We tested climbing the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris

We put on our sneakers, fearing we'd have trouble getting to the end of the 424 steps leading to the top of the South Tower… But the motivation was there: since April 15, 2019, no visitor had yet been able to climb to the top of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris. From September 20, every day from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. (except in the event of adverse weather conditions), access is now open to all, by reservation only. Why is it really worth it?

Notre-Dame's two towers, built in the Middle Ages and restored by Viollet-le-Duc, were spared the flames during the fire, even though many of the beams in the north tower's belfry were burnt out. The cathedral's restoration adventure provided an opportunity to carry out major work in both towers, notably to improve circulation. A 178-step double staircase in solid oak was created in the south tower.

It all begins at the very bottom of this tower: you begin the ascent of a hundred or so steps before stopping in the "lower room", where you can admire two models of the cathedral, one in three dimensions and the other in "écorché" to visualize the ascent. This is the strength of the new mediation system introduced for this reopening: at each level you can not only catch your breath, but also gather information about Notre-Dame. Some of the rooms are also equipped with sound ambiences, allowing visitors to get a feel for the restoration work underway.

Look out! The Emmanuel drone was installed at Notre-Dame in 1686. But this is the first time, thanks to this new tour, that we've been able to get so close to this masterpiece, which only rings on special occasions. At 13.3 tonnes, it is the second largest bell in France after the Savoyarde du Sacré-Cœur. Alongside it, the Marie drone, installed in 2013 to mark the cathedral's ^850th anniversary, weighs in at 6.2 tonnes.

A little further on, the tour takes us through the "cour des citernes", located between the towers. Three doors, left open, provide a view of the "forest", the cathedral's framework restored in solid oak according to medieval design. We look up and, just a few metres away, the gargoyles and chimeras, the fantastic bestiary that adorns the cathedral, are watching us!

The highlight of the show is the 360-degree panorama of the capital. The Sacré-Coeur Basilica, La Défense and the Tour Saint-Jacques are all visible in the distance, at a height of 69 metres! If you're not afraid of heights, take a look down at the tiny Parisians crossing the Pont Saint-Michel (^6th arrondissement)…