The flight of spiral stairs was grueling. It seemed endless at that point of time. The spiral stairs continued to swirl for 10 minutes before I was out of the narrowed stairways. I was in a dizzy spell when I reached the top. Stabilizing for a few seconds, I felt better. At the top of Notre Dame, the view was enviable. It overlooks several famous monuments and structures in Paris: Sacre Coeur; Eiffel Tower; Hotel de Invalides; and, of course, the long stretch of the Seine.

To go into the cathedral is free. You are free to walk around or even attend service when it’s going on. It’s also fairly easy to take photos without really getting any dirty looks.

I highly recommend, if you are up for it, the climb up to the bell tower. I have been to the cathedral three times, and this is the first time I have done the climb. This is where you can get the classic gargoyle shots and amazing views of Paris. It costs about 6 euros to climb the tower. Be ready for a somewhat strenuous climb up narrow, winding stairs. When you think it can’t get any narrower, it does.

When you get to the landing with the gargoyles, you can actually continue up again to see the actual bell. It’s huge and was very cool to see. I spent a lot of time taking photos of the gargoyles. It was a lot of fun to get shots with the gargoyle and Paris in the background.

I was carrying a bunch of bags (shopping!), and it was a pain to drag those up and down the stairs. I really wanted a hand to hold onto the railing on the way down. The tight, narrow, winding spaces kind of freak me out a bit, I guess. Be ready for your calves to be a bit wobbly once you are back down on the ground.

From the main entrance, turn right toward the double-sided aisle and gaze upon Le Brun’s "May" paintings, which hang in the side chapels; these religious paintings were presented by Paris guilds, one a year to the cathedral, on each May Day in the 17th and 18th centuries.
►Continue toward the transept and arrive at the South Rose Window, which retains much of its original 13th-century stained glass. It depicts Christ in the centre, surrounded by virgins, saints, and the 12 apostles.
►Head to the middle and discover, against the southeast pillar of the transept, a 14th-century statue of the Virgin and Child. Originally from the chapel of St. Aignan, it is why this cathedral is called Our Lady of Paris.
►Toward the back is a high stone screen, which encloses the chancel and provides canons at prayer with peace and solitude from noisy congregations.
►Next, take a left to the heart of the cathedral, where behind the altar is Nicolas Coustou’s Pietà, also named the Virgin of Compassion, standing on a gilded base sculptured by François Girardon. On the other end is the humbled figure of Louis XIII, on bended knees, bare-headed, presenting his crown to the almighty. Louis XIII, who after many years of marriage was childless, pledged to erect a high altar and redecorate the east chancel to honour the Virgin if an heir was born to him. The future Louis XIV was born in 1638, and it was he who carried out his father’s vows 60 years after his birth. He ordered architect Robert de Cotte to renovate the choir, and Antoine Vassé created a high altar. Six angels of gilded bronze by the pillasters carry the instruments of the Passion.
►The carved woodwork choir stalls detail bas-reliefs on the back of the high stalls, with scenes from the life of the Virgin.
►On the north side of the transept is the 21-meter high, 13th-century stained-glass window depicting the Virgin, encircled by figures from the Old Testament. End your tour by going up the flight of steps of the north tower that leads to sights of the famous gargoyles and magnificent views of Paris.

Open daily between 8am and 7pm. Admission charge applies for going up the towers.

Victor Hugo’s novel Notre Dame de Paris, published in 1831, drew the public’s attention to the building’s need of restoration. Restoration work, directed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus, was completed in 1864. It covered both the external structure and interior decorations. On the exterior, the carvings on the western façade and the southern transept were restored, as were the spire, the gables, and the pinnacles. On the interior, restoration work mainly affected the elevation bays and the structure of the windows.

The west front has three main doors with superb statuary, an openwork gallery, and a central rose window which depicts the Virgin in a medallion of rich reds and blues. The Portal of the Virgin, to the left, depicts the Virgin surrounded by saints and kings and is a fine composition of 13th-century statues. The Kings’ Gallery, to the right, features 28 kings of Judah gazing down on the crowds; it is a horizontal version of the tree of Jesse, which portrayed 28 statues of Christ’s ancestors up until 1793. They were restored in the 19th century. The south tower houses the cathedral’s famous Emmanuel bell, and the legendary Galerie des Chimières (gargoyles) hide behind a large upper gallery between the towers. The latter displays a number of monstrous creatures which reveal Viollet-le-Duc’s inventive imagination. It was rumoured that one of the gargoyles resembled his wife! You can get up close and personal with them by taking 387 steps up the north tower (left of entrance) for a small fee, which goes to the cathedral’s conservation fund.

The spire, designed by Viollet-le-Duc, soars to a height of 90 metres. And Jean Ravy’s spectacular flying buttresses, at the east end of the cathedral, have a span of 15 metres. The south façade’s Rose Window, with its central depiction of Christ, is an impressive 13 metres high. The transept was built at the start of Philippe-Auguste’s reign in the 13th century. The Treasury houses the cathedral’s religious treasures, including ancient manuscripts and reliquaries.