Notre Dame will welcome visitors and worshippers again over the Dec 7 to Dec 8 weekend, after a sometimes challenging restoration to return the imposing Paris cathedral to its former glory after it was badly damaged by fire on Apr 19, 2019.
World leaders are expected to attend but the guest list has yet to be revealed.
The French president is hoping the reopening of Notre Dame will be a major feather in his cap amid the current political deadlock following early parliamentary elections this summer.
“We were told many times at the beginning that it wouldn’t be possible, that it was crazy, that it was arbitrary, that we were going to do it wrong,” Macron said.
“But in the end,” he added, “you did it”.
Macron toured the key areas of the cathedral, including the nave, choir and chapel, and spoke to experts.
“Sublime,” said a visibly pleased Macron, who was accompanied by Paris’ archbishop Laurent Ulrich, the culture minister, the mayor of Paris and other officials.
“It is much more welcoming,” he added, praising Notre Dame’s pale-coloured stones and saying everyone involved in the reconstruction should “be proud”.
