Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo pictured with Pope Francis at The Vatican ©The Vatican

Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, has been received by Pope Francis at the Vatican, where topics of discussion included the Paris 2024 Olympics and the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

In a message posted on her social networks, Anne Hidalgo briefly mentioned her visit to the Vatican on Saturday (March 18), as reported by sportetsociete.

She wrote: "Infinitely honoured by the audience granted to me by Pope Francis.

"We had a fascinating conversation about solidarity between peoples, the great moment of brotherhood that will be the 2024 Games and of course Notre-Dame de Paris, this jewel that unites us."

The Mayor and the Sovereign Pontiff are reported to have spoken for 40 minutes in Spanish - their common language - on topics which also included climate change.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo presented Pope Francis with two prints of Notre-Dame Cathedral during her recent audience at The Vatican ©The Vatican
Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo presented Pope Francis with two prints of Notre-Dame Cathedral during her recent audience at The Vatican ©The Vatican

Hidalgo subsequently offered Pope Francis the reproduction of two old photographs of Notre-Dame Cathedral - dating respectively from 1854 and 1859 - showing the appearance of the building without and with its spire installed according to the plans of the architect Viollet-le-Duc.

Construction work is underway on the Cathedral after the fire which ravaged it in 2019, and the Pope and Mayor discussed the prospect of it being open in time for the staging of the Games.

The meeting came a few months after the reception at the Vatican of the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.

Bach was received in a private audience while the International Summit of Sport was being held at the Holy See from September 29 to 30.