PARIS, France — The world caught its first glimpse of the resplendent restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral on Friday, November 29, 2024, as French President Emmanuel Macron, joined by First Lady Brigitte Macron and Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich, led a televised tour of the Gothic masterpiece.
The event marks the culmination of a €700 million renovation five-and-a-half years after the devastating fire that engulfed the iconic Paris landmark.
The ceremony is part of a weeklong programme celebrating the cathedral’s revival, culminating in an official re-opening on 7 December and its first Catholic Mass since the fire the following day.
Macron’s visit highlighted the extensive work undertaken to save and transform the 850-year-old structure, which many feared might never recover.
A Cathedral Reborn
During the tour, Macron addressed an audience of 1,300 artisans, engineers, and restorers gathered in the cathedral’s nave, thanking them for their dedication.
“What people will see [in the new Notre-Dame] is the splendour and the strength of collective will-power – à la française,” an Élysée Palace official said.
The renovated interior has been shrouded in secrecy, with only limited images released during the years of restoration.
Insiders describe the cathedral as awe-inspiring, with a newfound brightness and clarity that starkly contrasts the dimness of its pre-fire state.
“The splendour of the cut stone is immaculate, whiter than it has been for centuries,” said a source close to the project.
The fire on 15 April 2019 shocked the world as flames consumed Notre-Dame’s wooden roof beams, known as “the forest,” and sent the 19th-century spire designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc crashing to the ground.
The blaze damaged the stone vaulting in the nave and transept, but firefighters managed to save the cathedral’s structure, stained-glass windows, and numerous artworks, including the Crown of Thorns relic.
From Devastation to Restoration
The restoration effort, launched by Macron within days of the fire, mobilised an unprecedented €846 million in donations from global benefactors, ranging from corporations to individual contributors.
Over 2,000 craftspeople worked on the project, reviving traditional trades such as stone-carving and wood restoration.
Jean-Louis Georgelin, the army general initially tasked with overseeing the restoration, was widely credited for its progress before his untimely death in 2023.
His successor, Philippe Jost, continued the work with equal determination.
The renovation’s success has been hailed as a showcase of French craftsmanship.
“The Notre-Dame project has been the equivalent of a World Fair, demonstrating our mastery of traditional building techniques,” said Pascal Payen-Appenzeller, a proponent of heritage arts.
Early debates over whether to modernise elements of the cathedral were decisively settled in favour of faithful restoration.
Proposals such as a glass roof or a laser-topped spire were rejected in favour of preserving the original Gothic design, albeit with modern safety enhancements like sprinklers and fireproof partitioning.
A Point of Pride for Macron
Macron has closely associated himself with Notre-Dame’s restoration, making it a personal project and a symbol of national resilience.
Friday’s tour, which preceded the official re-opening, has drawn criticism from some who accuse the president of stealing the limelight.
Nevertheless, Macron’s supporters argue that his swift action in 2019 was pivotal in meeting the ambitious five-year timeline.
“Without the president’s rapid mobilisation, this work would not have been completed so quickly,” an Élysée official stated.
As Macron’s political standing faces challenges, the successful restoration of Notre-Dame offers a rare moment of national pride and unity.
For many, the cathedral’s revival is not only a testament to French artistry but also a symbol of resilience and determination.
Next week, when the doors of Notre-Dame officially open to the public, visitors will witness a cathedral reborn—a triumph of collective effort and an enduring icon of France’s cultural heritage.
