This small-group tour lets you discover the historical delights of Île de la Cité, one of Paris' most beautiful locations. You have skip-the-line access to Sainte-Chapelle with a guide to explain the historical significance. Tour the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral and learn about its restoration work. Bonus: view Paris’ magnificent landmarks from the vantage point of the Seine River with a flexible cruise ticket.

Paris sightseeing: Île de la Cité with Notre Dame Cathedral exterior tour
Skip-the-line tickets and guided tour included to Sainte Chapelle
Priority admission with flexible departure on Seine River cruise
Small-group maximum of 20 people helps you stay with the guide

What's Included

Local English-speaking guide
Skip the line tickets to Sainte-Chapelle
Guided walking tour of Île de la Cité
Seine River cruise tickets
Small groups of max 20 people
Headsets

Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

66 Quai de l'Hôtel de ville
66 Quai de l'Hôtel de ville, 75004 Paris, France
We meet in the square in front of the café Louis Philippe. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign.

End point

Sainte-Chapelle
10 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
IMPORTANT NOTE: Walks complies with all local government regulations. You may need to wear a mask or provide proof of vaccination to enter certain venues. Please refer to Paris government guidelines for the most up to date information
Unfortunately, the upper floor at Sainte Chapelle are not wheelchair accessible.
Sainte Chapelle are places of worship and require appropriate attire to visit; both men and women are required to wear clothing that covers the shoulders and knees.
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation

Please ensure that all members of your party have a valid ID on them on the day of the visit. This is particularly important for guests who have qualified for child reduction.
To ensure the safety of visitors, French authorities enforce security measures upon entry to the attractions of Ile de la Cité. Suitcases, luggage, and larger bags are not allowed inside. Only bags smaller than 55 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm are permitted.
Tour Only in English
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Don't wait in line for the canned tour, take it with someone who lives and adores it.

Take the time to go to the top of Notre-Dame, I almost didn't and am so pleased I did, the view is amazing and well worth the huffing and puffing of the steps.

Reviews

5.0

81 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 81 reviews

This tour is a great value! Loved the tour, the stained glass and the river cruise!

Gina_G, Dec 2022

What a great value this tour is! It’s a small group and you have a great guide who shows you around for a couple of hours. The ticket to Sainte Chapelle is included as is a river cruise on the Seine! We walked around the islands and the guide talked about Notre Dame, of course, as well as the history of the area. She pointed out landmarks and was a wonderful storyteller. Our final tour stop was at Sainte Chapelle to see the amazing stained glass windows! The security to get into Sainte Chapelle was super-strict probably because the courthouse is part of the same complex. We received vouchers to take the Seine river cruise from Pont Neuf with Vedette. Because we had friends wanting to join us on the cruise part only, I had asked this tour company on an online chat about which cruise company they use and was given the wrong information that it was Bateaux Parisiens. Vedette cruises from Pont Neuf and Bateaux Parisiens cruises from near the Eiffel Tower (A fair distance from Pont Neuf/Ile de La Cite) - at least when we went in November. Luckily, our friends decided to wait to book the tickets until we actually got ours so no harm done. The boat wasn’t full and our friends easily got tickets at the last minute. We went on the cruise that left around 4:30pm and so, half the cruise was while the sun was setting and the rest was during twilight. It was just beautiful.

A great afternoon!

Alicia_B, Dec 2022

Gemma was a great guide. We were the only ones on her tour (we went on a very cold winter day) and she still put everything into it. This tour was memorable and I felt very familiar with the area once it was done. She pointed out several places that we went back and revisited, including the Shakespeare & Company book store. Of course it is sad to only see Notre Dame from a distance but it can’t be helped. The optional boat tour was my least favorite part. The guide had a thick accent that was hard to understand and the sound quality was faint. It didn’t help that the boat was full of loud school children.

Notre Damn, St. Chapel, ....

Todd_B, Oct 2022

Notre Damn, St. Chapel, . The tour guide was great, personable and knowledgeable, the proble was that it was rating the whole time. It should have been cancelled

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Dear Todd_B, Thanks for your review. We are glad to know you enjoyed your guide. Our company always makes sure to work only with the best ones to provide amazing experiences to our guests. We don't cancel our tours due to the rain unless it is a storm. We have to follow our itinerary and respect our ticket entrance time. We hope you enjoyed your holiday as well and that we will welcome you again on one of our tours in the future. If there is anything else you would like to add, please contact us directly at feedback@walks.org. Kind regards, Jhonas

Highly recommend this tour!

Lisa_M, Oct 2022

Julia was extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and personable. She brought history to life as we wandered through the streets of Paris. We then had an opportunity to spend time independently in Sainte Chapelle and to schedule a Seine cruise at a time that was convenient for us. I would highly recommend this tour!

Heart of Paris Walk

Elizabeth_P, Oct 2022

Our guide Gemma was really knowledgeable and fun. We heard great stories of Old Paris and saw the outside of Notre Dame and explored Ile de la Cite and a short walk on ile st Louis. Tour included inside access to Sainte Chapelle which has beautiful stained glass. We enjoyed this tour very much and it was a great start to our time in Paris.

Terrible- inaccurate meeting location

Paul_C, Sep 2022

We never met up with a guide, because the meeting place was described in accurately. The guide never contacted us by phone, even though we called they provide a telephone number and we were told the guide would call us with another meeting place.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Dear Paul_C, Thanks for the review. After reading your comments I had to investigate your booking and the group tour you were assigned to. I can confirm the tour went ahead and other people joined the tour successfully. Your booking is marked as a no-show, meaning you were not at the correct meeting point or were late. I also double-checked your voucher and can confirm the meeting point instructions are correct. I am sorry if you missed your tour. I know how hard it can be sometimes to get around in a new city. This is why our customer service support team is always available to help our guests to get to their guides over the phone if necessary. Our contact number should be in your voucher as well. Even when our clients missed their tours we still offer alternatives, you can always contact us directly and try to reschedule for the next available date. Please contact us at feedback@walks.org. We will be happy to assist you. Kind regards, Jhonas.

Heart of Paris Walk

Ron_D, Aug 2022

This is a comprehensive tour that does not take up the entire day. Very interesting details about Paris’ beginnings. Great stroll through the heart of Paris!

Terrific walking tour!

Anne_C, Jul 2022

Our tour guide, Caitlin, was wonderful! She kept the group engaged during with entire tour, sharing lots of historical information and personal insights! Highlights of the tour included the tour of Notre Dame's exterior and its restoration and Sainte-Chapelle! Great tour!

Robbery. No tour, even though I paid for it.

Jerry_L, Jul 2022

Couldn’t tell you…. We missed the tour because Viator gave me the wrong meeting place. I want a refund!!!

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Hello Jerry_L, I am so sorry to hear you were unable to join our tour due to an incorrect meeting point from Viator. After reviewing your case, I have requested for Viator to provide a full refund to you for this experience. If you have any questions or have any additional feedback for us, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org. Best, Amanda

Ellen was informative....

Monique_M, Jul 2022

Ellen was informative. She knows her French history. She was very welcoming to us. A Very nice lady.

Heart of Paris

alisonmcna, Jun 2022

Enjoyed seeing Notre Dame and hearing about repairs. A bit disappointed in St Chapelle. Unable to take advantage of river cruise due to rainy weather.

Abby was very very...

Bruce_B, Jun 2022

Abby was very very knowledgeable of French history and provided numerous stories to help us better understand the significance and importance of the many buildings and monuments we saw along the way.

Great Tour

Kristal_S, Apr 2022

Josephine was a great guide! She was knowledgeable and kept the tour interesting! This was a great way to start our tour in Paris!

Great walking tour filled with history ad architecture, lead by knowledgeable and engaging guide

Julie_L, Oct 2019

This tour was a good activity for learning about the history abd architecture of the "heart of Paris". Our guide, Avi, was very personable and extremely knowledgeable. Pace was good, distances easy to maneuver. Notre Dame was obviously, unavailable, due to the spring fire, but the company subsituted a 1 hour canal ride, which we spent on the first evening cruise. Highly recommended tour!

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Thank you so much for your kind recommendation! We are happy that we got to share this experience with you. We look forward to the day with Nore Dame opens again, but until then, we are glad that you enjoyed the cruise!

Walking Tour

cfaggioni63, Aug 2019

Our tour of the island was fantastic despite not being able to enter Notre Dame. Our guide Violeta was extremely knowledgeable and considerate of the needs of our small group. We had a wonderful experience.

Response from Host, Sep 2019

We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Violette! Paris has so much to offer, and we are excited to have gotten to share a piece of it with you.

Walking tour

Daniel_B, Aug 2019

Out tour guide Oliver was friendly and very knowledgeable he gave some great information and would recommend him for this tour.

Response from Host, Sep 2019

We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us! Oliver is so friendly and knowledgeable and we are glad that he got to share his love of Paris with you!

Despite the fire at Notre Dame, this tour provided much to see

SCOTT_F, Jul 2019

We had booked this tour well before the unfortunate fire at Notre Dame. However, as a member of Team Adam (our tour guide was Adam), this tour lost nothing despite being unable to enter the renowned cathedral. Adam was so well versed in history and architecture that you learned so much about the prior construction of Notre Dame (which had previously collapsed 3 times) and the current reconstruction. But, do not think that Notre Dame is the end all and be all of this tour. Sainte Chapelle is breathtaking and La Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was held before her death) was something to see. If there is any way to have Adam be your guide on this, we highly recommend asking for him. Enjoy.

Response from Host, Sep 2019

Paris has such a long and rich history; and although we are no longer able to visit the great cathedral of Notre Dame, there is still so much to see and learn and appreciate! We're so glad that you joined us on this journey through Ile de la Cite and enjoyed uncovering its wonders!

Most enjoyable tour

Jolie P, Mar 2019

Felix, our tour guide was great! He was knowledgeable, and could bring history to life. He also has a million dollar smile.

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Thank you for your review! We are delighted to hear that Felix helped illuminate the City of Light for you!

Average tour

Giselle_E, Jan 2019

I went on this tour because of Notre Dame church which is beautiful but unfortunately we couldn't climb to the tower because the office couldn't get the tickets so they said we will get a refund and we can come back the next day and buy a ticket and go on our own ( which i doubt anyone from the froup did ) . La chapelle was inetersting also la Conciergerie.

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Dear Giselle H, Thank you for the review. We apologize that the situation with tickets that day negatively impacted your experience. Sometimes we have to work with issues beyond our control and feel terrible when it affects our guests' experiences. However, we are glad that you were still able to experience the tower despite the situation with the tickets. Thank you again and we hope that you enjoyed the rest of your time in Paris. All the best, The Walks Team

A wonderful visit made even more memorable by our guide Adam x

April_V, Jan 2019

We had the most wonderful day on this tour. All three attractions are fantastic and each was made more interesting by our very enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide 'Adam'. We were in a small group and were amused and involved all the way through. Take the time to go to the top of Notre-Dame, I almost didn't & am so pleased I did, the view is amazing and well worth the huffing and puffing of the steps. I would highly recommend this tour even though it is an early start.

Response from Host, Sep 2019

We're excited to hear that you had a wonderful tour of Ile de la Cite with Adam! The views atop Notre Dame are truly magical; we're glad we got to share them with you!