Skip-the-line available Notre-Dame After the Fire: Restoration and Reopening
From the 2019 fire to the cathedral's reopening in 2024 and the towers in 2025 — what happened, what was saved, and what you see from the climb today.
The story of Notre-Dame's fire and rebirth gives the tower climb an extra layer of meaning. This guide sets out what happened in the 2019 fire, what was lost and what survived, how the restoration unfolded, and what the reopening of the cathedral in 2024 and the towers in 2025 means for visitors — including the unique view the climb now offers of the rebuilt spire.
The 2019 Fire
On 15 April 2019, a fire broke out beneath the roof of Notre-Dame and spread through the medieval timber framework known as 'the forest'. Over several hours it consumed the roof and brought down the 19th-century spire, in scenes watched live around the world. Firefighters fought to save the structure, and by the following morning the worst fears had not been realised: the building still stood.
The losses were grave — the spire, the roof and much of the timber — but crucial elements survived. The stone vaults largely held, protecting the interior from the collapsing roof; the two western towers, with their bells, were saved; and many treasures and artworks were rescued. That mixture of devastation and survival set the stage for one of the most closely watched restorations in modern history.
The Restoration and Reopening
In the years that followed, an international effort restored the cathedral, with a decision taken to rebuild the spire and roof faithfully to their pre-fire design. Craftspeople revived traditional techniques to recreate the timber framework and the spire, while the stonework was cleaned and consolidated and the interior restored to a brightness unseen for generations. The work drew donations and attention from around the world.
The cathedral reopened to worshippers and visitors in December 2024, its interior startlingly luminous after cleaning. The towers, requiring their own works and visitor arrangements, reopened for climbing in September 2025 with a reimagined route. Together the two reopenings marked the return of one of the world's most beloved buildings, and made climbing the towers once again possible for the first time in over six years.
What You See Today
For visitors climbing the towers now, the restoration is not an abstract story but something you look down on. From the top of the South Tower you see the rebuilt spire and the restored roof at close range, from an angle that was hidden behind scaffolding throughout the works — a vantage that makes the scale of the achievement tangible in a way no ground-level view can.
The climb itself, past the surviving grotesques and the great bell that came through the fire, connects you to the parts of the cathedral that endured, while the view sets them against the parts that have been reborn. For anyone who remembers the images of the burning spire, the experience of climbing the towers today — above a Notre-Dame brought back to life — is quietly powerful, and a large part of why the reopened climb has been so sought after.
Frequently asked
What was lost in the Notre-Dame fire?
The 2019 fire destroyed the 19th-century spire and the medieval timber roof. However, the stone vaults largely held, the two western towers and their bells survived, and many artworks and treasures were rescued.
When did Notre-Dame reopen?
The cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the restoration, with its interior cleaned to a striking brightness. The towers reopened for climbing in September 2025 with a reimagined visitor route.
Was the spire rebuilt the same?
Yes — the decision was taken to rebuild the spire and roof faithfully to their pre-fire design, using traditional techniques to recreate the timber framework and the spire that had come down in the fire.
Can I see the rebuilt spire from the towers?
Yes — one of the most striking parts of the climb is looking down onto the recreated spire and restored roof from the towers, an angle hidden from the public throughout the restoration.
Did the bells survive the fire?
Yes — the great bourdon bell 'Emmanuel' and the western towers survived the fire, and the bell is one of the highlights you pass on the climb.
Why is the reopened climb so popular?
Because the towers were closed for over six years, demand had built up enormously, and the climb now offers a unique close view of the restored cathedral and rebuilt spire — a moving experience that has made slots very scarce.