French culture minister proposes entrance fee for Notre Dame to help fund preservation work

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France’s culture minister has proposed introducing an entrance fee to visit Notre Dame cathedral in Paris when it reopens in December, aiming to generate funds for the preservation of the country’s religious heritage. The iconic cathedral is set to reopen five years after it was ravaged by fire. Rachida Dati, in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper published on Wednesday night, outlined her plan to charge tourists 5 euros ($4.16), which she said could raise 75 million euros ($62.41 million) annually. The funds, she said, would go toward a comprehensive plan to restore and maintain France’s deteriorating religious buildings. She also advocated for higher entry fees for non-EU visitors at national monuments like the Louvre.