General in charge of Notre Dame Cathedral restoration dies in climbing accident

General Jean-Louis Georgelin leads the restoration project of Notre Dame Cathedral

On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire, shocking the whole world . While people were shocked, two days later, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to appoint retired General Jean-Louis Georgelin to head the agency overseeing the project to restore the world-famous cathedral.

The French gendarmerie in charge of the mountainous region discovered the body of the ill-fated general after he failed to return home from a mountain climbing trip on August 18, according to AFP.

He is believed to have fallen at an altitude of 2,650 metres on Mount Valier in southeastern France.

The prosecutor's office in Foix confirmed on August 19 that the body found was that of Mr. Georgelin, and that the cause of death was an accident.

On X (formerly Twitter), President Macron expressed his condolences for the death of General Georgelin. The leader said that France had lost one of its greatest soldiers and Notre Dame Cathedral had lost the master who led its restoration project.

French President Jacques Chirac (left) and General Jean-Louis Georgelin at an event in Paris in 2007

General Georgelin was chief of staff and special adviser to then-French President Jacques Chirac from 2002–06, and Chief of the French Army General Staff from 2006–2010.

A devout Catholic, he was tapped for a key role leading the restoration effort at Notre Dame Cathedral, which President Macron has ambitiously pledged to complete by 2024.

During his lifetime, General Georgelin expected Notre Dame Cathedral to reopen in December 2024.

It is not yet clear who will replace General Georgelin in the important role, nor whether the project's progress will be affected by his departure.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-tuong-chiu-trach-nhiem-trung-tu-nha-tho-duc-ba-paris-tu-vong-do-gap-nan-khi-leo-nui-185230819221856998.htm