The BBC have just screened a documentary on the fire at Notre Dame which had me on the edge of the sofa.
When the raging fire started in the 14th century cathedral on 15 April 2019, there were fears that the priceless structure would be burned to the ground. The pompiers arrived fast and viewers shared their efforts to prevent catastrophic damage to the building’s interior. This documentary analyses how the fire began, featuring footage from film-makers the Naudet brothers and testimony from the firefighters themselves.
The head of the Paris Fire brigade was shown making literally life-or-death decisions; we saw a young pompier only just qualified, on her first call-out climbing the tight spiral staircase in intense heat with 30kg of equipment on her back; the arrival of a shell-shocked President Macron was filmed; and we witnessed the complex saving of relics which included Christ’s crown of thorns.
The pompers wielding high-pressure hoses eventually saved the church from complete destruction and the spontaneous applause of the crowds as 
they drove back to base was so moving.
‘Storyville: the Night Notre Dame Burned’ is 90 minutes of excellent documentary-making. Available on BBC i-Player for the next year. English subtitles for all French interviews.
In search of a French film to watch this week, I happened across 
Lots of golden leaves on the ground and autumnal chills make warming dishes very welcome: this recipe makes the most of the
on to the market. Villa Le Roc Fleuri at Cap de Nice is where he lived in the 70s and 80s – in fact some filming took place there for James Bond movies. What an achievement for a young man, born into deprivation in inner city Edinburgh where they didn’t have a bathroom to their name. Take a peek inside: 
With so much closed right now, at least we can open a good book, and what a treat to read ‘A Noel Killing’ set in Aix at Christmas – the festive, crowded, colourful Aix we all remember. It’s the latest in the series of novels set in town by local author M L Longworth. I’ve read them all so far and enjoy the intricate plots set in locations I know so well.
