French President Emmanuel Macron will host US president-elect Donald Trump and more than 35 world leaders on Saturday at the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, as the embattled politician seizes the occasion to put his leadership on show on the international stage.
Mr Trump is expected to meet Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Mr Macron before the ceremony. The departing US administration of Joe Biden will be represented by first lady Jill Biden.
Responding to Mr Macron's invitation earlier in the week, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social network that the French leader had “done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
Authorities oversaw a restoration that took more than five years after a fire toppled its spire and destroyed most of the Paris landmark's roof. Mr Macron visited the 850-year-old cathedral last month to survey the restoration before the site's official reopening on December 7. The restoration project was a “challenge that many considered insane”, he said.
The blaze broke out in the early evening of April 15, 2019, destroying the wooden roof, toppling the spire and damaging the cathedral’s upper walls severely. The interior was spared from more extensive damage because of the vaulted stone ceiling, which contained the roof as it collapsed.
Le Figaro said Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim was among the expected guests, quoting diplomatic sources.
Heir to the British throne, William, Prince of Wales, will represent King Charles III at the event on Saturday but all eyes will be on the businessman turned political disrupter Mr Trump on his first overseas visit since winning back the White House last month. Mr Trump does not take office until late January but the opportunity for Mr Macron to renew his relationship with Mr Trump is seen as something of a coup for the French leader. “It is absolutely not exceptional that the elected president of a great friendly nation is invited” said an adviser to Mr Macron. Mr Macron is expected to nominate a new prime minister within days after politicians this week caused the collapse of the government for the first time in more than six decades.
Grand project
Cathedral administrators expect 14 to 15 million visitors every year. There is a huge debate in France over whether visitors should pay to get in. The Catholic Church is against it, and for now visiting remains free despite a new fee for access to other landmarks.
When the rebuilding appeal was launched money poured in from all over the world, including from French luxury sector billionaires Francois Henri Pinault and the Arnault family. So much money has been donated – more than €840 million ($888 million), according to Mr Macron's office – that there will even be funds left over for further investment in the building. The damage has taken five years' worth of restoration work.
The altar inside Notre-Dame in 2019 and 2024
The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing, with initial findings suggesting it was an accident involving a short circuit, welder's torch or cigarette. At the time, Mr Macron set a five-year goal to rebuild the cathedral and make it “even more beautiful” than before – a target the French authorities say has been met.
In all 2,000 people took part in the almost €700 million ($739.3 million) restoration project. The workers were celebrated last month with at least 1,300 attending the inspection of the site.
“This final site visit is an opportunity to thank them in particular – from wood craftsmen to those of metal and stone, from scaffolders to roofers, from bell makers to art restorers, from gilders to masons and sculptors, from carpenters to organ builders, from architects, archaeologists, engineers and planners to logistical and administrative functions,” Mr Macron said.
Mr Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, inspected the key areas of the restoration, including the nave and chapel.
The original 19th-century Gothic spire has been replaced with a copy, the stained windows have regained their colour and a restored organ awaits visitors and worshippers. A new fire safety system is also in place, with a discreet system of pipes ready to release water in case of another blaze.
