Explore the remains of the Île de la Cité with our Paris Archaeological Crypt Ticket. You'll venture underneath the Notre Dame and visit an exhibition on the cathedral dedicated to Victor Hugo and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
Ticket Details
Your ticket to the Paris Archaeological Crypt will give you access to the remains found in the excavations of the Île de la Cité.
The crypt is located on the esplanade of Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the most iconic monuments of the French capital. However, the church has not always had the recognition it enjoys today. Its heritage value was promoted in the 19th century by the writer Victor Hugo and the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
Since its reopening in September 2020, the Paris Archaeological Crypt has been hosting the exhibition 'Notre-Dame de Paris: from Victor Hugo to Eugène Viollet-le-Duc'. In this exhibition, you'll find out how the writer was the driving force behind a movement to support the cathedral, which was in a state of great disrepair at the beginning of the 19th century. All of this was thanks to his novel Notre-Dame de Paris, published in 1831.
The exhibition will also give you an insight into the restoration work on Notre Dame carried out by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc between 1844 and 1864. In the Paris Archaeological Crypt, you'll also see various models of the Notre Dame cathedral. The fire that took place on 15 April has once again raised awareness of the need to preserve its heritage.
In the Archaeological Crypt, you can also learn about the history of the cathedral through the film Notre-Dame Eterna.
Opening Hours
The Paris Archaeological Crypt is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. Final admission is 1 hour before closing time.
It's also open on the following public holidays in France: 14 July, 1 November and 11 November. It's only closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
When making your booking, you'll be asked to choose a time slot during which you'd like to visit the crypt:
- 10 am to 2 pm
- 12 pm to 2 pm
- 2 pm to 4 pm
- 4 pm to 5 pm
Once you've made your booking, we'll contact you within 72 hours to let you know the specific time you've been allocated for your visit. This specific time will always be within the time slot you've chosen.
