While the cathedral is now reopened, its towers, which are subject to a fee and are managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, remain closed due to renovations. They should be accessible again from the summer of 2025, with a redesigned tour route.
To admire the famous gargoyles of Notre-Dame de Paris up close, enjoy an exceptional view of the spire and the Seine, or even get close to the bell towers and the new framework nicknamed the “forest”, you will have to wait a few more months, announces in particular Le Parisien.
Although the cathedral has been open to the public and the faithful again for free since December 8 (after five years of work), part of the building remains inaccessible: the north and south towers, which frame the west facade, remain closed due to work that should not be completed until the summer of 2025.
Unlike the rest of the cathedral, which is managed by At the Church, tours of the towers are administered by the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN), which has been responsible for tourism for decades.
Before the 2019 fire, these two towers welcomed more than 400,000 visitors per year, who paid 11 euros to discover, among other things, a spectacular view of the rooftops of Notre-Dame and Paris.
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“We are eager to make the towers accessible to the public. But for the moment, work remains to be completed, in particular the covering of the spire and developments in the belfry. We are also working, in partnership with the public institution, on a new tour route”, explains Cécile Rives, administrator of the towers for the CMN, quoted by The Parisian.
Future visitors will be able to discover several new features. Although the climb remains demanding—422 steps in a spiral staircase—it will be enhanced with new features: more intermediate landings to make the climb easier, as well as an introductory room for the visit, where models and recordings of the famous bourdons will provide a better understanding of the history of the cathedral and its construction.
Among the new attractions, there is also access to the framework of the belfry and a new staircase allowing visitors to get up close to the immense Marie and Emmanuel bells.
Visitors will also be able to cross the gallery between the two towers and, thanks to specially designed windows, take a look at the restored framework of the cathedral. “Of course, there will always be this spectacular view, at 69 meters high, on the spire and the city”, adds Cécile Rives.
Reopening planned for summer 2025
The towers are scheduled to reopen in summer 2025, according to our colleagues. “That's the goal”, says the manager, while specifying that the price should increase slightly, although the exact price has not yet been set. However, this reopening will not lead to an increase in the number of visitors. “The configuration of the premises imposes a maximum gauge, which limits the number of people we can accommodate”, she emphasizes.