The time has finally come. I can now count on one hand how many days we are once again standing under the stone transept of the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris.
We watched in disbelief two thousand and sixty days ago as the spire was engulfed in flames. We gasped as it fell into the church, thinking the rooster with Sainte Genevieve and Saint-Denis relics would be lost forever. We feared Our Lady would be no more when the fire ate through theed to the towers forest and head.
On April 16, 2019, we woke up to see Notre Dame standing tall, a little banged up but still standing. Although the fire was tragic, some good things came from it. The fire allowed for the first cleaning of the church in 160 years! In some spots, there were inches of dirt, dust, candle soot, incense residue, and lead dust that dulled the windows and statues. The upside was that it protected the paint, glass, and wood, and many of the spots just needed a cleaning instead of a complete restoration that was first seen in all its glory last week.
Five years and almost eight months is a long time. We lived through a global pandemic that halted the world, which feels unbelievable in retrospect. I was diagnosed with cancer and lost my most important person. I also packed up my entire life and moved to another country. It is incredible to think of all the things we have endured over the last five years.
And through it all, Notre Dame de Paris has stood, and with the love of over 2000 craftsmen and women, she has weathered her renaissance. Her roof and spire have once again risen from the ashes, and her familiar silhouette has returned.
Notre Dame transcends classification and religion and means something different to everyone. First and foremost, Notre Dame is a Cathedral and a place of worship. However, she is also a monument and even a museum, but to some people like head architect Philippe Villeneuve, it was a place he remembers going to as a child, and today, he has given every moment of the last eleven years to returning her to glory.
She is a family touchstone going back to the turn of the 20th century like no other place in Paris. My great-aunts came in 1902, purchased a gargoyle at the church, and wrote how overcome they were by the beautiful light inside the cathedral.
My grandparents always visited every trip and even walked up the tower to get photos of the city and gargoyles protecting the church. Every day, I sit at my desk and look at the photo of my grandfather in front of the church. It is a rare moment when he steps in front of the camera, next to a picture of my grandmother on top of the South Tower, who looked chic as always. They also picked up a gargoyle on that first trip, just like his aunts. I now have both of them and treasure each one.
Today, I live in Paris and walk down to check in on my girl, and spend countless hours pouring over every bit of information I can find on the restoration and history of the Cathedral, always with them next to me and in my thoughts.
Over the last five years, I have heard countless stories from all of you about the cathedral. Notre Dame de Paris doesn’t just belong to Paris or France; it belongs to the world. On this opening weekend, everyone who holds a special bond with her can again celebrate, even if those who feel a very special connection can’t make it to Paris.
If you are coming to Paris the next year, a visit to Notre Dame should be at the top of the list. There is so much information out there, some of which isn’t exactly accurate and quite confusing.
To ease the entry process for what is to be 40,000 people a day. That is 10,000 more per day than the Louvre allows, and the Louvre has 9 miles of galleries.
A free timed ticket can be booked one day in advance to help the traffic flow, but it is NOT the only way to visit. You can also line up each day during the opening hours. The wait may be long, but it will be worth it.
Beginning Monday, December 9, the cathedral will open each afternoon from 3:30 to 10 p.m. for the opening week, with a special themed mass at 6:30 p.m. each day. This schedule will run through Friday, December 13th.
On December 3, tickets for the evening masses went on sale and sold out in less than an hour. However, fear not: More tickets will be available for the hours outside of mass (3:30 to 5 pm and then after mass to closing).
Here is the MOST IMPORTANT part. So you know, tickets will only be available one day in advance, and this is going forward. If you are coming in January, April, June, etc., you can do nothing now.
On Saturday, December 7, the tickets for the 3:30 pm on Monday, December 9, will open online. What time on Saturday is anyone's guess but be ready at www.NotreDamedeParis.fr to grab them.
Tickets will also be monitored in real-time, so tickets can be obtained on the same day. After the first few weeks, they will also know more about traffic flow. Before the fire, the average time spent inside was 20 minutes; they believe that will double to 45 minutes per person. Wait until they see me there for five hours straight every day.
On December 14 & 15, the hours will be 3:30 pm to 8 pm each day.
On December 16 and in the future, the Cathedral will return to its daily formal hours of 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. Set your alarm and get there early; you won’t regret it.
