Irish Examiner view: France's foundations shaken even as Notre Dame rises again

Given the fall of the French government, Donald Trump and others arriving for the reopening of Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris will muse that populism could yet take hold in France

The swift restoration of Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris since it was devastated by fire in 2019 offers little comfort to president Emmanuel Macron and outgoing prime minister Michel Barnier. Picture: iStock 

When leaders and dignitaries from around the world gather this evening in the hallowed surroundings of Notre Dame Cathedral to mark a glorious €700m restoration, they may be expecting a celebration of everything that is good about Paris, and the Gallic world in general.

The fire of 2019 wrecked the roof and spire and weakened the overall structure of one of the greatest Gothic edifices in the history of the world. More than 2,000 artisans and craftspeople, experts in stone, glass, wood, and metal, saved it for future generations.