Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of Notre Dame, reflected on the devastation, stating, "We had lost the framework, the roof, the spire, and three sections of the vault." Despite the destruction, he found inspiration in the survival of the stained-glass windows and the organ, concluding that restoration was indeed "doable." The urgency from President Macron’s decree compelled the restoration team to rally their efforts, with Villeneuve stressing the importance of both the vision and the craftsmanship needed to fulfill this daunting task.
Villeneuve expressed the weight of the challenge when he stated, "Yet just hours earlier, President Emmanuel Macron had issued an extraordinary decree: Notre Dame would rise again in just five years." This ambitious timeline seemed unlikely, yet it served as a catalyst for action, illustrating the intersection of politics and culture during a period of national crisis. His surprise at the undamaged artifacts highlighted both the devastation and the potential for recovery.
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