Return of Notre-Dame: 7 alternative cathedrals to see in France

As French President Emmanuel Macron declared in December: “The bells of Notre-Dame are ringing again.” It’s the first time since 15 April 2019, when they were silenced by a fire that ripped through the 860-year-old cathedral’s roof.

In the intervening years, donations raised £700 million for the restoration, which has been an epic undertaking. But while the rush to see this reborn Paris icon is understandable, France is not short of historic cathedrals. Those outside the city hold just as much appeal, without adding to the capital’s 50 million visitors a year.

Here are 7 alternative cathedrals to see in France

North-west of Paris, Normandy’s Rouen is home to a cathedral that is a part of art history. Having caught the eye of artist Claude Monet – particularly the western façade, which is decorated with finely carved statuary – he honed his talents in the 1890s by creating more than 30 paintings of the building. Keep an eye out too for the Tour de Beurre, a tower said to have been paid for by locals given dispensation to eat butter (a Norman speciality) over Lent.

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North of Paris, in the former Picardy capital of Amiens, you’ll find the largest cathedral in France (twice the volume of Notre-Dame). It was originally created in the 13th century to house a reliquary of John the Baptist (his skull, later encased in gold). Its flying buttresses and gigantic Gothic arches take the plaudits, but pay special attention to the interior flooring, a monochrome labyrinth design said to represent the path to the Holy Land.

In the Centre-Val de Loire region lies the 12th-century cathedral, whose mismatched spires (one flamboyantly Gothic, the other plainly Romanesque) are second only in fame to its stained-glass windows – known for their iridescent blues. It’s also the starting point for an annual pilgrimage (begun in the 1980s) that now sees 16,000 people trek from Chartres to Notre-Dame (Paris) over Pentecost.

For more incredible stained glass, head north-east to Reims. Its cathedral was once the coronation site of France’s monarchy, and its grandeur befits this history. Its windows – including a captivating series created in the 1960s by the artist Marc Chagall – are among the finest in France.

Nearby, the cathedral of Laon was an influence of both Reims and Chartres as one of the earlier Gothic designs, built at a similar time to Notre-Dame. Gaze upwards to see 16 statues of oxen peering from its towers – a tribute to the animals who helped build it.

When it comes to sheer elegance, Strasbourg’s 15th-century cathedral is a worthy rival to Notre-Dame. Its sculpted sandstone façade, 142m-high spire and giant rose window take on a pinkish hue at sunset, when every Gothic crevice casts a leering shadow. Inside, look out for its gold-covered organ and a Renaissance-era astronomical clock that performs a mechanical display every day at 12.30pm.

If it’s architectural drama you’re after, head to Narbonne, a cathedral seemingly designed entirely using flying buttresses. Though it was never completed, it stands as a testament to overambition – to finish it would have meant demolishing the city’s Roman wall. However, its choir was finished in 1332 and stands a mighty 40m high.

Notre Dame in numbers

150-year-old oak trees were felled for the restoration (42,327 people petitioned against this)

8,000 organ pipes were removed in order to be cleaned

56 gargoyles and chimeras were created to replace those ruined by water hoses in fighting the fire

2,000 workers have been involved in the five-year restoration process