Tours of Notre Dame and Musée de Cluny

Medieval Masterpieces at the Cluny Museum
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1.5-hour museum tour
The Cluny is the unsung hero of Paris museums, as well as an oasis from the crowds. In the heart of the Latin Quarter, the remains of a Roman bath—one of the finest surviving examples of Roman architecture in the city—are joined to a Gothic Abbey. This historically hybrid building would be worth a visit for the architecture alone. But the fact that it also houses a stunning collection of art from a 1,000-year period of medieval history makes it a must-see museum.

On this tour you’ll see precious objects ranging from the stained glass windows from nearby Sainte-Chapelle, to sculpted heads from the gallery of kings at Notre-Dame Cathedral. Your guide will bring to life one of the Cluny’s most famous and enigmatic works of art, The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. In discovering this exceptionally rich period of European history, you will also learn more about everyday life in medieval Paris.

Rates. €70 for individuals, or €60 per person for parties of two or more. 4 is maximum. €20 surcharge to guarantee that your party has a one-on-one tour, without other parties.

Notre Dame and Cluny: A Pilgrimage to Medieval Paris
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3.0-hour tour includes a visit to the Cluny museum as well. Or, select a 1.5-hour tour of Notre Dame cathedral only.

This voyage to medieval Paris begins with an in-depth look at the Gothic masterpiece that is Notre Dame Cathedral. For over 800 years, Paris' beloved monument has been witness to some of the city's most important historical moments. Our tour of Notre Dame will help you understand the architectural innovations of the building, and the meanings of its graceful sculpture and stained-glass windows.

We then cross the river to visit the Cluny Museum, home to an outstanding collection of European medieval art. Much of the original sculptural decoration from Notre Dame is here, such as the heads from the gallery of Kings (removed by mobs during the Revolution). The Cluny boasts other fascinating treasures of Parisian history—the emphasis of our museum tour. The building itself contains the remains of a 1st-century Roman bath considered to be the finest example of Roman architecture in France. Other highlights include stained-glass and sculpture from the nearby Sainte Chapelle, and the magnificent Lady and the Unicorn tapestries.

We also take an inside look at everyday life in the middle ages, evoked through Cluny's extraordinary collection of personal items like shoes, combs, money and children's toys. Your guide will bring the often inaccessible meanings of this period's art, architecture, and customs to vivid life.

Rates. €120 for individuals, or €100 per person for parties of two or more.
Notre Dame only, without a visit to the Cluny, is €70 for individuals, or €60 per person for parties of two or more.
€20 surcharge to guarantee that your party has a one-on-one tour, without other parties. 4 person maximum.
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