LVMH Group pledges $226m towards Notre-Dame reconstruction
The cathedral was partially destroyed by a fire on Monday night, which took around 15 hours to fully extinguish. The 850-year-old landmark’s spire has collapsed, but the main stone structure was saved by firefighters.
French president Emmanuel Macron has vowed to reconstruct the cathedral, with individuals, groups and companies mobilising to help rebuild the landmark.
The Arnault family and their company LVMH has pledged €200m towards reconstruction. The luxury products company is behind wine and spirit brands such as Moët & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Hennessy and Château d’Yquem; while its other divisions include Louis Vuitton and Sephora.
A statement from the company says: “The Arnault family and the LVMH Group, in solidarity with this national tragedy, are committed to assist with the reconstruction of this extraordinary cathedral, symbol of France, its heritage and its unity.
“They will donate a total sum of €200m to the fund dedicated to the reconstruction of this architectural work, which is a core part of French history.
“In the meantime, the LVMH Group puts at the disposal of the State and the relevant authorities all its teams – including creative, architectural and financial specialists – to help with the long work of reconstruction and fundraising, which is already in progress.”
