Salma Hayek's French billionaire husband pledges 100 million euros to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral as President Macron launches a national fundraising campaign to restore the building to its former glory Visibly upset Macron said outside the Notre Dame he was planning to rebuild Firefighters battled for hours on Monday to stop the blaze at the gothic cathedral Billionaire Francois Henri-Pinault has pledged 100 million euros (£86.2 million)By Joe Middleton For Mailonline and Afp Published: 01:28 BST, 16 April 2019 | Updated: 06:53 BST, 16 April 2019 1.3k shares 512 Viewcomments The billionaire husband of Salma Hayek has pledged 100 million euros to help rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral after a catastrophic blaze destroyed its roof. French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault made the announcement just hours after a huge fire took place of the 850-year-old landmark in the heart of Paris yesterday. Pinault, who married Mexican-American actress Salma Hayek in 2009, is chief executive of Kering, which owns brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. It came after a visibly emotional French President Emmanuel Macron spoke outside the gothic cathedral and said a national fundraising campaign to restore Notre Dame would be launched Tuesday, as he called on the world's 'greatest talents' to help. He said while the 'worst had been avoided' and the facade and two towers saved, 'the next hours will be difficult'. French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault with wife Salma Hayek and Valentina Paloma Pinault (right) Pinault, who married Mexican-American actress Salma Hayek in 2009, is chief executive of Kering, which owns brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent Firefighters tackle the blaze on Monday evening as flames and smoke rise from the Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris Late on Monday evening French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault pledged 100 million euros (£86.2 million) towards the rebuilding of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was partly gutted by a devastating fire French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, left, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, right, answer reporters after watching the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet said 'we can consider that the main structure of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved' as well as the two towers. Smoke is seen around the alter inside Notre Dame cathedral on Monday evening. Miracolously the cross and altar have managed to survive the inferno Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, also present at the scene on Monday evening, said that for the first time 'the fire had decreased in intensity' while still urging 'extreme caution'. The Vatican on Monday expressed its 'incredulity' and 'sadness', expressing 'our closeness with French Catholics and with the Parisian population.' The cause of the blaze was not immediately confirmed. The cathedral had been undergoing intense restoration work which the fire service said could be linked to the blaze. French prosecutors said it was being treated as an 'involuntary' fire, indicating that foul play was ruled out for now. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility