The Archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité, located on the Parvis Notre-Dame, offers a unique panorama of the evolution of the historic heart of Paris.

Under the forecourt of Notre Dame

Hidden from view, accessible by a discreet entrance and a modest staircase, the Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité slumbers under the forecourt of Notre-Dame, where it conceals treasures that are probably unaware of many tourists absorbed by the facade. of the cathedral. A few feet underground, you can nevertheless admire the remains discovered during excavations carried out from 1965 to 1970, which offer a unique panorama of the urban and architectural evolution of the Island, the historic heart of Paris.

The largest archaeological crypt in Europe

The archaeological crypt of the Ile de la Cité is the largest archaeological crypt in Europe and offers a unique vision of the urban and architectural evolution of the Ile de la Cité. The visitor discovers the foundations and the vestiges of buildings built from the Gallo-Roman era until the 18th century. Slideshows, models, guided tours for adults and children enhance the visit. By discovering the buildings that have succeeded one another on the site, from Antiquity to the 20th century, the visitor goes back in time. Quay of the port of ancient Lutèce, Gallo-Roman public baths, enclosure wall from the beginning of the 4th century, basement of the old chapel of the Hôtel-Dieu, medieval remains of the rue Neuve Notre- Dame, foundations of the Foundling Hospice, Haussmannian sewer lines: the past, ancient, medieval and classical, lives again. Reviving the memory of one of the oldest Parisian districts, the Crypt shows how the city, for more than two thousand years, has never stopped rebuilding itself.