Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Paris

A Gothic cathedral built on the Île de la Cité, on the site of an ancient place of worship. Point Zero of French roads, set into the square in front of it, makes the cathedral the symbolic centre of the country's road network. Its side doors, wrought with ironwork of unusual delicacy for the 13th century, are tied to the legend of the locksmith Biscornet: overwhelmed by the scale of the task, he is said to have sold his soul to the devil to finish the work — and the doors, so the story goes, refused to open on the day of the inauguration, until sprinkled with holy water.

Getting there : Free entry (reopened in 2024 after restoration)

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound