The French Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, has suggested implementing an entrance fee for Notre Dame cathedral, one of France's most popular tourist attractions, to help fund the maintenance of other religious buildings. France is grappling with a significant crisis concerning its aging religious structures, many of which have been neglected due to inadequate funding. Numerous churches across the nation are in urgent need of repair and are at risk of partial collapse or demolition, including Saint-Sulpice in Paris, Notre-Dame de l'Épine in Marne, and the Saint-Denis Basilica in Saint-Denis.
In an interview with Le Figaro, published online on Wednesday, Rachida Dati argued that "charging admission to Notre-Dame would save all the churches in France". Dati reportedly proposed to the Archbishop of Paris that tourists should pay five euros to enter the cathedral. All proceeds would be allocated to "a major plan to safeguard France's religious heritage", according to Dati. The minister aims to raise €75 million annually through this initiative. The proposal has received support from the French Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau.
Additionally, Rachida Dati plans to adjust the pricing of national monuments and museums starting in 2026, suggesting that "visitors from outside the EU" could be charged more than French visitors to "finance the renovation of our national heritage". Notre-Dame de Paris is scheduled to reopen on December 7th, following nearly five years of reconstruction after the devastating fire in 2019.
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