Nôtre Dame

Pros: A sight you will never forget!
Cons: Can get very crowded during peak tourist season

To celebrate my 200th review I wanted to write about a subject that was near and dear to my heart. Those of you that know me and read my reviews know I love anything Parisian or French....But, what could I write that I hadn’t written about before? To...

Pros: Beautiful historical site, artwork, accessible priests, no admission charge
Cons: Can be crowded

I have to say up front that I don’t generally love visiting huge historic churches. I tend to get very overwhelmed and feel like there are important things to see all around be but I am going to miss them because I don’t know where to look or ...

Pros: Splendid gothic architecture, weighty with history
Cons: I'm not sure I would climb to the top again

What a pretty picture...My first glimpse of the cathedral at Notre Dame was probably the same as that of most American kids - the towering church set against a cloudless, cerulean sky, Rose Window aflame as the sunshine hit the ...

Pros: Notre Dame is a breathaking example of human achievement and European history.
Cons: Stairs make some portions of the cathedral inacessable to individuals with certain disabilities.

The sun had just begun to set, leaving the Parisian sky painted in a quilted blanket of brilliantly hued pinks, oranges and violets. The lights lining the Seine River were just flickering to life as I wandered down one cobbled road following the Seine. ...

Pros: Beautiful ceremony and magnificent music
Cons: They've butchered the altar

Honest. See below. My wife and I haven’t missed our Sunday Mass obligation in thirteen years of marriage, and when in Paris recently we fulfilled our obligations at Notre Dame, one of the most famous cathedrals in the world and located in the ...

Pros: it is amazingly beautiful
Cons: not a thing

Although I had been to Nôtre Dame before, I couldn’t go to Paris and not go back to see this church. The first time I went we were there to attend mass so while I had been inside and had heard the choir and the organ, I hadn’t had the opportunity to...

Pros: nothing like it, beautiful art and architecture, all ages can enjoy this masterpiece
Cons: we didn't have enough time to absorb every awesome detail

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to visit this famous cathedral...twice! Rain AND shine, we were there!

The first time was a beautiful, sunny, Parisian day. The lines were short and we got to see every part of the masterpiece. The huge...

Pros: impressive stained glass, wonderful views from the top
Cons: my knees hurt for days afterwards

I went to Notre Dame on a cloudy November afternoon. There were certainly people there, but not enough to produce long lines or, indeed, any lines for most of what I wanted to do.

The light through the clouds shone brightly enough to make the...

Pros: masterpiece of French transitional Gothic art
Cons: none

Notre Dame is one of the most magnificent cathedrals in the world, and one of the top sights in Paris. If you have only one day in Paris, see the Louvre in the morning and Notre Dame in the afternoon.

PRACTICALITIES

Take the metro...

Pros: Architecture, decor, vestments, art, displays...
Cons: You can't get into the upper cloisters

There are churches, and then there's Notre Dame, which in my esteem would have to be one of the most beautiful churches ever created.

Central to Paris, this beauty is the focal point of an island that may as well be an island for Notre Dame...

Pros: A unique site in this largely 19th century city.
Cons: Not open so many hours as the church. Check times.

The magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral has always been a Paris icon and a must-see stop for visitors. Many travelers, focused on the church itself, miss the opportunity to walk far back in time to the days when Paris was a remote Roman outpost where the...

Pros: Gothic architecture at its finest
Cons: Crowded to enjoy in the solitude in which it was intended

No visit to Paris can possibly be complete without visiting the incredible site of Notre Dame Cathedral. Do yourself a favor and try to visit as early in the morning as possible. The crowds at this time are much thinner, and you can almost seem to be by...

Pros: Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!
Cons: It is in Paris! Well, every rose has it's thorn.

I arrived in Paris at night by train from Brussels. I was with my french-speaking brother, Tobin, which was lucky for me because my french vocabulary consisted of, "Speak with my brother."

I must say that getting of that train and...

Pros: Amazing rose windows, museum & breathtaking cathedral itself; view from top
Cons: Not everyone can climb to top

Our first visit to Paris with our son, aged 5 1/2, we started with breakfast at Deux Magots, then wandered over to Notre Dame. His mouth fell open when he saw the interior. The size of the room, the vaulted ceiling, the stained glass windows, the...

Pros: Gorgeous architecture, awe-inspiring
Cons: Too many people!

Last summer my dream finally came true - I traveled to Europe. I was anxious to see Paris, to see if it was everything I had imagined. It was - and even more. One of the highlights was Notre Dame. I had gotten sick, so my time was limited due to sick...