Hollywood actress Salma Hayek has posted a gushing tribute to her billionaire husband's generosity after he pledged 100 million euros to rebuild the Notre Dame - as total donations reached a billion euros last night.
The 52-year-old's beau, Francois-Henri Pinault, pledged the enormous sum less than 24 hours after the fire devastated the Notre Dame.
Bernard Arnault of luxury goods group LVMH doubled the 100 million euros pledged by Mr Pinault, and other heavyweight donors include the Bettencourt family - owners of cosmetics giant L'Oreal - have given 200 million euros.
But the largesse of the billionaires and corporate giants raised questions among some French people over whether they had hidden motives such as seeking tax breaks - something Hayek was quick to dismiss in her lavish tribute to the Pinault family on Instagram.
Posting the snap with her husband and father-in-law on Wednesday, she said: 'Today more than ever I feel proud to be part of the Pinault family.
'Not only for their personal and heart felt participation in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris but also because their contribution wont be claiming any tax deductions from the government.
Macron spoke to the French nation in a TV address on Tuesday evening to reassure people that the cathedral would be rebuilt within five years
Pinault, who married Mexican-American actress Salma Hayek in 2009, is chief executive of Kering, which owns brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent
'My husband and father in law are two generous french citizens, who sincerely understand the importance of this spiritual, cultural and historical treasure from Paris to the world.'
There has been growing anger over the fact that wealthy donors can benefit from tax deductions of up to 66 per cent, depriving the French treasury of income.
Just two days after an inferno destroyed the spire of the ancient place of worship, the fund to rebuilt has reached the one billion euro mark -as President Macron said the cathedral would be rebuilt in five years time.
Stephane Bern, the TV personality who helped launch the appeal by saying Notre Dame was 'a close friend who almost disappeared' said on Wednesday morning: 'The billion-euro mark of donations was reached during the day.'
Macron said in a televised address on Tuesday night that the cathedral would be rebuilt 'even more beautifully' within the next few years as he urged the French nation to 'come together'.
France's richest man Bernard Arnault (pictured with his wife Hélène in 2014), made an donation of 200 million euros (£172million) – doubling that of Francois-Henri Pinault
French multinational companies are among those who have pledged money to restore the medieval cathedral, which was engulfed by flames on Monday following a likely accident in its loft.
L'Oreal promised 200 million euros (£172.7m) on Tuesday, while the LVMH luxury goods group run by Bernard Arnault, the richest man in France, has pledged the same.
Multi-billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault and oil company Total have also pledged 100 million euros (£87m) each.
Other high-profile French donors included the investor Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere with 10 million euros, and construction magnates Martin and Olivier Bouygues, also with 10 million euros.
Among other firms, the Credit Agricole bank gave five
