On Friday, August 18, 2023, General Jean-Louis Georgelin, who was in charge of overseeing the reconstruction works of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, passed away in a hiking accident in the Pyrenees.
In a hiking accident in the Pyrenees, the high-ranking French officer passed away on Friday, August 18th, in the evening at the age of 74. The cathedral of Paris, in the midst of reconstruction, is left orphaned by the man of character.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, was keen to honor the life of the former military officer. “With the passing of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the Nation loses one of its great soldiers. France loses one of its great servants. And Notre-Dame loses the mastermind of its rebirth,” he lamented.
Furthermore, the memory of the general was also honored by Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces. “A life in service of France. Jean-Louis Georgelin embodied a certain idea of loyalty and commitment,” he wrote. “He will not see Notre-Dame rebuilt, his final project. France loses a great servant. The army loses a great general. My thoughts are with his loved ones,” he concluded.
As a reminder, General Jean-Louis Georgelin held the position of Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic from October 25, 2002, to October 3, 2006, before becoming Chief of the Defence Staff from October 4, 2006, to February 24, 2010. Lastly, he held the position of Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour from June 9, 2010, to August 31, 2016.
