Notre Dame: Tourists still are welcome
The Notre Dame Cathedral survived a devastating fire this week − but the impact on tourism to the church, and Paris itself, remains to be seen.
The cathedral’s iconic twin bell towers are still visibly intact. The 18thcentury organ that boasts 8,000 pipes also appears to have survived, along with other treasures inside the structure, officials said. Still, the blaze collapsed the cathedral’s spire and spread to one of its rectangular towers in a spectacle watched by throngs of spectators Monday.
So what happens now, and what do travelers need to know? While we’re in a period of wait-and-see, tourists can pay their respects to the cathedral nearby, seek refunds from tour companies on pending trips and still see what else Paris has to offer.
Europe’s most-visited monument
Notre Dame carries the title of most-visited monument in the country and in Europe, with more than 12 million visitors every year, according to the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. The city’s cultural attractions in total saw 70.2 million visitors in 2017, up 5.9% from 2016.
Hotel data for the Greater Paris area from January to October 2018 indicate that 2018 was a record year for tourist stays. There was a 16.6 percent increase in U.S. tourist stays during that period. The Paris visitors bureau announced plans to work with London on a joint marketing campaign aimed at millennial American tourists, acting quickly in respond to trends: Paris saw a drop in airline bookings for February to April of this year.
After the fire, what now?
Bishop Patrick Chauvet, Notre Dame’s rector, acknowledged that the famed monument would close for “five to six years” as he spoke with local business owners Wednesday. He added that it was unclear what the church’s 67 employees would be doing in the future. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he wanted the cathedral rebuilt in five years.
Still, the Notre Dame fire has led to an unprecedented conundrum: The cathedral has never been closed for an extended period of time, Claire Moreau of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau told USA TODAY.
To call the cathedral a must-see destination is an understatement. Think about Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and the Disney film adaptation. Important relics in the cathedral include the Crown of Thorns, thought to be placed on Jesus’ head before his crucifixion; a fragment of the True Cross, believed to be part of the cross on which Jesus was crucified; and one of the Holy Nails, believed to have been used in the crucifixion.
Visiting the cathedral also is No. 1 on the U.S. News & World Report ranking of best things to do in Paris.
What are the restrictions?
While tourists can’t go inside the site itself, the area still may prove popular to those looking to pay their respects. Parisians and visitors are welcome to write messages of support in both the main and local city halls.
The island that houses the cathedral has been closed to the public since Monday’s fire, and its residents have been evacuated. Paris merchants whose livelihoods depend on Notre Dame tourism are worried about the cathedral’s future as well as their own.
Even with all this, Paris’ joint marketing campaign with London isn’t expected to change.
The Paris Tourist Office has posted updates on Twitter since the fire to assist tourists.
“Following last night’s fire at #Our Lady of #Paris, Paris Tourist Office remains available to assist visitors and media,” one post read. “Our welcoming centers and hotline service (+33 1 49 52 42 63) will be open for 10am today for any help, question or assistance.”
Tour companies offer alternatives
The visitors bureau staff knows spring is a busy time for tourists in Paris. The agency recommends people visit other sites, “whether they be religious monuments like the Basilique Saint-Denis, the Sacre-Coeur and the Church of Saint-Eustache or cultural sites nearby like the Sainte-Chapelle or the Panthéon,” according to a statement. Those looking to observe religious services during Holy Week are advised to go to Saint-Eustache.
Visits inside Notre Dame itself right now are impossible, and several tour companies already are refunding bookings.
People should not be discouraged from visiting Paris in the coming weeks or months, says GetYourGuide spokesman Will Gluckin. GetYourGuide is a Berlin-based tourism company.
“As the building itself is severely damaged, GetYourGuide has canceled and refunded all bookings for tours that bring visitors inside the structure through the end of June,” Gluckin told USA TODAY. “Access to the surrounding area on Ile de la Cite is also currently restricted, but our best information suggests that it will soon be possible to safely visit the structure up close on walking tours.”
Fat Tire Tours “will be refunding all guests that have purchased a tour that includes entrance into the cathedral or towers,” Crissa Youngblood, its director of marketing, told USA TODAY. The company is coming up with a plan to give guests the option to donate to the effort to rebuild the cathedral.
Looking ahead to restoration
It seems rebuilding can begin, since firefighters put out the blaze early Tuesday, more than 12 hours after nearly 400 firefighters had battled the flames that altered the city’s skyline. Two policemen and one firefighter were slightly injured, according to the Paris Fire Service.
A massive fundraising campaign already is underway to rebuild the cathedral. As of Wednesday, donations neared the $1 billion mark.
“Expressions of emotion and comfort from all over the world have eased the pain of the sad images that have been circulating in recent hours,” the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau said in a statement.
“The people of France, together with Parisians and lovers of the French capital, will in the next few months and years have their heart set on rebuilding this landmark symbol.”
The disaster also is a reminder of how important it is to not put off your travel plans, says Darshika Jones, regional director for North America at Intrepid Travel: “You never know when things will change or when you’ll stop having access to visit the places you’ve dreamed about for so long.”