Visit Paris' Reinvigorated Notre Dame Cathedral, Open To The Public After A Devastating Fire

After an evening visit to the Eiffel Tower (which Rick Steves claims is the best time of day to take in views of the City of Light), the most iconic stop on any Paris itinerary might be a trip to Notre Dame. In 2019, an enormous fire burned through the historic cathedral. The roof caved in, the spire burned, and the damage to the centuries-old building seemed irreparable, but it wasn't. After an unprecedented restoration, Notre Dame reopened to the public in December 2024. Today, when you go to Notre Dame, you'll see the cathedral like it hasn't been seen in over 800 years — brand new.

Not only was the damage from the devastating fire repaired, but the entire space was also replenished. While it wasn't modernized with a glass roof and shimmering towers as some architects suggested, it's still almost unrecognizable. After over 860 years of aging, it has been restored to its original glory. The years of dirt and grime have been cleaned away, its colorful frescos have been revitalized, and the entire building has new lights so you can see Notre Dame at its gleaming best.

While Notre Dame's original construction took 170 years, it only took five years of reconstruction to reopen the cathedral's doors to visitors (although the complete refurbishment is set to be finished in 2026). About 1,200 French oak trees were felled to become the new roof, which is certainly the most obvious reconstruction. The over 300-foot tall spire and the grand organ have also been rebuilt and replaced, just as they were before. Recreating such an old and opulent space was certainly not a simple task. From cleaning the stained glass windows and mighty bells to doing construction on the ancient stone exterior, many different specialized artisans had to work together to restore Notre Dame.

Among the most challenging restorations was certainly the murals. The many paintings within the cathedral were damaged by the smoke, and cleaning it off without destroying the art beneath the grime required a specialist. The results are staggering. Instead of the muted, somewhat gloomy appearance the works used to have, they are now vibrant. Restorer Diana Castillo told CBS, "I'm sure many people will be shocked."

From trying to find the best times to visit the Eiffel Tower to avoid crowds to searching for the secret entrance to The Louvre Rick Steves recommends so you don't have to wait in line, the perfect Paris itinerary requires a lot of planning to see the most visited city on the planet. Notre Dame is no different. Going inside the cathedral is still free, but it's best to book your reservation ahead of time. Visitors can choose their time slot a few days in advance through the Notre Dame de Paris app or on the website. Walk-ins are allowed, but you should expect to be waiting in line for hours.

Scaffolding remains on the outside of the cathedral until the entire renovation is completed, but if you simply want photos of the exterior, consider visiting the Square René Viviani. With a view of both the Seine and Notre Dame, this park is remarkably quiet when compared with the cathedral. Best of all, while you're there, you can see evidence of a previous renovation of Notre Dame — some stone carvings that were once part of the cathedral but were replaced in the 1800s.