Rachida Dati Proposes Entry Fee for Notre-Dame to Fund Heritage Preservation
In a recent interview with Le Figaro, Rachida Dati, France's Minister of Culture, has proposed a plan to charge an entry fee to the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, set to reopen on December 8, 2024. The suggested fee of 5 euros per visitor aims to generate approximately 75 million euros annually, which would be allocated to the maintenance and preservation of religious heritage across France. Dati believes this initiative could serve as a model for funding the upkeep of churches throughout the country.
Dati stated, "All over Europe, access to the most remarkable religious buildings is paid for. I proposed a simple idea to the Archbishop of Paris: to set up a symbolic fee for all tourist visits to Notre-Dame and to devote this money entirely to a major plan to safeguard religious heritage." This proposal comes amid growing concerns over the protection of France's cultural heritage, which Dati asserts is increasingly at risk.
Differentiated Pricing for Non-EU Visitors
In addition to the entry fee for Notre-Dame, Dati has indicated her support for differentiated pricing for non-European Union visitors at French cultural sites. She argued that it is unfair for French citizens to subsidize the costs for international visitors, citing that a Brazilian or Chinese tourist should not pay the same as a French citizen for entry to major attractions like the Louvre. Dati is pushing for this pricing reform to be implemented by January 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in France's cultural pricing policy.
Heritage Preservation Urgency
Dati has expressed her concerns about the urgency of preserving France's cultural heritage, stating that "heritage emergencies are multiplying" and emphasizing that Parisian heritage is currently "under-protected." She has called upon Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to prioritize the conservation of historical monuments, including her proposal to classify the Eiffel Tower as a Historic Monument. Dati's stance reflects a broader commitment to safeguarding France's cultural assets, aligning with UNESCO's expectations for heritage management by 2026.
