Notre-Dame Reopened 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Visiting and Local Tips

I’ve got you covered on how to avoid the lines and discover great spots nearby to enjoy the view.

The fire that ripped through Paris’s Notre-Dame on April 15, 2019, feels like a million years ago, right? A year before Covid. Now that feels like a BC timeline. As I stood there watching it burn for hours on April 12, 2019, seeing it get worked on these past six years has served as a reminder that miracles happen. No sure how the exterior and windows remain, because that red orange fire burned hard for hours, but I’m glad it did.

Here’s some images I took. Wow.

Notre-Dame is a Paris landmark known around the world, but it’s also a beloved local French icon. It is literally the zero point from which distance is measured in the country. And now, it’s back. Sadly, the lines are, too, lol. If you’re planning a trip, you can once again add it to your itinerary. Even better, there’s an online ticketing option so you won’t (necessarily) have to wait in line.

For the details, including some new changes around the area to check out, see below.

I’ll admit, it’s amazing to see it open again, but I was surprised by how strange and emotional it felt. It was my first view of Paris. It was the first place I stepped out to from the metro when I first came to Paris a decade ago. Bananas. And I was there when it burned, so there’s of course that, but to be in the space all new is really wow. To think we get to see it now all new, light-colored, beige, and clean, just like those who saw it constructed a thousand years ago experienced it? Awe-some.

Quick note on the magic of this moment: The reopening during Sagittarius season points to the miracle of it standing at all. Having stood along the packed quais for five-ish hours while the fire raged inside, to see anything standing from before is truly a miracle. Though why is happened and remains, what it serves is something I still ask myself and seek to understand. I also wonder why I was there when it happened, living just a few steps away. (We’re not going to talk about the lack of inquiry into the fire’s cause here, nor the choice to spend billions on this rebuild while people suffer.)

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Notre-Dame Visit: The Queue and How to Avoid It

Now, anytime the cathedral is open, you can go outside and get in line to wait for entry, and you can see it. You just may have a long, long wait. So just check the opening hours and head down.

However, one great thing the renovation has ushered in is an online system for entry. No waiting, my kumquats! Up to 15,000 tickets are available each day.

Now, they’re only available a day or two in advance, so you can’t get tickets for your summer trip just yet, but that’s actually a good thing. We all know how people bail on reservations (restaurant industry knows that big time), and with limited entry, it helps people plan and keep to their scheduled visits. For group visits, they say they’re working on an online system for that in the first few months of this year, so check the site for updates.

France gets a lot of bad rap for organization and such, but I gotta say, they do this kind of thing rather well, and I find the site easy. Many people I know have gotten tickets (especially with the clutch info below, lol), so it’s not an urban myth, lol.

How to Get Tickets: Go to the Notre-Dame website, and you will see a button for ticket reservations. Click on it. The site is in both English and French, so you got this, lol.
Clutch Tip: Tickets become available at midnight, so you know what to do.

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Notre-Dame Area

Since the fire, the area around the cathedral has actually improved a lot. A lot of people would come to the area to see it, and so many cafes and restaurants have sprung up and been improved. Now, you can enjoy a longer linger in the area more easily. You can grab a coffee or glass of wine facing Notre-Dame at more places, so you can reflect on your visit and the space itself. I never understood why the cafes lining the quai on the Left Bank specifically weren’t so nice, nor existed at all. That’s changed, and it makes your view of the Notre-Dame towers and the Paris Seine even more enjoyable.

My favorite places to eat and hang in Paris can be found in my Paris Guide by astrology sign, but if you’re by Notre-Dame, I suggest walking and finding a space that calls to you (which may be determined by who has seating, lol, but that’s fine). Between the Quai de Montebello and the Quai de la Tournelle, there are many places to try, many of course with food. They’re all great. (If you go to Subway, I can’t even.) You can grab inexpensive kebabs, paninis, and baguette sandwiches from nearby local shops, so don’t you dare. There is also, of course, the Île Saint-Louis to visit and enjoy, though that has a view of the back, which is heavily under renovation, so know that. It also offers amazing views, including of the Pantheon, so that works too.

• Café Panis: Has always been my favorite, still is (late night or first thing in the morning is the best).
• La Crème de Paris Notre-Dame: This is my favorite neighborhood redo, maximizing the view and making the space (and bites and coffee) a delight.
• Grab something from a local cheese shop or grocery store and sit along the quai nearby to enjoy the view. You can sit facing the ones named above or the Right Bank, which isn’t as close but offers an amazing view of the church, the city, and the waterway. Since the Olympics, more of the area along the water on the Left Bank quays has been cleaned up, so make your own snack spot and enjoy.

For your future Notre-Dame visits, there is a planned museum dedicated to Notre-Dame at the historic Hôtel-Dieu (Hotel of God), next to the cathedral’s square. The former hospitals opening is TBD (lol cuz France.) One item I will be excited to see, is the old coq that sat atop the church. It was badly burned in the fire but did survive. (The jokes write themselves lol but get serious!) It will be displayed there, among other items.

Visiting Notre-Dame in 2025 is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, offering both a glimpse into Paris’ rich history and a renewed sense of awe at the cathedral’s restoration. Whether you’re exploring the newly improved area around the cathedral, enjoying local cafés, or securing your tickets online, planning your visit thoughtfully will ensure you make the most of this iconic landmark. Don’t forget to check the official Notre-Dame website for the latest ticket updates and continue to explore the surrounding treasures of Paris. Your trip to Notre-Dame will be a memory you’ll cherish for years to come! And, be sure to tag us on Instagram @thediamondisyou with your finds — we’d love to see your Paris adventures!