There are winter moments in Paris when the city feels like it’s holding its breath.
This December is one of them.
As readers of the 56Paris blog may have seen in our recent updates on the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral and its new landscaping project, one of Paris’s most beloved landmarks officially reopened on December 8, 2024. After the devastating fire of 2019, many visitors have already stepped back inside the cathedral to rediscover what it feels like—while others had long wondered what emotions that first return would bring.
The answer—especially during the Christmas season—is simple: emotional, triumphant, and unforgettable.
Notre-Dame has not only reopened; it is entering a new chapter, where centuries of history meet thoughtful contemporary design. Some of these changes are already visible to visitors today, while others will unfold over the coming years—offering a rare opportunity to witness one of the world’s great monuments in the midst of transformation.
Here is what to discover now, and what to look forward to in 2025 and beyond.
A Monument Reborn: A Quick Timeline
While the cathedral is fully open, key restoration phases continue:
* 2025 – Chevet and sacristy restoration
* 2026 – Installation of new stained-glass windows
* 2027 – Completion of the forecourt and landscaping redesign
As we noted in our article on Notre-Dame’s future surroundings, this redesigned plaza will reshape the visitor experience—adding greenery, improved circulation, and a renewed sense of place.
In other words: Notre-Dame is open, alive, and evolving. Few generations get to see such a transformation happen in real time.
What’s New Inside: Contemporary Craftsmanship in a Historic Icon
To restore elements lost during the fire, the Diocese of Paris and a national heritage committee selected a group of French artists and artisans. Their mission: create new liturgical elements that feel both timeless and respectful of the cathedral’s identity.
Guillaume Bardet’s Bronze Furnishings
In the heart of the nave, French designer Guillaume Bardet has created a new ensemble: the main altar, ambo, pulpit, tabernacle, and baptismal font.
Made of bronze—a material chosen for its sense of permanence—these pieces echo the cathedral’s long history while introducing gentle contemporary lines. The intention is simple: shapes that embrace the past while speaking to the present.
The result feels serene, grounded, and perfectly at home beneath the soaring Gothic vaults.
Guillaume Bardet's baptismal font and Notre Dame's new solid-oak chairs by Ionna Vautrin - The iconic exterior - Tapestry Polynésie la mer by Henri Matisse
A New Look for the Nave: 1,500 Oak Chairs
Another subtle but striking update: 1,500 new solid-oak chairs, designed by French designer Ionna Vautrin and crafted by traditional artisans using Burgundy oak.
Their low backs create a horizontal visual line that allows the vertical architecture to take center stage.
A small detail with a big architectural impact.
Each chair carries the story of many French craftspeople—foresters, sawyers, joiners, cabinetmakers—who contributed to Notre-Dame’s renewal. Sit in one, and you immediately feel the care with which it was made.
Nearby, Sylvain Dubuisson created a new carved cedar reliquary for the Crown of Thorns and other relics—another example of craftsmanship anchored in history.
Coming in 2026: A New Generation of Stained Glass
One of the most anticipated additions has not yet been installed. Beginning in 2026, the south aisle will welcome new stained-glass windows by French painter Claire Tabouret.
Replacing six 19th-century geometric windows by Viollet-le-Duc—now preserved in a museum—Tabouret’s work will explore the theme of Pentecost with bold, clear imagery designed to be accessible to visitors “from different cultures,” as she describes it.
Her collaboration with Atelier Simon-Marq, a historic glassmaking studio founded in 1640, ensures continuity with France’s long tradition of stained-glass craftsmanship.
Want a preview?
Tabouret’s sketches and full-scale models are on display at the Grand Palais, in D’un seul souffle (“In One Breath”), from December 10 to March 15, 2026. A perfect way to glimpse Notre-Dame’s future before it appears in the cathedral itself.
Christmas at Notre-Dame: What You Need to Know
If you’re planning to attend Christmas Mass, here is the schedule for December 24–25, 2025:
December 24 – Christmas Eve
* 4:00 pm – Mass
* 6:00 pm – Mass (broadcast on KTO)
* 8:00 pm – Mass
* 11:00 pm – Christmas Vigils with the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris
* Midnight – Midnight Mass
December 25 – Christmas Day
* 8:30 am – Mass
* 9:30 am – Laudes
* 10:00 am – Gregorian Mass (Latin)
* 11:30 am – Mass
* 5:15 pm – Vespers
* 6:00 pm – Diocesan Mass (broadcast on KTO)
Practical tip: No reservation required. Arrive at least 30 minutes early and use the cathedral’s central entrance.
A Moment in Paris You Don’t Want to Miss
After years of anticipation, Parisians and visitors are rediscovering Notre-Dame with fresh eyes. The familiar beauty is still there—but with a renewed sense of hope and forward momentum, perfectly in tune with the spirit of Christmas and the new year.
This is not just a reopening. It’s a conversation between past and future, unfolding before us.
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