Reopening of Notre-Dame de : you will have to wait until next summer to visit the towers of the cathedral

Reopening of Notre-Dame de : you will have to wait until next summer to visit the towers of the cathedral
Reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris: you will have to wait until next summer to visit the towers of the cathedral

While the cathedral is now reopened, its towers, access to which is paid and provided by the Center of National Monuments, remain closed due to work. They should be accessible again from summer 2025, with a redesigned tour route.

To admire the famous gargoyles of Notre-Dame de up close, enjoy an exceptional view of the spire and the Seine, or even get close to the bumblebees and the new framework nicknamed the “forest”, you will have to wait a few more month, announcement in particular The Parisian.

Although the cathedral has been open again free of charge to the public and the faithful since December 8 (after five years of work), part of the building remains inaccessible: the north and south towers, which frame the west facade, remain closed in due to work which should not be completed until summer 2025.

Unlike the rest of the cathedral, the management of which falls to the Church, visits to the towers are administered by the Center of National Monuments (CMN), which has been responsible for tourism for decades.

Before the 2019 fire, these two towers welcomed more than 400,000 visitors per year, who paid 11 euros to discover, among other things, a spectacular view of the roofs of Notre-Dame and Paris.

Work still in progress

“We look forward to making the towers accessible to the public. But for the moment, work remains to be finalized, in particular the covering of the spire and the fittings in the belfry. We are also working, in partnership with the public establishment, on a new tour route”explains Cécile Rives, tower administrator for the CMN, cited by The Parisian.

Future visitors will be able to discover several new features. Although the ascent remains demanding – 422 steps in a spiral staircase – it will be enhanced with new facilities: more intermediate landings to facilitate the ascent, as well as an introductory room for the visit, where models and Recordings of the famous drones will provide a better understanding of the history of the cathedral and its construction.

Among the new attractions, we also include access to the framework of the belfry and a new staircase allowing you to get up close to the immense Marie and Emmanuel bells.

Visitors will also be able to cross the gallery between the two towers and, through specially designed windows, take a look at the restored framework of the cathedral. “Obviously there will always be this spectacular view, 69 meters high, of the spire and the city”adds Cécile Rives.

Reopening planned for summer 2025

The reopening of the towers is planned for summer 2025, according to our colleagues. “That’s the goal.”says the manager, while specifying that the price should increase slightly, although the exact price has not yet been set. However, this reopening will not lead to an increase in the number of visitors. “The configuration of the premises imposes a maximum capacity, which limits the number of people we can accommodate”she emphasizes.

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