Notre Dame’s restoration is not just about preserving a monument—it embodies a shared European heritage and highlights the importance of cultural unity through collaboration and exchange
Maryvonne de Saint Pulgent, a renowned expert in cultural heritage and former director for heritage in France, recently visited Serbia as a guest of the Institut Français. Her visit marked the occasion of the ongoing restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, a project that has become a global symbol of resilience and cultural unity. In this exclusive interview, she reflects on the significance of Notre Dame as a cornerstone of European heritage, the challenges of preserving cultural monuments, and the opportunities for more profound cultural exchanges between France and Serbia. Through her insights, Maryvonne highlights the importance of shared history, collaboration, and the role of art and architecture in bridging nations.
Notre Dame is often seen as a symbol of Western Christianity. How do you perceive its cultural and artistic significance?
I believe Notre Dame is a monument to Western Christianity, closely tied to Northern art. While Serbia belongs to the South, Northern art—later referred to by Italians as Gothic art, as opposed to the Romanesque art of the South—spread across much of Europe after its emergence in the 12th and 13th centuries. It originated in Île-de-France and was known in the Middle Ages as Opus Francigenum.
How did this Gothic art influence Europe’s broader cultural identity?
Having occupied a significant part of Europe, the Franks introduced this art form beyond its original Frankish boundaries. In the 19th century, Germans claimed to have invented Gothic art. When Germany was established as a nation during that period, it adopted the unfinished Cologne Cathedral to symbolise its Germanic identity, completing it in the Gothic style. Gothic art became a cornerstone of the cultural identity of the Germanic peoples, as the Franks themselves were a Germanic tribe.
What role does Notre Dame play in this context?
Notre Dame Cathedral is the one of the earliest and most significant monuments of Gothic art. During the Middle Ages, it was a masterpiece of architecture and an important intellectual centre, home to a renowned school where Pierre Abélard, one of the first major philosophers of the time, taught in the 12th century. It is considered the mother of the University of Paris, known today as the Sorbonne, one of the oldest European universities after Bologna.
While Bologna is historically associated with the study of law, Notre Dame and the University of Paris were central to the liberal arts and intellectual life. Thus, the cathedral represents a dual symbol of Gothic culture and scholarly achievement.
Notre Dame is not just a monument but a timeless symbol of Gothic culture and intellectual achievement
Do you see a connection between Serbia’s cultural identity and this broader European heritage?
I believe that Serbia is part of this cultural circle. Recently, Notre Dame has become a symbol of Paris—Europe’s artistic and cultural capital and one of its most important political centres. Naturally, it has long attracted the attention of artists and writers and has been one of the first major tourist destinations in history.
Before the fire, Notre Dame was the most visited monument in Europe, with 12 million visitors annually. Its global fame was further solidified through animated films and musical adaptations of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which brought to life the iconic bells of the cathedral and the tragic story of the bohemian Esmeralda. Notre Dame embodies architecture, intellectual life, and art, seamlessly uniting these elements into a symbol of European heritage.
France has a distinct approach to heritage preservation. Could you elaborate on this?
France’s approach to historical religious monuments has been unique since Napoleon’s Concordat. Cathedrals belong to the state, which is responsible for their maintenance and care. As the director for Heritage, I oversaw Notre Dame Cathedral. At the time, we were working on restoring its façade. Interestingly, for that particular restoration, the state didn’t contribute financially; the project was entirely funded thanks to the incredible generosity of donors worldwide, including Serbia, which donated one million euros.
This restoration effort was genuinely extraordinary and without precedent. The state’s role was limited to managing and allocating the incoming funds. Restoration principles in France adhere to well-established national standards that are also internationally recognised. However, the relationship between the state and historical monuments often depends on practical realities, such as financial constraints. When there isn’t enough money, everything progresses more slowly.
France’s heritage preservation policy is a long-standing tradition, firmly established and widely supported by public opinion. It benefits from the expertise of architects, specialised companies, and artists dedicated to preserving cultural heritage. The main challenge, however, lies in insufficient funding. France has many religious monuments and cultural heritage sites, far exceeding the available financial resources. This raises the question of whether some sites are deteriorating simply due to lack of funds and whether investments are being made in all monuments that require restoration, many of which remain neglected.
Tourism is a significant driver of France’s economy. How does it tie into cultural preservation?
Tourism, one of France’s leading industries, is crucial to this equation. Tourists visit France primarily because of its cultural heritage. When considering the revenue tourism generates for the country versus the amount reinvested in preserving this heritage, many—including myself—believe that more could and should be allocated to this purpose.
Serbia stands at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe, offering a unique potential to bridge and foster dialogue between these two cultural spheres
How do you view cultural exchanges between France and Serbia?
France doesn’t fully appreciate Serbia’s cultural richness, which is worth mentioning. I’m not sure how much Serbians know about France, but I intuitively feel that we are the ones who need to learn more about Serbian culture.
Yesterday, I heard traditional Serbian songs during the Heritage Heroine Award ceremony, where Svetlana Spajić was honoured. I listened to her perform polyphonic a cappella singing, reminding me of similar Corsica traditions. This musical and cultural heritage is vibrant and important, and I believe there is significant potential for greater cultural exchange in this area.
There are indeed common threads connecting European cultures. Of course, each has unique traits, but these shared elements could serve as a foundation for jointly building a European cultural heritage. Unfortunately, the European Union still shows some weakness in this area.
Language is often central to cultural identity. What role does the French play today?
The French language has been crucial to shaping French identity. French was established as the official state language, even though there have always been significant regional differences. For instance, I am Breton, and my paternal grandmother neither spoke nor understood French. My father’s native language was Breton.
French has long been the language of administration, diplomacy, literature, and culture. However, we must acknowledge that it is no longer a dominant global cultural language. Despite this, alongside English, French remains one of the few languages spoken on five continents. Yet, it can no longer compete with English regarding global influence.
Some might even see this as a blessing. International English is often criticised—even by the British—for its simplicity and lack of nuance. This global version of English is more American than British, reflecting American culture’s dominance and world vision. Language is a vessel for culture; what America exports is its language, worldview, and values. Unfortunately, France has stopped exporting its vision of the world.
However, we shouldn’t dwell on this. Our focus and hope should lie in Europe. What matters to us now is Europe’s cultural heritage—its diversity, richness, and shared values. This is the great cause we must champion together through our cultural legacy.
Finally, is there a place for Serbia in Europe’s future?
Of course. Serbia’s history is deeply complex, challenging, and often tragic. It has frequently been caught between competing empires and annexed by cultures that were not its own. However, Serbia should shape the European concept we strive to build—one still in its infancy.
It’s also important to recognise that two Europes—Eastern and Western—must engage in dialogue. Serbia finds itself in an exciting position, standing at the crossroads of these two Europes. As such, Serbia has the potential to serve as a point of dialogue—a bridge between Europe divided by political history.
This interview was conducted with the support of Institut Français in Belgrade.