One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday inaugurated the restored towers of the Notre-Dame Cathedral six years after a fire that devastated the Gothic landmark in the heart of Paris.
The towers reopen to the public on Saturday, marking the start of European Heritage Days, an annual 48-hour period that offers visitors the chance to see heritage buildings, monuments and historic sites in several countries, many of which are not normally accessible to the public.
Read moreNotre-Dame Cathedral holds first Mass after five-year restoration
FRANCE 24's Aurore Dupuy, who visited the restored towers, said the experience was breathtaking.
From the top of the cathedral's southern tower, viewers can see the structure's famous timber spire, known as the flèche, explained Dupuy.
"That old spire got completely damaged by the fire back in 2019. Now there's a new one, and you can see it from a crazy angle. When you get up to the south tower, you can see the [statues of the] 12 apostles at its base. The last statue actually was the one of Saint Thomas, which had just been placed back in July," she said.
"When you climb up the south tower, which is actually the tower on the right when you're facing the cathedral ... there is a breathtaking view of Paris. You see the Latin Quarter, the Panthéon, La Sorbonne, the Montparnasse Tower, and of course, another great lady, the Eiffel Tower. But you have to earn it," she added.
Visitors have to climb 424 steps, taking them around 69 metres above the ground, for the view.
But they can have a break – a beautiful, if breathless break.
"Don't worry, because there are some areas where you can actually catch your breath and get some rest," she said. "Because you can then admire the architecture, the models and the framework of the bell tower."