Notre-Dame

In April 2019, the world held its breath and looked on in horror as the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral was engulfed in flames. Journalist and Paris expert Agnès Poirier, whose apartment is located across from the Gothic cathedral, feared for "her lady." In her book, she not only allows us to relive the hours of the catastrophe but also tells the tumultuous history of the iconic structure from its foundation stone laying in 1163 to the present day. Throughout its construction and renovation process, which spanned over ten centuries, it survived historical turning points such as the French Revolution and the occupation of the city during World War II, while inspiring countless artists – it even provided the eighteen-year-old future writer Paul Claudel with a religious awakening experience – and became a screen star in "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" for an international audience. Agnès Poirier brings the story of Notre-Dame back to life, outlines the debate surrounding its reconstruction, and leaves no doubt that the impressive Gothic cathedral embodies the soul of France like no other building.