Notre-Dame's twin towers ready to thrill visitors after fire

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reopened the two great medieval towers of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris for public visits, one of the final steps in its immense reconstruction following a devastating fire.

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The inauguration of the restored towers by Macron, who has spearheaded reconstruction efforts since the April 15, 2019 fire, comes a day before the opening weekend when the public can finally climb the 424-step stairs to enjoy unmatched views of Paris.

Their reopening marks another landmark in the vast reconstruction process which is still ongoing even after the Dec. 7, 2024 reopening of the cathedral in a glittering ceremony attended by US President Donald Trump weeks before his own inauguration.

The reconstruction of Notre-Dame to its former glory marks a major success for Macron, who is politically embattled at home.

He can boast of fulfilling a promise made in the wake of the fire for the restoration to be finished within half a decade.