Notre Dame’s resurrection: Its chief architect on rebuilding France’s ‘heart’ in 5 years

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — The day after an inferno struck Notre Dame cathedral in 2019, its current chief architect, Philippe Villeneuve, walked despondently into its remains. Smoke choked the air, the spire lay in rubble, and charred beams littered the nave. Yet just hours earlier, President Emmanuel Macron had issued an extraordinary decree: Notre Dame would rise again — in just five years. Villeneuve says it felt impossible. But he persisted, working with his team to redefine what was possible under extraordinary conditions and a series of obstacles. As the reopening fast approaches, Villeneuve confesses his lingering anxiety. “I’m not calm — not at all,” he said as the official reopening approaches. “This was not just about restoring a building. This was about restoring the heart of France.”