Notre-Dame de Paris, 1991 & 2024

Last month I visited Paris for the first time since 1991 and photographed the Notre-Dame cathedral from nearly the same spot. (I didn't have the 1991 photo with me for reference.) I used different cameras in 1991 and 2024 but the same lens.

1991: Leica M4-2 with my 1979-vintage 35mm f/2 Summicron and Ilford HP5+ film.
2024: Leica M10, same lens.

However, this time I couldn't enter the cathedral because workers are still repairing the extensive 2019 fire damage. In 1991, I went inside and climbed one of the towers for a close view of the gargoyles. (I love gargoyles.)

I visit Paris often. The last time was just weeks before the disaster and because of covid, surgery, etc., I haven't been back since then. I look forward to going soon. This picture was taken in 2005 Leica M6, 35mm CV lens, XP2 film. All my more recent pictures are digital!

I noticed three changes in Paris since my 1991 visit: it's much more crowded with tourists, advance tickets for the most popular sights are virtually mandatory, and English is spoken more widely.

In 1991, I walked into most places without waiting in line. Now, even in February, the lines were enormous. People trying to buy tickets on the spot waited for hours. Buying advance tickets online is the only sane option. We had to reserve our Louvre tickets two days in advance. Considering the crowds I encountered during my recent off-season trip, I'd never visit Paris in high season.

Another change was the former language barrier. In 1991, my sketchy high-school French was very useful. This time, almost everyone seemed to speak some English, even when I tried to speak French. (Some people may not consider this change an improvement.)

Although French people and especially Parisians have a reputation for rudeness, I've never encountered a rude person in France, neither on this trip nor in 1991. Maybe I'm just lucky. In some situations, local folks even offered me unsolicited help.

I did have one argument with a station agent in Versailles using my broken French and her broken English, but she was being inflexible, not exactly rude. On arrival by train in Versailles, I discovered too late that my Zone-3 Metro pass was inadequate for Zone-5 Versailles. But the station's service window was closed, so I couldn't buy a new ticket. Everyone on my train had the same problem. The agents wouldn't let us leave the station, reboard the train, or tell us when the ticket window would open. Our mood was desperate because everyone had reserved-time tickets for the palace, but we were trapped on the platform. Finally we ignored the agents and forced our way through the turnstiles. So I guess we were the rude ones.