Exclusive Access: Inside Notre-Dame Before Its Reopening
Securing access to one of the world's most protected construction sites requires more than a permit application — it demands understanding institutional hierarchies, moving with precision timing, and recognizing narrow windows of opportunity. In June 2024, FAB FIXERS coordinated exclusive access for CBC News to the Notre-Dame de Paris restoration site — just months before its grand reopening and weeks before the Paris Olympics lockdown.
Footage of the Notre-Dame fire, 15 April 2019 © CBC News
The Pitch: Notre-Dame Rising from the Ashes
Five years after a devastating fire captured global attention, Notre-Dame was nearing the end of one of the most ambitious restoration projects in European history. CBC News wanted to document the cathedral's rebirth — not from the outside looking in, but from inside the scaffolding, with the craftspeople and engineers who had spent years rebuilding France's most treasured monument.
The challenge: Getting access to a highly secured area
Notre-Dame was one of the most restricted sites in France, subject to heritage protection laws, active construction protocols, and heightened security as the reopening approached.
FAB FIXERS was brought on to secure filming permissions, coordinate access across multiple French government agencies, and manage on-site logistics within strict time constraints.
A Multi-Agency Coordination Effort
Gaining access to Notre-Dame required approval from multiple entities, each with distinct priorities and protocols:
Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris: The public body overseeing the restoration held final authority over all site access
French Ministry of Culture: Heritage protection and cultural preservation oversight
Construction site management: Worker safety and operational continuity during active restoration
Each agency operated independently. Securing a "yes" from all required building consensus, demonstrating editorial credibility, and timing the request strategically.
Virgile coordinated all permit applications and stakeholder liaison — ensuring CBC's four-person crew, led by award-winning anchor Adrienne Arsenault and producer Stéphanie Jenzer, could film safely and efficiently within the narrow access windows available.
Award-winning anchor Adrienne Arsenault on the scaffoldings of the Notre-Dame construction site
Timing the Impossible
The production faced a compressed timeline. Notre-Dame was approaching two major milestones:
The Paris 2024 Olympics (July-August): Security lockdowns across Paris would make access impossible
The December 2024 reopening: Final preparations would close the site to all non-essential personnel
CBC needed footage after restoration was visually complete — but before the final lockdown. The window was a matter of weeks, not months.
Virgile identified this narrow opportunity and moved decisively, coordinating approvals and site access in a timeframe that would typically require months of advance planning.
The Right Setup for a Historic Moment
Award-winning anchor Adrienne Arsenault interviewing Thierry Jost, head of Rebâtir Notre-Dame, June 2024 © CBC News
On the day of filming, every minute was accounted for. The production was scheduled to the minute, with limited filming time allocated for each location:
Notre-Dame rooftop: Documenting the restored spire and structural work
Choir of the Cathedral: Capturing the interior restoration progress
Interview with Thierry Jost: Head of the restoration project, providing rare insight into the technical and emotional dimensions of rebuilding Notre-Dame
The crew worked within strict protocols: designated filming positions, limited movement through construction zones, and constant coordination with on-site safety personnel.
The result: an exclusive access to the world’s most celebrated cathedral
CBC became one of the few international media outlets granted access to Notre-Dame's construction site before reopening — capturing a rare glimpse of one of the most significant cultural restoration projects in modern history.
Watch the report here: Notre-Dame Rises from the Ashes after a Devastating Fire
A Personal Connection
For Virgile, coordinating this production held particular significance. Having studied up in Paris’s 5th arrondissement and attended school in the neighbouring Latin Quarter, Notre-Dame had been a constant presence throughout his youth — a familiar landmark woven into daily life.
Facilitating CBC's access to document the cathedral's restoration felt less like bearing witness to a moment of historical importance for a place deeply connected to his own story.
Why Choose FAB FIXERS?
Our network: Since 2014, we've built relationships with French government institutions, heritage protection authorities, and cultural organizations — enabling access to locations others cannot reach.
Our unmatched experience: Positioned at the crossroads of news and cultural production, we navigate complex bureaucratic processes while maintaining the editorial integrity international journalism demands.
Our access: We specialize in securing permissions for high-security, heritage-protected, and politically sensitive locations — from the Élysée Palace to Notre-Dame to EU institutions.
We'd love to make your project come to life. Get in touch: virgile@fabfixers.com
Title: Inside Notre-Dame Before Reopening
Client: CBC News
Date: June 2024
Location: Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France