The crowd heads towards Notre-Dame Cathedral before the opening ceremony

Although the Notre-Dame site itself is closed to the public, swarms have been seen heading towards the cathedral to attend the grand reopening ceremony which is due to begin at 7:00 p.m.

“On the banks of the Seine, up to 40,000 people will be able to attend the inauguration” of Notre-Dame, reported FRANCE 24 journalist Clovis Casali live from the scene.

The islet on which Notre-Dame stands, the Île de la Cité, is “completely cut off” from the rest of the city, he added.

Security will be increased throughout the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

Emmanuel Macron welcomes Donald Trump on his arrival at the Élysée

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed US President-elect Donald Trump to the Élysée in Paris on Saturday for talks, ahead of a ceremony marking the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by fire.

“It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now,” Trump said.

Macron called his guest’s arrival a “great honor.”

President Emmanuel Macron welcomes US President-elect Donald Trump before a meeting at the Elysée in Paris on December 7, 2024. © Julien de Rosa, AFP

Macron is to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after Trump. It is unclear whether Trump and Zelensky will meet.

Provisional schedule for the Notre-Dame reopening ceremony

6:15 p.m. – French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron will arrive in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

6:20 p.m. – Macron will host heads of state from around the world, including US President-elect Donald Trump.

7:00 p.m. – The Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, will symbolically reopen the large wooden doors of Notre-Dame by knocking three times, marking the start of the two-hour ceremony.

7:15 p.m. – A documentary film on the reconstruction of the cathedral will be shown, followed by a tribute to all those who contributed to its rebirth as well as to the firefighters who tried to minimize the damage on April 15, 2019. A musical performance by Renaud and Gautier Capucon will mark the end of this part of the ceremony.

7:30 p.m. – Macron will give a short speech.

7:45 p.m. – A reopening mass will take place, including a procession of the baptistery and a revival of the grand organ.

8:40 p.m. – The ceremony will end and Macron, as well as all the other heads of state, will exit.

Notre Dame awaits the arrival of Donald Trump

French journalist Christian Chesnot, who works for National Public Radio, posted a photo on X des chairs with the names of the VIP guests who will attend tonight’s ceremony.

Macron will meet Trump and Zelensky on the reopening of Notre-Dame backstage

With US President-elect Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and dozens of other world leaders present Saturday for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, President Emmanuel Macron succeeded in making Paris the capital of international diplomacy of day. Details by Morgan Ayre.

Elon Musk expected in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame, according to an airport source

Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and one of Donald Trump’s closest allies, is expected in Paris on Saturday ahead of the reopening ceremony of Notre-Dame Cathedral, an airport source told AFP.

Musk is expected to land around 3:20 p.m. local time at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, frequently used by private jets, said the source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to fly. express publicly.

Surprising archaeological treasures discovered during the restoration of Notre-Dame

The iconic 860-year-old Notre-Dame de France Cathedral officially reopens its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed it in 2019. During the restoration process, a number of surprising discoveries were made. Reporting by Luke Shrago and Melina Huet.

What is the architectural significance of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral?

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen, five years after a devastating fire. The 860-year-old medieval building has been meticulously restored, with a new spire and ribbed vault, its carved stone flying buttresses and gargoyles restored to their former glory and white stone and gold decorations shine more than ever.

FRANCE 24’s William Hilderbrandt interviews Laura O’Brien, lecturer in modern European history at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, about the architectural significance of the cathedral.

How the masonry of Notre-Dame was restored

Claire Paccalin from FRANCE 24 interviews Clara Baier, site manager of the stone restoration team.

Ukrainian President Zelensky arrives in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame

A security source said Zelensky arrived around noon at Charles de Gaulle airport. A source within the Ukrainian delegation confirmed Zelensky’s arrival to AFP, specifying that the president would stay until Saturday evening, but would not comment on the possibility of a meeting with Trump.

The source added that Zelensky would also meet French President Emmanuel Macron.

The cathedral will welcome some 15 million visitors per year

The Catholic Church now expects the cathedral to welcome some 15 million visitors a year.

The cathedral says that from Saturday, people will be able to book a free ticket online, on its website, on social media or on a dedicated app, to visit the same day or one or two days after booking. There will also be a queue on site for those wishing to enter without a reservation.

It will be open to visitors on Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., but competition will be fierce and queues will be long.

Group visits will be allowed next year – from February 1 for religious groups or from June 9 for tourists accompanied by guides.