About Notre-Dame Cathedral
More than five years closed changes a city's relationship with its cathedral. Notre-Dame welcomed visitors again in December 2024, and the restoration became part of the visit: even the tower route has models and sounds that tell the story of the work. Outside, the surroundings are still a work site: the city is redoing the forecourt and the gardens, and the schedule runs to 2028.
The climb up the towers, reopened on September 20, 2025, is worth the effort. It is 424 steps to the top of the south tower, past a double oak staircase built during the restoration and gargoyles and chimeras seen at arm's length. Along the way sits the bourdon Emmanuel, a bell from 1686 that rings only on special occasions. Up top, Sacré-Cœur appears on the other side of the city.
