Interesting take on the rebuild here
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/17/debate-should-notre-dame-rebuilt-mould-original-reimagined-modern/

Replicate or redesign?

I like the idea mentioned earlier of a restoration to take it as far back to the medieval version as they can – with some modern bits thrown in. New meets old etc.

I have yet to meet anyone who wishes that 25 years ago Hampton Court had been given a glass hall on its south front or that at Windsor’s St. George’s Hall should have been a glass atrium rather than the elegant gothic revival interior that is now there.

I think that puts the argument to bed honestly – but I can see the other argument as well. It does strike me as a building that would suit a modern rebuild.

A nasty development:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47973354

In a further twist the yellow vests are getting outraged by the way these companies will be getting a 60% tax rebate for the donations they made. Pinault has said he wont be taking the rebate.
The main argument:

However, the outpouring of cash has angered supporters of France’s Yellow Vest movement, which noted that President Emmanuel Macron’s “rich friends” stood to receive major tax breaks linked to donations in support of the public good and restoring national treasures.

They also pointed out that the sudden willingness of wealthy businesses to turn out their pockets showed that money was available to boost the French government’s coffers.

France being a secular country raises the question of government participation in a religious matter. Nice cartoon in the guardian yesterday of the rebuilt ND with all the corporate logos displayed on it.

In a further twist the yellow vests are getting outraged by the way these companies will be getting a 60% tax rebate for the donations they made.

can someone explain how this works?

I thought that it meant that you got the tax you paid on your E100 million earnings either refunded or taken off next years bill – so someone is paying E40million from their own pocket to give E100million?

hardly the genius business move of the century, which is how the yellow jackets are trying to spin it.

Maybe the gilet jaunes should worry more about how much damage they have caused. Town centers are empty and shops struggling.
Can’t stand them.

It’s a UNESCO world heritage site, can you imagine Macron (or any other president) saying ‘not me guv’? it would be electoral suicide. The GJ’s can sod off as well, they’d be applying every tax discount available if the shoe was on their foot.

I would be ok with using steel for the roof as per the bbc news article, especially if it becomes part of the stone preservation system (to keep the stone stable if it needs it). I’d be ok with modern additions in some of it tbh, and personally I wouldn’t bother putting the spire back, it always seemed a bit of an odd addition that detracts from the bell tower front