The shame of Notre Dame

The conversation in France changed abruptly last night. Perhaps the blaze in Paris was the wake-up call that France needed. My neighbours, and all of France, seem deeply shocked. Almost numb. The fire seems to have touched a nerve. Whether this sentiment is transient remains to be seen.

Notre Dame cathedral will be rebuilt. It may even be better than ever. From an inferno in the heart of French Catholicism, it will be resurrected to inspire new generations of believers, and a million tourists a month. The means are not lacking. Hundreds of millions have been pledged. The rest will follow. The constraints will be how successfully the project is managed – these projects are notoriously political, costly and risky – and finding enough qualified tradesmen (and women, one may hope) capable of doing the job. It’s going to take years and if this tragedy has any kind of silver lining, it’s that the project will be a sorely needed economic stimulus, and doubtless fodder for countless television documentaries.

But there is also a shame to this.