Weekends provide a moment for reflection amidst the chaos of misinformation. This week, significant events include the reopening of Notre-Dame, which has reignited conspiracy theories about its restoration. The cultural debate surrounding Advent calendars in French schools raises questions about secularism, while false claims about Ukrainian President Zelensky acquiring a hotel in Courchevel highlight ongoing disinformation campaigns. Investigative teams continue to fact-check these narratives to clarify the truth.
Reflecting on the Weekend: A Time for Clarity
The weekend serves as the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect. During the week, we are inundated with conflicting statements from politicians and a surge of misinformation flooding our screens. To cut through the noise, the Verifiers at TF1-LCI comb through the week’s headlines to bring you three crucial fact-checks every Saturday.
Unraveling Conspiracy Theories Around Notre-Dame
This week was highlighted by a momentous occasion: the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris on Sunday, December 8. Following five years of extensive restoration, a grand ceremony took place the day prior, attended by around fifty world leaders, including Donald Trump. However, this event reignited a host of conspiracy theories that challenge the official narrative of the cathedral’s fire.
Our investigative team explored numerous claims regarding the cathedral’s reconstruction. Some individuals allege that elements like the checkered floor or certain features of the nave suggest the influence of ‘Freemasonry’ or even ‘Illuminati’ connections. Notably, President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit before the reopening has stoked rumors of ‘satanic’ symbols, further complicating the public’s understanding of the event.
The Advent Calendar: A Cultural Controversy
As many continue to open their Advent calendars filled with chocolates and treats, this festive tradition has sparked debate in schools across Aisne. Teachers introduced the Advent calendar as a teaching tool as the holiday season approached, prompting an inspector from the National Education to label this as a violation of secular principles. This has ignited a heated discussion on social media, with some politicians asserting that the Advent calendar is an integral part of French culture, while others accuse ‘wokists’ of attempting to erase traditional practices.
To shed light on this topic, we consulted a Swiss historian specializing in social identities and Christmas rituals. According to the historian, the earliest Advent calendars emerged in the early 20th century, featuring sheets adorned with stickers long before evolving into the commercial products we see today. This raises the question: where did this cherished tradition originate?
The Latest Fabrication: Zelensky’s Alleged Hotel Acquisition
From a casino in Cyprus to Goebbels’ villa, and now a purported hotel in Courchevel, pro-Russian narratives are relentless in presenting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a real estate mogul. This week, a rumor surfaced claiming he purchased a hotel in the French ski resort for a staggering 88 million euros, based on a dubious ‘report’ circulating online. This misleading content mimicked journalistic standards, using a fake hotel website to claim the identity of its new owner.
In reality, the hotel’s true owners, the Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco group, clarified to our team that these claims are entirely false, emphasizing that they are in the process of renovating the hotel for a planned opening in December 2026. This tactic is not new; it mirrors previous disinformation campaigns executed by the Russian group Storm-1516, known for disseminating similar falsehoods. At the core of these manipulations lies a company associated with Zelensky and his wife, suggesting that Western aid is being misappropriated by the Ukrainian president.
If you have questions or wish to report suspicious information, please reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also connect with our team on X at @verif_TF1LCI.