Why is the restoration continuing?
• What remains of the funds raised by the 2019 national fundraising campaign?
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Notre-Dame's donors and patrons, together with careful management of the budgets committed since 2019, nearly €140 million from the national fundraising campaign remained available following completion of the work to repair the fire damage and the cathedral's reopening in December 2024.
With the donors' approval, these funds have been allocated to the next phase of the cathedral's restoration. They are already helping finance the third phase of restoration work, launched in 2024, which addresses the most urgent needs identified after the cathedral reopened, including restoration of the apse, the flying buttresses, the stained-glass windows in the galleries, and the exterior of the sacristy. However, given the cathedral's condition before the fire, these resources alone will not be sufficient to complete all the restoration work still required.
• What work remains to be funded to complete the cathedral's restoration?
The work carried out between 2019 and 2024 enabled the cathedral to be secured, restored, and reopened for worship and visits. However, it could not address all the conservation needs of a monument that, even before the fire, was already showing signs of significant deterioration due to the aging of its materials and centuries of exposure to the elements.
To continue these conservation efforts, Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris public establishment has drawn up a Restoration Master Plan setting out the work that needs to be undertaken between 2026 and 2031. This program includes the restoration of the north and south rose windows, the transept façades, the exterior elevations of the nave, the towers and their sculptural decoration, the presbytery, and several technical operations that are essential to the cathedral's long-term preservation. The total cost is currently estimated at more than €150 million (in current euros, including projected inflation). Taking account of donations already received, €130 million still needs to be raised.
• Why support the cathedral's complete restoration?
Supporting the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris means helping ensure the long-term preservation of one of the world's most iconic heritage monuments while bringing to completion an extraordinary collective undertaking that began in 2019.
In addition to restoring an architectural masterpiece, this commitment also helps to preserve exceptional traditional craftsmanship, train future generations of artisans, and safeguard a shared cultural heritage that brings together worshippers, visitors, and admirers from around the world. It also offers donors and partners the opportunity to become part of a landmark project that stands out for its ambition, its international significance, and the values it embodies: excellence, transmission of expertise, and collective commitment.
To learn more about each restoration operation still seeking funding, please visit the dedicated pages on our website.