On April 15, 2019, the world watched in despair as raging flames engulfed the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral, destroying its wooden roof and spire and damaging much of the exterior and interior of the building.
Flames consumed the roof of Notre-Dame Cathedral in April 2019.
Before the debris was even cleared away, the French government commenced an ambitious five-year restoration plan. With the aid of 2,000 international workers, architects, artists, archaeologists, and other specialist craftspeople, the “people’s cathedral” was lovingly and painstakingly rebuilt and returned to its former glory.
Recently, Odysseys employee Shelby M. traveled to Paris to visit the newly restored Notre-Dame – and returned with some stunning photos of the sparkling interior. Soot-blackened stone has been scrubbed clean, the chapels sport brand-new coats of paint, and the stained-glass windows shine brighter than ever.
Notre-Dame’s famed north rose window, featuring rainbow light cast by stained glass on the sparkling white stone.
According to Shelby, stepping into the cathedral today is like traveling back in time:
“I’ve always been fascinated by cathedrals and their roles in medieval European society, so when I learned Notre-Dame was reopening in December 2024 following the 2019 fire, I knew I had to add it to my itinerary for my upcoming trip to Paris, France,” Shelby said when asked to describe her visit to Notre-Dame.
View of the nave of Notre-Dame Cathedral upon entering through the west portal.
Notre-Dame’s south rose window.
“Many people seek the feeling of ‘stepping back in time’ when visiting historic sites, but I didn’t even have to try to imagine myself as a parishioner from the Middle Ages as I entered Notre-Dame’s west portal. After five years of rebuilding and restoration, the cathedral looks more like it did in the 14th century than it ever will again.”
The chapels offer a glimpse into what the cathedral might have looked like in the Middle Ages, when much of the cathedral was painted in vivid colors.
One of Notre-Dame’s chapels, housing Mausoleum of Cardina de Belloy (Louis-Pierre Deseine, 1805).
“The only missing element is the color that once brought the architecture and statuary to life – though the chapels offer a glimpse of the building’s original hues. It’s one of the many things my camera didn’t do justice: the deep blue of the chapels’ vaulted, star-spangled ceilings; the contrast of ornately patterned walls behind white sculptures; the dappled rainbows cast by stained-glass windows upon the stark white stone; and the warm glow of crystal chandeliers, emulating lighting once provided solely by candle-flame.”
Stained glass makes up almost 1,100 square feet of Notre-Dame’s surface.
Architectural details of the interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
To learn more about the history of Notre-Dame Cathedral, read our blog post: History Dive: Notre-Dame Cathedral, “Our Lady of Paris.” And if you’d like to visit Notre-Dame yourself, we encourage you to join us on one of our three tours that visit Paris (choose the optional post-tour extension to Paris for even more free time in this historic city): Provincial French Countryside, Essential France: Provence to Paris, and European Tapestry.
Share your great adventures with us on social media. Tag your pictures with #myodyssey and they may be featured on our website!
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