the development of the style, though the west or main portal is a bit unusual in its rigidity. An April 2019 fire caused severe damage, but after extensive renovation the cathedral was reopened to the public in December 2024. See item below for separate process to visit towers.
7:45 — 18:45free but booking is recommended as queues can be long.
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Shakespeare and Co.
Probably one of the most eccentric bookstores you will ever visit, this must-see was established in 1951 by George Whitman. Three rambling floors literally crammed with books, both new and (mainly) second-hand. The bedding shoved amid the shelves is for the (largely American) expats (called tumbleweeds) who doss down here at night. It is the sister store to City Lights in San Francisco.
Daily 12ː00-24ː00Cash only
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Eglise Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
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Marché aux fleurs Reine-Elizabeth-II
Flower Market and Bird Market
On the north side of the Ile de la Cité, the main island at the centre of Paris you'll find a burgeoning daily flower market, where you can buy just about any type of flower, and oddly enough, a range of exotic tropical birds.