Guest post by Bee Appel. Bee Appel is a South African studying her MBA in fashion, in the fashion capital of the world (Paris). Her blog focuses on her artwork, fashion, beauty and vacays in some of the most exotic destinations in the world. Be sure to follow her quirky and cool blog here.
On arriving in Paris on my very first weekend, I did those open roof bus tours to get a quick overview of the layout of the city. Notre Dame was on the list, but I wanted to go on a grey and cloudy days to take the best photos, as I like the way gothic stone carving looks on dull and dreary days.
Notre Dame is always packed, especially on weekends. I went on a moderate morning in Early March on a Friday to finally get my pics. Friday morning, the cathedral is pretty empty. The line is quick, and I did not have to wait hours in the line to climb up the tower to the top.
The interior is beautiful. I managed to get some really cool shots of the dark interior, with the magnificent flying buttresses in low lighting. The stained glass windows are definitely something to marvel at. It’s still a functioning church, and people do attend confessions and services on some days.
Climbing up the bell Tower
The queue for this can be really long, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. You pay a fee of 8 Euros, and if you are under 26 years old, you can get a student discount. There are over 200 steps to climb, as they wind up the narrow bell tower. Do wear comfortable shoes, and avoid pointy shoes! Those stairs get narrower and smaller as they go up!
The view up there is amazing, it’s situated next to the Seine, so it the canals just add that extra bit of niceness. I went a bit overboard with snapping the gargoyles, but they were so cool. The balcony itself is really narrow and tight. Only 20 people are allowed up at a time because of the tight space.
The walk down the tower can be very dizzying too.
Overall, I’m happy with my pics! It’s def one of the best views of the city and highly recommended!
Visiting Quasimodo – Bee du Jour
[…] Read my guest post at Notre Dame on Suitcases & Lattes at: http://suitcasesandlattes.com/notre-dame-cathedral-paris/ […]
Top 10 Places To Visit In Paris For Those On A Shoestring Budget - eTramping Adventure Travel Blog
[…] the Gothic era is something you admire, then a trip to the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris is an absolute must. Walk along the Seine and take in the wonderful structure from a different […]