From the square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, step down into the ancient ruins of Paris. This subterranean part of the city is the Crypte archéologique du parvis Notre-Dame and here you can walk amidst the layers of over 2000 years of ‘urban and architectural development’. Though not a museum we recommend paying to visit, Archaeological Crypt of Notre-Dame is an interesting 20-minute stop only if you have the Paris Museum Pass.
Enter the crypt at the far end of the square, opposite the cathedral, for your chance to see how successive generations of early Parisians built upon the foundations of those before – from the beginnings of the city as home to the Parisii to the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia and the creation of Île de la Cité as the fortified heart of the city, on through the Middle Ages and into the modern era.
As you wander through the ruins, which were discovered during excavations in the 1960s and 1970s, you’ll see parts of the old Roman port, luxurious 3rd Century dwellings, 4th Century baths with a heating system, and remnants of medieval shops, water wells, and an 18th Century hospital.
Getting there:
Crypte archéologique du parvis Notre-Dame is located in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral, directly across Place Jean-Paul-II.
Get there by Métro (Line 4): Cité or Saint-Michel
Ticket Info:
Adult Admission = 6.00€
FREE with Paris Museum Pass
Summary
Reviewer
Mike Young
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Archaeological Crypt of Notre-Dame
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