How to attend the reopening ceremonies of Notre-Dame de Paris?

Five years after the tragic fire of April 15, 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris reopens its doors. The weekend of celebrations begins on Saturday, December 7, with an official speech by Emmanuel Macron, followed by a liturgical ceremony inside the cathedral to mark its official reopening. The archbishop will strike the door with his crosier, accompanied by the singing of Psalm 121, to symbolize the cathedral's reawakening. The service continues with the "awakening of the great organ", a solemn blessing and the singing of the Te Deum.

In the evening, a grand concert on the cathedral square is on the program for this historic event. Clara Luciani, Vianney, Garou and DJ Michaël Canitrot await us on the cathedral square. Conductor Gustavo Dudamel, accompanied by the Maîtrise de Notre-Dame de Paris and the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, will add a majestic touch to this event, broadcast live on France Télévisions and Radio France from 9pm.

On Sunday December 8, the day of the Immaculate Conception, an inaugural mass at 10:30 a.m., celebrated by the Archbishop of Paris, will be the occasion for the consecration of the new main altar. The ceremony will be attended by 170 bishops and representatives of Paris parishes. The relics of five saints, including Saint Catherine Labouré and Saint Charles de Foucauld, will be sealed into the altar in a poignant ritual.

Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to attend the reopening ceremonies of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, scheduled for December 7 and 8. At a press conference on Monday December 2, Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez unveiled the security measures in place for this exceptional event.

"The public will be welcomed in five boxes from 3pm on Saturday December 7th. They will be located on the high quays of the left bank, with a number of access points and a total capacity of 40,000 people", explained Laurent Nuñez. He also advised those interested"to get there as early as possible" to avoid any inconvenience caused by the crowds.

A system of access bracelets, similar to that used for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will be set up to oversee the festivities. "There will be as many as possible, and as soon as they've all been distributed, people won't get in again, " Laurent Nuñez said.

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Immersive viewing for the public

From the five boxes set up on the upper quays of the Left Bank, spectators will be able to follow the ceremonies via giant screens and a high-quality sound system, installed by the Mairie de Paris. The screens will cover the Ile de la Cité, enabling the public to fully experience the highlights of the event, including official speeches, the awakening of the organ and performances by guest artists.

Patrick Bloche, first deputy mayor of Paris, encouraged participants to take precautions. "We won't be setting up vendors on site; I think they'll be out of the area. You'll probably need to hydrate before attending the ceremony," he said, noting that December's weather conditions will be milder than those of this summer.

For his part, Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector-archpriest of the cathedral, stressed the importance of the event. " We wanted to create a festive atmosphere around the cathedral," he said. He also announced theopening of bookings for the first tours from this Tuesday, December 3, offering the public a unique chance to rediscover this jewel of heritage.

"The booking system for Masses open to the public during the inaugural week (8-15 Dec) will be available on Tuesday morning, December 3. Reservations for easy access to the cathedral (for entry on Monday December 9 from 3:30pm) will open the day before, on Saturday December 7." reads the official website.

As well as marking a milestone in the recent history of Paris, the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris is an opportunity to rediscover an architectural and spiritual masterpiece in the heart of the capital. Don't miss this event, which promises to be as much a tribute as a celebration, whether on site or in front of your TV screens. For those of you who are traveling, please note that traffic restrictions are in place, with stations closed and lines disrupted, so plan ahead. So don't forget to use the Saint-Michel, Cité and Pont-Neuf stations, which will be closed on this occasion.

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