This certification attests to the sustainable origin of the solid oak wood materials used and the responsible nature of the work carried out by the public establishment, project owner, and the chief architects of historic monuments, project managers, of this construction site.
A commitment to serving cultural and natural heritage

The medieval frames of the nave and the choir, built in the 13th century, and those of the spire of Viollet-le-Duc and the two arms of the transept, dating from the 19th century, were destroyed in the fire of April 15, 2019. They have been rebuilt identically, respecting the techniques and their original material, solid oak wood.
By reconstructing the framework of Notre-Dame de Paris in wood, part of which – the large attic – is also called “the forest”, the common history of the cathedral and the French forests will continue to be written for the next centuries.
Like Notre-Dame de Paris, French forests are living symbols of our cultural, material and intangible heritage; it is important to preserve them and ensure their longevity to pass them on to future generations.
The commitment of an entire sector
In a show of solidarity, the entire French forestry sector mobilized to provide the wood necessary to meet the requirements of the specifications established by the chief architects of historic monuments, the project managers of this exceptional project. Actors from state forests, municipal forests, forestry cooperatives, forestry experts, private owners and processing companies have invested so that each stage of the reconstruction of the frames is carried out in a sustainable forest management approach, making it possible to maintain the balance between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of the forest.
This systemic approach allows the renewal of the forests from which the woods come, to maintain their multifunctionality while preserving their diversity, their vitality, their productivity and their capacity for regeneration.
PEFC project certification: proof of commitment
This certification developed by PEFC makes it possible to certify, on the one hand, that at least 70% of the total volume of wood used is PEFC certified, guaranteeing the implementation of PEFC forest certification requirements which defines and controls a set of forest management rules applicable by all forest stakeholders (forest owners, forest managers, forest operators, forestry work contractors). On the other hand, the implementation of the PEFC chain of custody in project certification certifies that all parties involved in carrying out a construction or renovation project, whether they are certified companies or subcontractors , have implemented the control principles defined by PEFC, which make it possible to monitor the flow of certified wood at each stage of their processing and marketing.
Today, thanks to the 35 PEFC certified sawmills involved in the project, the majority of which are PEFC certified, the 175 PEFC certified forests, and the use of more than 80% PEFC certified logs, all of the frames of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral benefits from PEFC project certification.
Thus, the implementation of PEFC rules for sustainable forest management on the one hand, and chain of custody on the other hand, allows the delivery of PEFC certification for the entire Notre-Dame de Paris wood reconstruction project. , attesting to the commitment of stakeholders to sustainable forest management and an environmentally, socially and economically responsible timber project.
For Philippe Jost, president of the Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris establishment: “I thank PEFC France and the FCBA Technological Institute for this certification. It salutes the remarkable commitment of all the players in the forest-timber sector and their decisive support: the ONF, France Bois Forêt and its members, the mayors of forest communities, private owners and their representatives as well as sawyers. from all over France, who have chosen to donate one or more trees and their transformation. I would like to warmly thank them as well as the carpenters, quavers and carpenters who put their know-how at the service of the rebirth of the cathedral as part of an exemplary restoration. »
For Christine de Neuville, president of PEFC France: “Having this certification today recognizes the commitment of the project owner, the public establishment Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris, but also of the entire forest-timber sector in favor of the sustainability of the French forest . This extraordinary mobilization of the sector to restore a symbol of French heritage is a perfect illustration of the vision and desire that PEFC has had for 25 years now: bringing together and offering all forest stakeholders solutions to make facing the common challenge that awaits us: the evolution of environmental, economic and societal forest issues in France in the face of global warming and thus preserve the French forest. »