Michelle Obama Was Dining On Paris River Cruise Near Notre Dame As It Caught Fire Michelle Obama almost witnessed firsthand the destruction of Notre Dame. As the fires were ravaging the historic cathedral, the former First Lady was dining in Paris. The world watched in horror on April 15 as fires tore through Notre Dame, and Michelle Obama, 55, was one of the many people left aghast at the destruction of the French landmark. However, unlike those whose eyes were glued to news coverage of the fire, the former FLOTUS was actually in France when the blaze broke out. Michelle, who was in Paris for a Conference at the Accord Hotel as part of the promotion of her bestseller, Becoming, had boarded the Ducasse du Sienne, a dinner cruise, earlier in the night. Though the night began joyous, with the former First Lady sipping wine with her fellow guests, the mood shifted when chef Alain Ducasse showed her coverage of the fire. Michelle’s expression “completely changed,” according to BACKGRID, as she was visibly concerned over what she saw. She almost got a front-row view of the destruction. Notre Dame is one of the focal points of the Ducasse du Sienne, and the cruise was supposed to travel right by it. However, the captain of the luxury electric boat housing the former First Lady made an executive decision to take a different route, ensure the safety of both Michelle and the rest of the passengers.