‘Miracle’ as bees survive Notre Dame blaze

Not everything was destroyed in the fire. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Gilbert Bochenek.

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Three hives containing a population of over 180,000 bees were left unscathed by the devastating fire.

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Despite the roof of the historic Parisian cathedral being shrouded in flames, the hives, which were situated on the roof of the building’s first floor, survived without so much as a scratch.

“Thank goodness the flames didn’t touch them,” said beekeeper Nicolas Geant. “It’s a miracle.”

For several days following the fire it was unclear whether or not the hives had been destroyed. It wasn’t until aerial photos were taken that it was possible to confirm that they had survived.

“I was incredibly sad about Notre Dame because it’s such a beautiful building, and as a Catholic it means a lot to me,” said Geant.

“But to hear there is life when it comes to the bees, that’s just wonderful.”

Beekeeping on rooftops is surprisingly common in Paris with several prominent buildings hosting their own hives as part of a concerted effort to help curb the decline in bee populations.

In total there are thought to be at least 700 hives spread across the city.