Thousands of Ancient Books Damaged in Fire at French Cathedral Cloister

An accidental fire in the cloister of the Condom cathedral in Gers, France, has caused significant damage to thousands of ancient books, some dating back to the 16th century. The incident occurred on Friday evening, impacting a portion of the cathedral's cloister.

Jean-François Sabathier, the mayor of Condom, stated that approximately "90% of the 4,300 books in the old collection have been damaged." He explained that some books are water-damaged from the firefighters' intervention, while others are partially burned. "We are trying to preserve what can be preserved, as much as possible," he added, referring to both the books and the cloister itself, described as a "remarkable vaulted building" that houses part of the municipal library.

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Approximately 90% of the 4,300 books in the old collection have been damaged. Some are water-damaged (due to the firefighters' intervention), others partially burned.

The fire, which is believed to be accidental though still under confirmation, notably destroyed a section of the Bossuet collection. This included a missal belonging to Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, who served as bishop of Condom in the 17th century. The mayor indicated that efforts are underway to catalog all affected books, which range from the 16th to the 19th century. Fortunately, the cadastral archives were saved, and efforts are being made to secure the cloister.

Around fifty firefighters were mobilized to extinguish the flames. The incident occurred in a town with a population of just over 6,000 inhabitants. The cloister is a significant architectural feature of the cathedral.

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We are trying to preserve what can be preserved, as much as possible.