Archaeological excavations around Notre-Dame reveal nearly 2,000 years of long-lost history and give us a glimpse of what life was like in ancient Paris.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris has been a long-standing icon, even after the 2019 fire brought down the roof and flèche. After a long reconstruction process, the cathedral reopened in 2024, but the roof and flèche aren’t the only parts of Notre-Dame to experience a little work.
A new project is now taking root around the outside of the cathedral. The plan is to add more greenery, landscaping, amenities, and even an underground walkway. Before the project can be completed, however, archaeologists with the City of Paris and the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) will dedicate months to exploring the historical layers beneath the forecourt (plaza) and carefully searching for artifacts.
“Beneath the current plaza, almost at the same level as in past centuries, lie layers from the modern, medieval, and perhaps even ancient periods," Hugo Cador, an archaeologist and manager of the excavation site, said in a translated press statement. "We expected to find remains of houses and shops, with cellars, and traces of occupation, whether faunal remains, terracotta artifacts, or organic objects."
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What Lies Beneath Notre-Dame
The excavation pit of the plaza runs about 13 feet deep, with untold treasures to be found. Upon removing one of the first concrete slabs in January 2026, the team found what appeared to be medieval walls, according to the press statement. This isn’t too surprising, as the area has been occupied for centuries.
Before the pit reached 6 feet deep, Cador and team had already uncovered artifacts tracing back to the 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 18th centuries. The discoveries include metal fragments, broken pottery, plate shards, and even animal bones.
“They aren’t treasures, like gold ingots, but each item has great scientific value,” Cador said. “When we come across complete objects, like this medieval pitcher or this candlestick unearthed from the old latrines that were then used as a dump. This type of artifact allows us to reconstruct daily life at the time and to characterize the different uses of the place: elite residences, simple houses, places of worship, shops."
When construction began on Notre-Dame in 1163, the surrounding area was full of medieval homes and businesses. According to the AP, the team has found other artifacts, such as coins, whole jugs, and cups, that may have been discarded in latrines or garbage dumps. The ceramics may have been cushioned by the waste and kept safe over the centuries.
One shocking finding, according to the AP, has been medieval pottery with faint red writing on the inside. The meaning has yet to be deciphered.
Tandem Excavation Sites
Notre-Dame is located on the Île de la Cité, one of two major islands in the middle of the Seine River in central Paris. Besides the archaeological dig at the cathedral, several others are already underway or planned for later on in 2026 on the island. Experts hope it will reveal more important historical information.
The INRAP is also conducting an archaeological excavation in the two courtyards of the adjacent Hôtel-Dieu. The dig, which started in February 2026, has been removing topsoil from the area. According to another translated press release, the team hopes the findings here will contribute to the story of Île de la Cité.
The other excavation will take place in the May Courtyard of the Palace of Justice, which in the past has revealed unknown burial sites. For this project, the INRAP will work with the Public Agency for Judicial Real Estate (APIJ). The findings at this site could give us a better understanding of life in Paris about 2,000 years ago.
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Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article references information from Ville de Paris: Notre-Dame de Paris: what will the area around the cathedral look like?
- This article references information from Ville de Paris: Archaeological excavations on the Île de la Cité: more than 2,000 years of history beneath our feet!
- This article references information from Ville de Paris: Beneath the forecourt of Notre-Dame, eight months of excavations to reveal the history
- This article references information from The Associated Press: AP exclusive: Under Notre Dame cathedral, a ‘dig of the century’ unearths 1,700 years of history
