Île de la Cité
Île de la Cité
4.5
NeighbourhoodsHistoric Walking AreasIslands
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Top ways to experience Île de la Cité
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Ile de la Cité / Ile Saint-Louis
Two islands sit in the middle of the Seine at the very heart of Paris. The more majestic one, Ile de la Cité, sparkles with history. This is the birthplace of Paris, the home of the Gothic Sainte-Chapelle, and the site of the prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution. Tourists flock to see the iconic Notre Dame and the beautiful bridges that straddle the Seine. Ile Saint-Louis, the more provincial island, welcomes you with cozy traditional eateries, small boutiques, and what some people say is the best ice cream in the city. This is essential Paris from its very beginnings to its modern appeal.
How to get there
  • Cité • 2 min walk
  • St-Michel – Notre-Dame • 4 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles5,336 reviews
Excellent
3,399
Very good
1,675
Average
230
Poor
24
Terrible
8

GAR
243 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
This is one of my favourite parts of Paris. There’s a lot to see and do, but wandering out the island it’s easy to find quiet hidden spots that feel quite unlike the hustle and bustle of a major city
Written 17 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Neil K
Liverpool, UK619,734 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Friends
There are two little islands in the middle of the River Seine Île Saint Louis and Île De La Cité both amazing islands to visit with Île De La Cité probably the most famous ,certainly the most visited .
Île De La Cité ( City Island ) is such a great place to visit ,my twin brother Stephen and I had just enjoyed beers in Le Mistral and we then decided to walk over Pont Au Change onto the Île De La Cité,love it here ,the architecture is amazing ,the Conciergerie,Palais De Justice De Paris,Tour De L'Horloge Du Palais De La Cité, Profecture De Police ,Sainte Chappelle and of course Cathedrale Notre Dame De Paris,a landmark building on the island .
We wandered around this island in the centre of the River Seine , dropped into a couple of cafe bars to enjoy some beers ,all in all it's a great area of the city to enjoy of you're planning a holiday go Paris.
Written 11 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angelo Z
Evant, TX300 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle are reasons enough to visit IIe de la Cite but delve a little deeper. This is the historical center of Paris, The palace of Justice, the flower market, shops, bars, restaurants, a nice little square and Pont Neuf. So much to enjoy. .
Written 9 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveler O
Washington DC, DC1,068 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
This is the historical center of Paris, but with the exception of the Palais de Justice between Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie, it's now mostly a small island with mostly tourist attractions-all historic though. Best to take at least a day or two if you really want to explore it. There are the bridges, Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and the Conciergerie - all of which are must-sees. Best to get combination tickets for Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie. Notre Dame can be seen from the outside and will hopefully open in the spring of 2024 before the Olympics begin.

Best to take the metro, bus, or a taxi to get here as driving here on your own makes no sense, unless you have access to private parking as it's very limited.
Written 6 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vadim
Murmansk, Russia26,794 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The location of the island of Cite is such that a city could not have arisen around. an island in the middle of the river is an ideal place to hide from invaders, robbers and other enemies. Therefore, Cite is the cradle of the city. True, a burnt-out cradle... The only problem is that apart from Notre Dame de Paris, only the oldest prison in Paris, the Conciergerie Castle and the Sainte-Chapelle, built in 1245-1248, remained from medieval buildings here. With Notre Dame, sung by Hugo, restored by Violette-Le-Duc and burned under Macron, everything is clear. A fence, a photo of a fire on it and unclear prospects for opening, despite generous donations from global concerns and local nouveau riche. A symbol of France, which has become its shame. The Conciergerie Castle is famous for the oldest operating city clock (more than 600 years old) and its prisoner, Marie Antoinette. The one who, in response to the message that the French poor have no bread, advised them to eat cakes. The Sans-Culottes did not appreciate the Austrian humor (she was the daughter of Maria Theresa) and sent Marie Antoinette to the guillotine six months after her husband Louis XVI. The Queen's chamber is the main attraction of the Conciergerie, although Charlotte Corday, who killed Marat in the bathtub, the chemist Lavoisier and the leaders of the Jacobins Danton and Robespierre, went to the guillotine from here. in general, so-so attraction. Opposite the Sainte-Chapelle is a masterpiece of French high Gothic. 70% authentic. Unfortunately, not only you will know about this, so get ready for queues. there is nothing else medieval on the island. Pompous Palais de Justice, built in the XIX century on the site of the old royal palace. The western part of the island boasts the place Dauphine and the monument to Henry IV. A copy, the original was broken during the revolution. The pretty square du Vert-Galant is located behind the monument. The epithet in the title - "gallant" - refers to the same Huguenot Henry IV, a famous womanizer, but at the same time the most sympathetic of the French kings. But the kindest pope left a mark on the eastern part of the island in the square of John XXIII. You will be surprised, but the bronze pope who looks at Rive Gauche is not him, but the Pole John Paul II. Why is that? There are a lot of oddities in Paris... Next to the square there is a semi-underground Deportation Memorial, a monument to 200,000 Frenchmen sent to German concentration camps.
Written 15 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI934 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
We always stay within blocks of the Ile de la Cite while visiting Paris so have walked around and across it many times in the course of a single visit. Home to the Notre Dame cathedral, Saint Chapelle, and the Palais de Justice. Walk through the Place Dauphine. Visit the flower and bird markets. Enjoy some time in or around the Square du Vert Galant accessible via the Pont Neuf! Nice view of the sunset over the Seine from here! Easily could spend a whole day here...or see a site and return another day for more.
Written 1 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Herbert C
891 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Couples
One of the two islands sitting on the Seine River, the Ile de la Cite is the birthplace of Paris, and little wonder that you will be surrounded by many historic buildings and structures dotting the island - most notably the Notre Dame Cathedral, Ste-Chapelle, Conciergerie and the Pont Neuf bridge. Some of these buildings date back to 13th century. The best way to immerse yourself in such history is to stroll the island. Don’t forget to sit at the scenic point on the western tip of the island (Saule Pleureur de la Pointe) as you while your day away watching the Seine flow along both sides of you. C’est la vie!
Written 9 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stewy C
Brampton, Ontario, Canada86 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
The Île de la Cité looks spectacular from afar, and lots to see and do there ... Sainte-Chapelle, Concergerie, Palais de Justice, Notre-Dame de Paris, Archeological Museum. Quite nice to stroll around as well.
Written 6 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheShis
Tel Aviv, Israel39,612 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
This lovely island is the home to the famous (and not burnt) Notre Dame cathedral.
Other than that, the island on the Seine river is great for a 2-hour stroll.
Written 1 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mrt1955
Healdsburg, CA947 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Couples
Amazing to have Notre Dame and Saint-Chappele so near to each other...the downside now is Notre Dame is being repaired and you have to have an online purchase only ticket to get through the military guard lines around the Saint- Chappele
Plan ahead and you'll do just fine
Written 30 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Île de la Cité - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Île de la Cité