Notre Dame Tour: Secrets of Gargoyles & Portals

Discover Notre Dame’s secrets on a small-group tour. Explore gargoyles, portals, and buttresses with a local guide. Perfect for history lovers.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Notre-Dame - Please be aware: This is a walking tour that exclusively explores the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral. Entry into the building is not included.
    The entire tour is focused on the breathtaking exterior of this iconic landmark. The guide will take you on a journey around the cathedral, unveiling the secrets of its renowned features. You…
What's Included
  • Professional local guide
  • Live storytelling and expert commentary in English
  • 1.5-hour exterior walking tour of Île de la Cité
  • Intimate small-group experience
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Entry to Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie is not included
  • Exterior tour is not included if the Interior Option is selected
  • Notre Dame interior visit is not included unless the Interior Option is selected
Additional Information

Discover the enchanting stories of Notre Dame Cathedral on this captivating outdoor walking tour. Admire the breathtaking exterior of this architectural wonder while uncovering the mysteries of its renowned gargoyles, detailed portals, and magnificent flying buttresses.
Guided by an enthusiastic local expert, participants will join a small, intimate…

Location
Statue de Charlemagne et ses Leudes
Find the large bronze statue of a man on a horse (Charlemagne) on the main square in front of Notre Dame, on the side closer to the River Seine. You’ll find your guide wearing a black cap with the Scenic Zest Logo.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(19 Ratings)
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1 star
John
Feb 6, 2026
A wonderful tour experience! - Our guided tour of Notre Dame was, without question, one of the best tours we have experienced in our over 50 years of traveling. Our guide, Shabrez, was personable and very knowledgeable and provided us with a very full and entertaining overview of many interesting aspects of the cathedral. He made our tour enjoyable by using anecdotes, fun historical facts and involved us in the tour through many clever questions. Shabrez is not only a wonderful guide, he would make a great teacher. Overall it was a memorable experience and we thanked Shabrez for making this tour our top experience in our visit to Paris.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scott_m
Jan 30, 2026
Second to None! - This tour is Second-to None! Shabrez, our guide, combined his extensive knowledge and exceptional people skills, including his excellent communication, infectious enthusiasm, entertaining storytelling and outgoing personality to bring Notre Dame to life and create a memorable experience, one that will soon not be forgotten. Shabrez was extremely interactive and fun, making sure that all our questions were answered. Unable to answer a query at the time, Shabrez went the extra mile to research it and follow-up the next morning with the information, through text. Enjoying our time and learning so much about Notre Dame, we did not want our time with Shabrez to end! When in Paris, do not let this tour pass you by….it truly is Second-to None!
Review provided by Viator
Irtifaa2026
Jan 23, 2026
Awesome - Awesome tour. Got to know so much. Found it really informative and fun at the same time. Enjoyed thoroughly. Highly recommend to everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Debora_h
Dec 29, 2025
A walking tour only. - A mostly walking tour mostly about Notre Dame. No entrance to either Notre Dame or St Chapelle. You walk around Notre Dame and go towards St Chapelle but not close to it.
Review provided by Viator
Jamie_w
Dec 16, 2025
Outside walking tour. - Shanrez was a great guide. The Notre Dame tour was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and shared so many interesting stories, which really brought the history to life. I do wish the tour had included entrance into Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, but I knew that when I booked. He also followed up by texting us lots of helpful information and recommendations for things to see and do for the rest of our trip, which was much appreciated.
Review provided by Viator
Christinetx9284cj
Sep 23, 2025
Very informative tour - Really interesting tour - lots of information very clearly explained, Shabrez answered all the questions that we had. I would highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
371ahamedn
Sep 11, 2025
Exceptional Guide and an Unforgettable Day! - Our guide with Scenic Zest was the best we've ever had—truly exceptional. Their storytelling was captivating, and they surprised us with skip-the-line access to Notre Dame, which was a wonderful highlight. Everything was seamless, and their genuine hospitality made the experience unforgettable. We can't recommend them highly enough
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guide23588086634
Sep 11, 2025
Worth the experience - Our guide with Scenic Zest was the best we've ever had, bringing history to life with captivating stories. They surprised us with skip-the-line access to Notre Dame and ensured our visit to Sainte-Chapelle was seamless. Their genuine hospitality and exceptional service made it truly hard to say goodbye. We wholeheartedly recommend them for an unforgettable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ahamedf397
Sep 11, 2025
Highly recommendable - Our tour guide with Scenic Zest was absolutely phenomenal - incredible storytelling that brought every location to life! As a surprise, they gave us complimentary skip-the-line Notre Dame tickets we hadn't even booked. Our Sainte-Chapelle visit was seamless with quick entry as promised. The self-guided portion was good, but we genuinely felt sad leaving our amazing guide behind. Scenic Zest goes above and beyond - highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daytrip22485932899
Sep 10, 2025
Heritage walk countryside tour - We had an amazing experience in France with our guide, Thabrez. He was incredibly knowledgeable and took us to several beautiful places without having to wait in long queues, which saved us so much time. His guidance made the whole trip smooth and enjoyable. Thabrez is a fantastic guide, and I would highly recommend him to anyone visiting France
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $24
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).