Like many others around the world we watched in horror as Notre Dame Cathedral erupted in flames in April of last year. As tourists this iconic church had long been on our bucket list and with a trip to Paris planned for the following month, it was a site we anxiously and excitedly planned to visit. Notre Dame was to us as much a symbol of Paris as the Eiffel Tower. I can only imagine the sense of loss Parisians felt that day.
Knowing we could not enter the church we still made our way to Ile de la Cite, the island on which the cathedral is located, to pay our 
respects. The roads around the cathedral were blocked off and guarded as a safety precaution. In front of one high barrier was a bench still draped with dried and withered flowers as if Paris had moved on from its mourning to embrace the restoration process already under way. There were places where one could peer through the barriers to see the cranes and workmen scuttling about. The roof had been tarped, wooden supports covered some of the windows and scaffolding was everywhere.
The front of the cathedral escaped relatively unscathed as most of the damage was to the roof and the surrounding area. The spire was a ghostly memory from photos found on the internet. It became apparent that the heat and flames never breached the stone walls as all the surrounding foliage was still lush and green.
Rather than being disappointed that we could not tour the Cathedral, we found it unique that we were given the opportunity to participate in the aftermath and follow the journey as it’s rebuilt. Hopefully Notre Dame will reopen to the public soon and we will be there to see her again.
Located in the same island in the center of Paris is St. Chappelle. This church is best known for is stained glass and well worth the wait and
cost (€10) to visit. Having recently undergone a cleaning and restoration the glass was exquisite to view even on a cloudy day. There is an excellent slide show you can view that explains the restoration process, and the time and effort that goes into maintaining this treasure.
Later in the week we made the trek further north to the Montmartre area to spend time at Sacre Coeur. The most spectacular aspect of this cathedral is its location high on a hill overlooking Paris. For the adventurous and fit among us you can climb the stairs to the cathedral. The rest of us can take a funicular (€1.90 each way and accepts the metro ticket) which takes you close enough to the top to walk the rest.
The cathedral is not as ornate as the others but free to enter and worth a look around. If you are still energetic you can continue your climb to the dome of the church for an even more panoramic view of the city. Before or after take some time to sit on the stairs and enjoy the people. We had taken a picnic and found the steps to be an inviting place to enjoy our light meal. Convenient receptacles allowed for the easy disposal of our garbage.
Montmartre is a colourful neighbourhood and as much as it is a tourist favourite it also attracts hawkers, scammers and pickpockets. Take some time to watch their interaction with others but only if you are aware of the scams yourself. Check online or in a good guidebook to be informed and remember to stay safe at all times.
Our limited time and hectic schedule did not allow us to visit more of the churches in Paris but we were sure to include these top three, and we would recommend a visit to each of them next time you are in the City of Light.