Notre Dame Set to Reopen to the Public in One Year Following Destructive Fire

The 2019 fire at Notre Dame Cathedral left those who worked there feeling lost, but with its reopening approaching, they are eagerly anticipating their return to what they consider their home. The restoration of this iconic Parisian landmark reaches a crucial point on Friday, marking one year until it welcomes the public again on December 8, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit the site, where a team of stonemasons, carpenters, and other craftsmen are diligently working to meet the deadline.

Once their work is complete, the cathedral’s priests, staff, choir members, and congregants will revive it with prayers, songs, and devotion, replacing the sorrow of the April 15, 2019, fire with a new spirit of celebration. Reverend Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, Notre Dame’s rector, acknowledges that while the cathedral might not be the largest or most beautiful, it embodies the soul of a nation.

Henri Chalet, the main choir conductor, is filled with anticipation at the thought of returning. Despite realizing that the cathedral’s closure is just a brief moment in its long history, he feels the wait of five years is substantial. He and others are eager to return to their routines of services and concerts.

Significant progress has been made in reconstruction, with medieval carpentry techniques being used to erect huge oak beams and rebuild the spire. When Macron visits, a tribute will be carved in the wood of the spire in honor of the late Jean-Louis Georgelin, who led the restoration.

By the time of the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024, the exterior of Notre Dame, including its spire and roof, should appear complete. However, interior work, including tuning the grand organ, will continue even after reopening.

The cathedral’s staff, reduced to seven during the closure, will be expanded back to nearly 50 to accommodate the expected influx of 15 million annual visitors and worshippers. Chorist Adrielle Domerg, who has been part of Notre Dame’s choirs since she was 10, regards the cathedral as almost a person. For her and many others, returning to sing there will be a deeply emotional experience, symbolizing the cathedral’s awakening from the shadows.