If you find yourself in Paris this winter, don’t miss a significant, if not historic, event. According to the Official Tourism Board of France website, “five years after the fire on April 15, 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral will reopen to the public in December 2024.”
The date for this upcoming event was recently confirmed by the Notre-Dame de Paris website: “The cathedral’s teams are mobilized to make the ceremonies for the reopening of Notre-Dame on December 7 and 8 moments of joy, peace, and fraternity in which as many people as possible can take part.”
Looking back at the shocking footage of the devastating fire in spring 2019, which was broadcast live to the entire world as it destroyed one of the main symbols of Parisian architecture and French literature, many thought that if Notre-Dame de Paris were to be restored, it would take many years or even decades. However, the reconstruction process has been surprisingly swift: “Five years after the disaster, and thanks to the expertise of several hundred passionate craftsmen and architects, the building has been reborn and is preparing to welcome the public back,” states the Tourism Board’s website.
Earlier this spring, this resource reported that by summer, Parisians and visitors would have the opportunity to admire Viollet-le-Duc’s iconic spire, the reconstruction of which was completed in February. The final restoration of the roofs of the nave and choir was also anticipated. As of the publication date, work inside the cathedral continued, focusing on cleaning the walls, stained glass windows, and vaults, as well as restoring the organ with its 8,000 pipes and the black-and-white checkered floors.
For those interested in all the details of the famous cathedral’s restoration, including the dates of completed work and the timeline for remaining tasks, we recommend visiting the special page on the Paris je t’aime website.
As promised by the cathedral staff, details of the ceremonies and how to access the cathedral will be posted on the Notre-Dame website in mid-November. A system offering free access with designated time slots will be available on the website a few days prior to the cathedral’s reopening. As of today, “the online time slot reservation system for free access to the cathedral will be available around December 1.”
Notably, in preparation for the cathedral’s reopening, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati proposed introducing a €5 entrance fee to contribute to a fund aimed at protecting the country’s historical churches and monuments.
The church’s reaction to this proposal was swift: “The Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral wishes to reaffirm the unchanged position of the Catholic Church in France regarding free access to churches and cathedrals,” stated a press release published on the cathedral’s website. “The principle of free access to cathedrals and churches is grounded in both the provisions of the 1905 law separating Church and State and in the fundamental mission of churches: to welcome every man and woman unconditionally, and therefore necessarily free of charge, regardless of their religion or belief, opinions, or financial means.”
As church representatives emphasize, at Notre-Dame, pilgrims and visitors have never been separated: services are held during visiting hours, and visits continue during services. A strong argument in this ongoing debate with the high-ranking official was: “Notre-Dame de Paris also remembers that among the same visitors who are now proposed to be charged, many have already shown their unwavering attachment to Notre-Dame by fully funding the historic restoration project of the building.” Poor Madam Minister…
It is worth noting that Notre-Dame Cathedral is expected to welcome between 12 and 15 million visitors a year once it reopens, compared to 10 to 12 million before the fire. So, it makes sense to consider the entrance tickets, even if they are free, in advance.
