Just as France is slowly lifting its Covid-19 restrictions, it has been able to lift another, reopening the parvis, or forecourt of Notre Dame cathedral, over a year after the devastating fire that heavily damaged the building itself.
The courtyard area, which until the early 19th century was packed with houses and shops, is normally filled with visitors waiting to go in or just admiring the stately exterior. It was closed after the fire while debris was removed, and then briefly reopened before being closed again for the past several months to allow removal of tons of toxic lead dust from the melting of the lead roof.
Officials of the city and the reconstruction work have pledged to monitor closely for toxic substances and to clean the area regularly. The archaeological crypt below the court, which contains remains of medieval and Roman houses and shops, remains closed for now. It will be several years before the cathedral itself is ready to reopen.
