Chance to win a real stone from Notre-Dame cathedral
A new competition is offering 50 stones as prizes. Here is how to enter
There are 50 stones available as a prize
Fondation-patrimoine.org
People in France have a chance to win a piece of iconic history from restored Paris cathedral Notre-Dame, in a new competition launched by one of the major restoration funders.
Notre-Dame was partially destroyed in a devastating fire in 2019. It was carefully repaired and restored using funds of €228 million from 236,000 donors, before reopening in a ceremony on December 8, 2024. Since reopening, the iconic monument has received around 30,000 visitors every day.
Read more: Paris Notre-Dame cathedral to open on December 8 with first Mass
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Now, the Fondation du Patrimoine, one of the main funders of the building’s restoration, is launching a competition, with prizes including authentic stones from the cathedral that “could not be reintegrated into the structure of the cathedral” after the fire, it said.
The “authentic cut stones” have been engraved with a symbol of the cathedral, along with the message Rebâtir Notre-Dame ("Rebuild Notre-Dame"). They measure 7cm x 7cm, and weigh 800 grams. There are 50 to be won in total, limited to one per winner.
How to enter the competition
The competition begins today (March 4).
To take part in the draw, you must:
Be an adult (aged 18+)
Make a donation of at least €40 as part of the “national collection in favour of religious heritage”.
Complete a participation form directly on the Fondation du Patrimoine website between March 4 and April 4, 2025 (the form is on the same page, below the donation amount).
The full rules of the competition can be seen here on the Fondation du Patrimoine website.
When will the winner be announced?
Winners will be revealed and contacted by email on April 15, 2025, to mark six years since the fire, after being chosen from a raffle.
“I am very pleased that, by donating these stones, Notre-Dame is making its contribution to the restoration of the religious heritage of our villages,” said Philippe Jost, president of the public organisation Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris (Rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris), to Le Parisien.
‘Thousands of small Notre-Dames’
The Fondation du Patrimoine’s fundraising campaign for religious heritage was created by President Macron in 2023, with a view to supporting 1,000 buildings of all faiths over four years (the foundation itself was created as a private organisation in 1996).
It comes after the Culture Ministry said that “across the country, 5,000 religious buildings are in such a state of disrepair that…they require urgent intervention”.
The foundation received €16 million in donations in the first year, which it says will be used to restore the first 100 selected buildings.
Read more: Notre-Dame fire: What is France doing to protect its other cathedrals?
Read also: How 32 elite architects protect France’s historic monuments
“Beyond this emblematic monument, thousands of small Notre-Dames throughout France are in danger and deserve our attention,” said Guillaume Poitrinal, president of the Fondation du Patrimoine.
“Every donation counts towards preserving these treasures.”
