French president tours rebuilt medieval cathedral to mark imminent reopening to the public after devastating 2019 fire

Emmanuel Macron has gone on a televised tour around the newly renovated Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, marking the church’s imminent reopening only five years after it was partially destroyed by fire.

Alongside his wife, Brigitte, and the archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, the French president will be shown around the rebuilt medieval cathedral by Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of France’s national monuments, and give a speech in front of about 1,300 craftspeople thanking those who contributed to the restoration effort.