From Saturday, visitors can once again climb more than 400 steps to the top of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris, which have been fully restored after the fire that ravaged the cathedral in 2019. With visitor numbers limited, tickets for the opening weekend sold out in less than half an hour.
While the body of Notre-Dame cathedral reopened to the public in December 2024, the iconic twin towers of Notre-Dame cathedral have been closed since the devastating fire of 15 April 2019.
Flames destroyed much of the belfry of the north tower, and while the south tower was somewhat spared, its rotting beams needed to be replaced anyway.
The cathedral's eight giant bells were removed and sent for inspection at a foundry in the Manche region in the north of France.
The restoration of the Gothic towers mobilised more than 2,000 workers and a large number of companies across the country.
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'Inspiring experience'
After more than five years of painstaking work, the towers were inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday morning.
They reopened to the public on Saturday, coinciding with the annual European Heritage Days – a continent-wide event that sees historic monuments, companies and workshops open their doors to the public.
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The Notre-Dame towers visit has been completely reorganised to make it "an inspiring experience", according to Marie Lavandier, president of the National Centre for Historic Monuments (CMN).
The tour, which lasts approximately 45 minutes, begins at the south tower with an ascent of 424 steps to the belfry, previously hidden behind a large double-spiral staircase made of solid oak.
Visitors then reach the terraces, at a height of 69 metres, to discover stunning 360-degree views of Paris.
Emmanuel, the bell
In the belfry visitors can see the cathedral's two main bells – including one named "Emmanuel" and weighing over 13 tonnes – which ring only for major events.
The tour then passes through the Cistern Courtyard, which separates the two towers and offers a glimpse of the "forest", the wooden framework that underpins the cathedral's lead roof and was devastated by the flames. The descent is via the north tower.
New equipment has been installed to facilitate visits and enhance safety, particularly for fire protection, CMN said.
The work on the towers was funded as part of the second phase of the restoration project, at a cost of €552 million, according to France's court of financial auditors.
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Visitor numbers capped
Access to the towers has been limited to a capacity of 400,000 visitors per year, a relatively small amount compared to the approximately 30,000 who people enter the Gothic building each day for free.
Tickets to the towers costs €16 and must be purchased online. A maximum of 19 people can enter at a time.
Tickets for both days of the opening weekend sold out in 24 minutes, according to the CMN.
Since Notre-Dame de Paris reopened on 7 and 8 December last year, it has recorded more than eight million visitors, becoming "the most visited monument in France", according to the president's office.
More work to come
The project to rebuild Notre-Dame cost around €700 million in total, financed by donations.
While the opening of the towers marks the final major stage in the reconstruction process, there is still more work to be done. The apse at the eastern end of the cathedral is the next part to be renovated.
"The work we have undertaken includes repairs that the cathedral needed, which are not related to the fire and which will take us into the post-reopening period," said Philippe Jost, who is overseeing the reconstruction project.
"Our ambition now is to complete a full restoration of the cathedral, addressing everything that will enable it to look its best."
(with AFP)
