Walking to Notre-Dame de Paris from Saint-Germain-des-Prés : the route along the Left Bank quays

Notre-Dame de Paris is about a 20- to 25-minute walk from Saint-Germain-des-Prés. From 59 Rue des Saints-Pères, two routes lead to the Île de la Cité: the Left Bank quays followed by the Pont-Neuf, or Rue Jacob followed by Quai Saint-Michel and the Petit-Pont. The cathedral has reopened for worship and tours following the restoration work undertaken after the 2019 fire. The journey here is just as important as the destination: the École des Beaux-Arts, the dome of the Institut de France, the booksellers’ green boxes, the Square du Vert-Galant, and the Sainte-Chapelle. From our 4-star boutique hotel in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, the walk is flat, uninterrupted, and almost always along the waterfront.

Why set out on foot from Rue des Saints-Pères

Rue des Saints-Pères runs straight down toward the Seine. From the front door, it takes about 6 minutes to reach Quai Malaquais and about 5 minutes to reach the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés via Boulevard Saint-Germain. This location says it all: the house sits halfway between the river and the heart of the Saint-Germain neighborhood, at the junction of the 6th and 7th arrondissements. Getting to Notre-Dame from here requires neither the metro nor a taxi. You step outside, walk up the street, turn right along the water, and stay right by the Seine all the way to Île de la Cité. For a family, the advantage is real: the walk is broken up into short stretches, with benches, stairs leading down to the riverbanks, and gallery and bookstore windows at every corner.

The route along the quays and the Pont-Neuf, about 25 minutes

Get off at 59 Rue des Saints-Pères and walk north along the street. You’ll cross Rue de Grenelle, Rue Jacob, and Rue de l’Université, then emerge onto Quai Malaquais after about 6 minutes. Turn right. Quai Malaquais runs alongside the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, then becomes Quai de Conti in front of the dome of the Institut de France, headquarters of the Académie française, which you’ll reach in about 10 minutes. Continue on: the Pont-Neuf appears at the end of the quay, about 13 minutes after you set out. Cross to the central median, where the equestrian statue of Henry IV overlooks the staircase leading down to the Square du Vert-Galant, about 15 minutes. Then enter Place Dauphine, and take Rue de Harlay or Quai des Orfèvres to walk along the Palais de la Cité. You’ll pass by the base of the Sainte-Chapelle around the 18-minute mark; cross the Boulevard du Palais, then follow Rue de Lutèce and Rue de la Cité to reach the plaza in about 25 minutes total.

The Petit-Pont route, about 20 minutes

The second route is more direct. From the hotel, walk up Rue des Saints-Pères for about 100 meters, turn right onto Rue Jacob, follow it to Rue de Seine, then head down toward Quai de Conti—about 9 minutes. From there, the Quai des Grands-Augustins and then the Quai Saint-Michel follow one after the other without interruption, lined with bookstalls, all the way to Place Saint-Michel—about 15 minutes. The Petit-Pont-Cardinal-Lustiger will then appear on your left: it spans the narrowest part of the Seine’s small branch, right where the Roman road once ran. It takes about 20 minutes from Rue des Saints-Pères to reach the plaza. This route offers the most famous head-on view of the western façade, with the two towers and the spire aligned above the river.

What you see along the way, from the Institut de France to the bookstalls

The Left Bank quays form an open-air museum. At the start of the walk, the façade of the Musée d’Orsay and the Pont Royal come into view on the left, about 8 minutes from the house. Next comes the École des Beaux-Arts, followed by the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge leading to the Louvre’s colonnade, about 9 minutes away. The booksellers’ green boxes line the parapet, filled with old maps, posters, and well-worn books. Across the river, the Monnaie de Paris, the tip of the Île de la Cité, and the roofs of the Louvre come into view. On the southern route, Square René-Viviani—about 19 minutes away—is home to a black locust tree planted in the 17th century, often cited as the oldest tree in Paris. Just behind it, at the corner of Rue de la Bûcherie, the Shakespeare and Company bookstore has been a fixture of the neighborhood for decades.

On the plaza, learn to interpret the western facade

The Notre-Dame forecourt, Place Jean-Paul-II, is an open esplanade: this is where the façade is best appreciated. First, there are three portals: The Last Judgment in the center, the Virgin Mary on the left, and Saint Anne on the right, each sculpted like a page to be deciphered. Above them, the Gallery of the Kings features twenty-eight figures of the kings of Judah. Higher still is the western rose window, followed by the gallery connecting the two towers, where the chimeras stand guard. Construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century under the leadership of Bishop Maurice de Sully, on a site that was already sacred in Gallo-Roman times. The spire visible today follows Viollet-le-Duc’s design, restored after the 2019 fire. At your feet, the “Point Zero” plaque for France’s road network marks the starting point for the country’s road distances—a detail that children love to look for.

Around the island the apse and the flying buttresses

Don’t head back the way you came. Walk along the south side via the Quai de Montebello, pass the Pont au Double, then cross the Pont de l’Archevêché: from its deck, about 28 minutes from the hotel, the view of the apse and the double row of flying buttresses is one of the most comprehensive in Paris. Behind the apse, Square Jean-XXIII extends the walk right up against the stone walls. The Pont Saint-Louis, about 30 minutes away, takes you to Île Saint-Louis, with its low quays, 17th-century mansions, and village-like tranquility. The return trip is best taken via the Quai de la Tournelle and then the Boulevard Saint-Germain, a continuous 30-minute walk to the Rue des Saints-Pères.

What time should you leave to avoid the crowds?

The plaza fills up around midday. Set out early: in the early morning, the quays are nearly deserted, and the low-angled sunlight strikes the west facade from the east. In the late afternoon, the light shifts direction, and the setting sun illuminates the western façade from the front—a sight best viewed from the Petit-Pont or the Quai de Montebello. Weekdays are generally quieter than weekends. On Sundays, life on the island follows the rhythm of church services. Access to the cathedral, its towers, and the archaeological crypt has changed significantly since the reopening: check the current conditions with official sources before you go. Our reception desk is available to provide information on expected crowds during your visit.

Staying in the Area

Walking back from Notre-Dame along the quays and stepping through the door of a house just a stone’s throw from Boulevard Saint-Germain—that’s what staying at a hotel near Notre-Dame on the Left Bank is all about. Le Pas de Calais is located in a historic building on Rue des Saints-Pères, in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, where art galleries, publishers, and literary cafés still thrive. After your walk, the glass-roofed bar extends the day with its marble, wood, and soft lighting. Our staff will be happy to help you plan your itinerary for the next day—whether it’s Île Saint-Louis, Sainte-Chapelle, or the banks of the Seine. Discover our rooms and suites and book your stay