When I left for Germany in August 2025 for a planned three-week stay, little did I know that I would be gone for nearly four months. Many of you will have experienced the pain and sadness that result from facing the mental and physical decline of an aging parent, and the turmoil associated with having to make big life decisions for them. I could not have made it through those months without the moral and practical support of many family and friends, for which I continue to be deeply grateful (thank you—you know who you are).

During that somber stretch, the opportunity for a short break presented itself, thanks to my best friend from high school. When she returned to France after visiting family in Germany, she took me with her. I always treasure the time I get to spend with her and her husband at their idyllic rural Burgundy home that is surrounded by an enchanted and enchanting garden (merci encore, Heike et Pascal!).

And ever since another friend had traveled to Paris and enthralled me with her impressions of Notre-Dame de Paris, I longed to see the recently resurrected cathedral with my own eyes (merci, Isabelle!).

I’m happy to report that it happened—not only once, but twice. In late September 2025, Heike and I took a two-plus-hour train ride from Sens to Paris on a Sunday to explore the church and join other flaneurs on the streets of the French capital, and in early October, the day I returned to Germany by train via Paris, I deposited my luggage at the Gare de L’Est (whence all trains for Germany depart) and did the same by myself before my evening departure.

As a lover of everything Paris, I vividly remember the shocking television images showing Notre-Dame in flames in April 2019. Like many observers, I was skeptical about Président Emmanuel Macron’s declaration to rebuild it in 5 years but was happy to be proven wrong—owing to the concerted efforts of the French government, the French people, legions of talented artisans, and the generosity of donors from 150 different countries, who gave at least 846 million Euros. One can argue the advisability of spending money—so much money—on restoring a medieval building, but this cathedral is as iconic a Parisian and French landmark as La Tour Eiffel and Sacré-Coeur de Paris on Montmartre. Paris without it, or with only a shell of itself, seemed unthinkable.

The original rooster that used to top the spire of the cathedral, which collapsed during the fire. The sculpture melted and lost its gilding and has since been replaced with a new golden rooster.

So it came to pass that the heavy doors of Notre-Dame reopened with a ceremony to select invitees on December 7, 2024, and to the public on the following day. Even though most major projects had been completed by then, some restorations were ongoing during my visits and continue to this day. As I learned from informational signs detailing the work:

• 2,000 oaks were used to rebuild the wooden framework
• 2,000 statues or decorative features were restored or remade
• 100 meters was the height of the scaffolding installed to rebuild the spire
• 1,000 m³ of stone were used to rebuild the walls and vaults
• 4,000 m² of lead were used to rebuild the roof
• 41,000 m² of stones were cleaned

A monumental effort to restore one of France’s most recognizable monuments!

Even if you have never visited, you might remember the church’s central role in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The movie has possibly had more viewers than Victor Hugo’s famous 1831 novel, Notre-Dame de Paris, has had readers. Nonetheless, the popularity of the novel in the early nineteenth century spawned efforts to preserve and restore the church after it had suffered serious damage during and after the French Revolution, as well as from the tooth of time.

If you have visited Notre-Dame in the past, you might recall that the exterior and interior walls of the cathedral used to be very dark, thanks to centuries of accumulated grime, dust, soot, and other pollution.

The most striking aspect of the “new” cathedral is the color of its stone. Whether you call it blonde, beige, cream, or something else, the luminosity of the structure is one of the most conspicuous features in my memory. In addition to how clean and shiny are all the surfaces, be they stone, stained-glass windows, paintings, or sculptures, a new floor and light wooden chairs also contribute to the very bright appearance of this venerable edifice whose origins date back to the 12^th century and the French Gothic period that also saw the construction of the famous cathedrals of Reims and Chartres.

The architectural grace inherent in the Gothic style, in combination with the brightness brought about by recent renovations, were heightened by the pleasing interplay of rays of sunlight with stained-glass windows. As I was captivated by the prismatic performance of photons, the artistic accomplishments of countless capable craftspeople, and the uplifting notes emerging from the restored pipe organ, I was also struck by rays of hope.

When people put their heads together and collaborate for a greater good, we can accomplish great things, creating beauty in the process. In my mind, the restoration of Notre-Dame represents something good and inspiring, and I felt a similar sense of awe and admiration in many of my fellow visitors.

PS: I took hundreds of photos but am showing only a small selection. In the interest of “brevity” (feel free to chuckle with me), I’m also limiting my narrative. If you would like to learn more, online accounts and images about this cathedral, its history, the fire, and the reconstruction abound.