French billionaires François-Henri Pinault and Bernard Arnault have rallied in the wake of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire – pledging over €300 million to rebuild the historic landmark.
Onlookers watched as Notre Dame’s spire and roof collapsed yesterday, along with the building’s timber frame, which dates back to 1160. Reports say the blaze has now been mostly extinguished, and the Gothic cathedral’s stone structure saved – though it is in dire need of repair.
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The €100m promised by Pinault will come from his French holding company Groupe Artemis – which owns auction house Christie’s – while Arnault’s donation comes from luxury group LVMH, which owns Dior, Céline and Dom Pérignon.
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The billionaire businessmen aren’t the only ones contributing to the effort, with French president Emmanuel Macron also promising to launch a fundraising campaign. According to Insider, dozens of GoFundMe campaigns have sprung up in the aftermath of the fire, all raising money to help repair the cathedral.
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