The colours are dazzling

The colours are dazzling ©Julio Piatti, Notre-Dame de Pariscoppersmiths, locksmiths and patinationmasters from Dordogne who restored the 16monumental statues on the spire (12 apostlesand 4 evangelists) which miraculously survivedthe fire, sculptures who copied or restoredthe statues, chimeras and gargoyles, roofers,carpenters, master glass makers, metalworkers and more.Visit Notre-Dame now, and you’ll discover aninterior with pristine limestone walls just as itwas when it was first built, restored religiousmasterworks from the 17th and 18th centuries,and a brand-new cedar reliquary for the crownof thorns, a relic alleged to have been used inthe crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The cathedralis filled with light, the famous rose windowsrestored and dazzling, paintings refreshed, thedetails now clearly visible in a way not seenfor centuries, the 8000 pipes of the organ(which survived the fire) have been cleaned,the 13 chandeliers in the nave, restored inthe Luberon, are gleaming, and the bells ofNotre-Dame ring out once more, restored byCornille-Havard, in Normandy, the last bellmakers in France.You can’t but think that Viollet-le-Duc islooking down and approving of the secondgreat rebirth of this Gothic masterpiece.How to visit Notre-DameYou can buy tickets on the day to visit Notre-Dame but if possible and to avoid queueing,plan ahead an make a booking online via theGleaming chandeliers ©Julio Piatti, Notre-Dame de Parisofficial website – it’s free: official cathedralwebsite: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris- site officiel where you can download TheNotre-Dame de Paris app in several languagesand book your slot up to two days before yourintended visit.Find out more about the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris: Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris- La Fabrique de Notre Dame a magazinewhich documents the project; the officialhistory of the restoration in a book: RebuildingNotre-Dame de Paris - Éditions Tallandierhttps://frenchcountryadventures.com/ANTIQUING & DESIGNADVENTURES IN FRANCES O U R C E A N T I Q U E S F R A N C E . C O M12 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 13