“Our thirst is great to welcome the whole world back under the vaults of the cathedral“. The impatience is palpable for Mgr Laurent Ulrich, the Archbishop of Paris. A record attendance of 40,000 people per day is expected from the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on December 7 and 8, he indicated during a press conference of the Diocese of Paris this Wednesday. Entrance will remain free but it is strongly recommended to reserve your visit slot.
The diocese presented the program of festivities planned for the reopening, more than five years after the fire. Eight days will be devoted to this moment of celebration and sharingto welcome the faithful and the curious, with extended visiting hours until 10 p.m. (except on weekends, it will be 8 p.m.). The reopening ceremonies will begin on December 7, including a speech byEmmanuel Macron on the cathedral square at 5:30 p.m. Many foreign heads of state will make the trip but not Pope Francis, who will be absent, as announced last September.
Another highlight of this day of December 7: when the archbishop will tap with his crozier on the doors of the building damaged by the flames in April 2019. Once these are officially opened, it will be the turn of the organ to resonate again after five years of silence. On Saturday evening, a major program, broadcast by France Télévisonswill be offered from the forecourt of Notre Dame with artists from all over the world.
The first mass will be held the next day, Sunday December 8 at 10:30 a.m., also broadcast on television. The public will be welcomed from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. but you will need to book online to be sure of being able to enter inside. The return of concerts is planned for December 17 and 18 then every Tuesday evening for an exceptional musical season of 50 concerts.
An online reservation system will be set up
A total of 15 million visitors are expected each year, the diocese said. To cope with this crowd, it will now be recommended to reserve a visit slot on the cathedral's website, including on the same day, as well as on the mobile application which will be unveiled at the end of the month. But a queue without reservation will be preserved.
Other important information announced, the building will remain free. The Minister of Culture, Rachida Datahad put forward the idea of charging 5 euros for tourists wishing to visit Notre-Dame de Paris
