Millionaires and companies mobilize to rebuild Notre Dame: they will give nearly 800 million euros

One day after the Notre-Dame fire, businesses and millionaires announced multi-million dollar donations. to rebuild the iconic cathedral of Paris. This Tuesday afternoon the sum of money was close to 800 million euros.

Among the donations announced by the great French fortunes, that of the family of Bernard Arnault stands out, owner of the LVMH luxury goods group, which has pledged 200 million euros.

He also proposed that his company make available "your creative, architectural and financial teams" to help rebuild and raise money.

The family Bettencourt, heir to L'Oréal, also announced a donation of 200 million euros, hundred by the company and one hundred by its foundation.

For its part, the family of François Pinault, owner of the Kering Group, which sells brands such as Gucci or Yves Saint Laurent, has announced 100 million euros through its investment company Artemis.

The French advertising giant JCDecaux, meanwhile, He promised to donate 20 million euros.

Martin Bouygues, owner of the Bouygues group, and his brother Olivier, say they are "very touched" and will make a "personal donation" of ten million euros through their family holding company, SCDM.

The millionaire Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, which controls the investment companies Fimalac, has also pledged ten million euros for the restoration of the needle, symbol of the cathedral "that has collapsed in the" fire.

On behalf of French companies

The president of the French oil company Total, Patrick Pouyanné, announced on Twitter that the group, "the first boss of the Heritage Foundation", a French private foundation, would make a "special donation" of one hundred million euros.

Through its foundation, the bank Agricultural credit announced a donation of five million euros to the emergency measures of the cathedral.

BNP Paribas Bank, for its part, has guaranteed a donation of 20 million euros, while Crédit Mutuel and the CIC did not specify the amount of their promises.

The computer group Capgemini has announced a million euros, construction company Vinci announced it would provide "a part of the funding" but without announcing the amount and The Michelin Group will also participate through its foundation.

Medef, the main French employers' organization, asked companies to participate in the collection organized by the Heritage Foundation. The Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) is "at the disposal of the public authorities to mobilize its national network of craftsmen".

Other companies, such as Groupama, have announced the award of 1,300 oaks from their Norman forests for the reconstruction of the "roof" of the cathedral. Air France has said that it "will transport all the officials who will participate in the reconstruction for free".

Donations from abroad

In a tweet in the United States, the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, announced that his signature would donate but without giving the amount.

For its part, Brazilian millionaire Lily Safra and the foundation on behalf of her husband Edmond Safra, a Syrian Lebanese banker who died in 1999, announced a donation of 10 million euros.

As well Henry Kravis, co-founder of the US investment fund KKR, and his wife Marie-Josée Kravis, "afflicted by the fire", pledged $ 10 million.

The Hungarian city of Szeged will also pay 10,000 euros because, in 1879, Paris contributed to the reconstruction of this city in the south of the country, devastated by a flood.

In Ivory Coast, the King of Krindjabo, capital of Sanwi Kingdom, in the south-east of the country, promised a donation, but without specifying the amount. A prince of his kingdom was baptized in the cathedral in the eighteenth century.