Notre Dame Cathedral

Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral is arguably the most stunning gothic cathedral in the world—and is undoubtedly the most famous. Conceived in the 12th century and completed in the 14th, Notre Dame Cathedral was the very heartbeat of medieval Paris. After a period of neglect, it recaptured the popular imagination when 19th-century writer Victor Hugo immortalized it in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”.


Notre Dame’s dramatic towers, spire, stained glass and statuary are guaranteed to take your breath away. Dig deeper in the archaelogical crypt. Climbing the North tower to get a gargoyle’s perspective of Paris is a must, too.


Notre Dame Cathedral Location and Contact Info:


Notre Dame Cathedral is centrally located on the Ile de la Cité, the area of Paris that divides the city's right and left banks. The Ile de la Cite is surrounded by the Seine River.

Address: Place du parvis de Notre Dame, 4th arrondissement

Metro: Cité or Saint-Michel (Line 4)

RER: Saint-Michel (Line C)

Bus: Lines 21, 38, 47, or 85

Phone: +33 (0)142 345 610
Notre Dame Cathedral Opening Hours:

• Cathedral main hall: 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. (visitors' circulation is partially interrupted during masses and services)
• Cathedral Towers:
• July-August: 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; weekends 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• April-June and September: 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• October-March: 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Towers closed January 1st, May 1st, and Dec. 25th.

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Loire Valley

Chateau de Chenonceau

This gorgeous and iconic castle’s history is as interesting as this castle is beautiful. It was built on the River Cher on the site of an old mill a short time in the 11th century. However, the castle did not take its present shape until King Henry II gave the castle to his mistress Diane de Poitiers in 1547. It was Diane de Poitiers that built the arched viaduct over the river and had the immense and imposing gardens built. Upon Henry II’s death, his wife, Catherine de Medici, seized the castle from Poitiers and made Chenonceau her own favorite Loire Valley residence. It was Medici who finished the grand gallery over the bridge across the river, which Chenonceau is known for today. The castle and its extensive gardens are open to the public and after Versailles, it is the most visited chateau in France.

Chateau de Chambord

This huge castle is one of the Loire’s most recognizable due to its uniqe French Renaissance architecture that blends usual medieval forms with classic Italian structures. The winery was built by King Francois I to serve as a hunting lodge, who maintained his royal residences in nearby Chateau d’Amboise and Bhateau de Blois. Perhaps most legendary in this castle is the unique and double helix staircase, which is rumored to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci and the elaborately decorated roof line, which Froncois I wanted to look like the skyline of Constantinople

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le mont saint michel

Le Mont Saint Michel is a small area but extremely picturesque rocky islet in Normandy, in northwestern France, It’s very close to the English Channel. Mont St. Michel is world-famous for its attractive architecture and history as well as for its scenic beauty, attracting over 3 million tourists and pilgrims every year.



The Benedictine Abbey at Le Mont Saint Michel is measured as one of the most fantastic sights in the world.

Set atop a rock bump, often surrounded by rising tidal flows, the Abbey is known universal for its amazing medieval architecture. It’s built between the 11th and 16th centuries AD. Mont Saint-Michel was affirmed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Mont Saint-Michel became an important pilgrimage site after the building of Abbey Church in the early 11th century. Throughout its history, Mont Saint-Michel saw buildings constructed and destroyed, although most of the buildings nearby the abbey were constructed during the 14th century AD. Besides the church, the abbey has museums, chapels, shops and small houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries AD.

Other attractions at the Abbey include the figurine of St. Michael, 15th century Parish Church, the Great Wheel, Museum of History and Maritime Museum. In addition, the views of rising high tides rushing in to surround the Mont Saint Michel are truly breathtaking.

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