Three years after the fire, Notre-Dame de Paris is gradually regaining its beauty

"The interior dusting and cleaning of the vaults, walls and floor" which should be completed shortly, as well as the preparation of the vaults for their reconstruction, "have restored the cathedral to its original whiteness", welcomes the establishment public in charge of the restoration site, a few days before the 3rd anniversary of the fire which will take place on Friday.

Before the fire, the cathedral welcomed nearly 12 million visitors, 2.400 offices and 150 concerts per year.

On April 15, 2019, a gigantic fire ravaged this masterpiece of Gothic art, causing the collapse of its frame, its famous spire, its clock and part of its vault, ravaged by flames. , under the dumbfounded gaze of millions of people around the world.

The gaping hole left in the building has given way to a forest of scaffolding which also covers its sides.

The titanic project began in April 2019 with the "securing" of the building (bending of the 28 flying buttresses, dismantling of the scaffolding which surrounded the spire, clearing of the rubble, depollution of the 450 tonnes of lead partially vaporized in the atmosphere...). A "major stage" under high security which was completed in the summer of 2021, at a total cost of 151 million euros.

The disaster had sparked an unprecedented outpouring of generosity, with nearly 844 million euros in donations collected from 340.000 donors from 150 countries to date, according to the public establishment responsible for the restoration project.

In parallel with the work in progress in the cathedral, restoration work is continuing in craft workshops throughout France.

Archaeological surprises

The great organ, dating from 1733 and the largest in France, was spared the fire but covered in lead dust. It has been dismantled like the stained glass windows, and is being cleaned like 22 large-format paintings from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, while several statues, already restored, are on display at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris. .

We will have to wait a little longer for the launch of the reconstruction work on the medieval framework of the nave and the choir and the spire of Viollet-le-Duc, with a solid oak wood frame, which should dawn in the sky. of Paris from the spring of 2023, according to the public establishment.

A thousand oaks from public and private forests have already been sawn in anticipation.

Another key stage of the construction site must start on Wednesday: the extraction of the stones which will make it possible to rebuild the destroyed or damaged vaults.

Two test sites were carried out between September 2020 and April 2021 in the interior chapels of the cathedral, 24 in all, to define the techniques that will restore them to their original colors.

At the beginning of March, preventive excavations reserved a major surprise at the heart of the site: the discovery of a lead sarcophagus and the remains of the old rood screen of the cathedral dating from the XNUMXth century, a stone platform which separated the liturgical choir of the nave and the faithful.

The diocese intends to take advantage of the restoration of Notre-Dame to give new life to its interior design by integrating contemporary art from old masters such as the Le Nain brothers or Charles Le Brun, light at face level, benches mobiles to replace secular chairs and biblical phrases projected on the walls.

The crypt, located under the cathedral, should also serve as a storage space with easy access by installing an elevator.

When they return to the famous cathedral in 2024, tourists and worshipers will now enter through the large central door and no longer through the side doors. They will benefit from a refined course around a central axis going from the nave to the choir.