Notre-Dame cathedral reopens after 2019 fire: what to know

The highly-anticipated reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris is now a reality.

The 15th century landmark on the eastern half of Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine River, has been closed since 2019 after a fire tore through the building’s roof, causing significant structural damage.

Since then, the site has been walled off to visitors as crews have worked to restore the cathedral to its splendor.

But now, after years of hard work, Notre-Dame is ready to reopen its doors – in phases.

After an official ceremony scheduled for December 7, the first visits for the public will begin on the evening of December 8.

If you plan to visit the cathedral within its first week of opening, you’ll need to get a free ticket—and prepared to queue.

Individual visitors will be able to reserve a time slot the day before or the day of the visit (it will not be possible to reserve a time slot for the following week or the following month).

Bookings will be made via social networks, the Notre-Dame website and the mobile app from early December.

From February 1, Notre-Dame will open to “spiritual groups” of up to 10 people, says Atout France. From June 9, the access to be extended to cultural groups of up to 25 people (registration will begin in March 2025).

Admission to the cathedral will be free, except for the Treasury, which has a special status as a museum within the Cathedral. Worshippers wishing to attend mass will be able to enter the building without booking and subject to the number of places available

Reservations will not be compulsory to enter the Cathedral, but are strongly recommended in order to reduce waiting times.


Separate queues will be set up:

• Electronic queues for individuals
• Special queues for groups
 as well as different queues for different types of visitor (with or without a reservation, regular visitor or tourist, etc.).

The reopening also offers visitors an enhanced experience, including a modernized tour route and immersive activations.

40,000 people a day expected

Before the fire, Notre-Dame saw around 12 million visitors each year—a number expected to rise to 15 million post-reconstruction, according Olivier Josse, general secretary of Notre-Dame, addressing media last March at Rendez-Vous en France in Toulouse.

According to Atout France, the landmark expects to welcome up to 40,000 people a day, with a maximum capacity of 2,500 people at a time.

The daily attendance is almost double that of the Château de Versailles, which has ten times as much space, and a third more than that of the Louvre, which has twice as much space as Versailles.

“In five years, with remarkable tenacity and efficiency, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral has been beautifully restored inside,” said Josse. “Trust me, I have had the opportunity to visit. The walls are incredibly white, the décor is incredible.”

As seen in newly-shared images of the cathedral, the exterior remains a work in progress. But inside, the cathedral is bright and clean, without any sign of the devastating fire that left it in ruins.

Restoration will continue into the new year, and more celebrations will be held to honour the building’s 860-year history.

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