Notre Dame de Paris is probably the world's most famous cathedral, features in everything from classic books to modern-day movies. During a visit to Paris, you will probably get a better view from the cathedral, actually, than from the Eiffel Tower (because the Eiffel Tower is too tall to see details). The gothic cathedral, also dating back to the 12th century, is best known for its intricate gargoyles. It also became legendary as the haunt for the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
If you visit the cathedral, be sure to hike up the seemingly-endless spiral stairs to the top to get a close-up look of the gargoyles and a grand view of the city and the Seine River. You can also see the historic hunchback's bell at the top. Outside the cathedral is the markation point from which the distance to all cities in France is measured. Underneath is an archeological museum.
There are countless other things to do while in Paris.
Lodging options
Good hotel choices include
the Hotel Notre Dame and
Hotel Jeu de Paume, both of which are very close to the cathedral.
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Find out more about Paris
For more information about Paris, see the
Paris Travel Guide.
Travel time to next stop
Strasbourg is about four hours away by train.
