Notre-Dame Cathedral – over 850 years old – was ravaged by fire,  exactly a year ago , in front of our horrified eyes.

Suddenly, four days after the removal for restoration of the statues of the apostles located around the spire drawn by Viollet-Le-Duc, fire started in this epicenter formed by the scaffolding. The spire, like a pyre, collapsed. The cathedral choir and nave were ablaze, and the lead roof covering melted in sulfur-colored fumes. The frame burned, and the stained glass windows exploded in an apocalyptic spectacle.

Miraculously, the cathedral resisted, with the courage and technical excellence of the Parisian firefighters.

Didier DURAND, CIO of  PIERRENOEL Company , then asked me to follow the consolidation work on the cathedral.

This report in the heart of Notre-Dame was very painful, and of course bringing hope. I was very proud too. I cannot help now going to contemplate it as often as possible ...…

 

 
 
 
The vault of Notre-Dame
and the holes in the vault
caused by the fall of the spire

 
 
 
The removal of the statues
on the gables weakened
by the fire

Above the vault, the frame
(called the «burnt forest»),
with 300 tonnes of scaffolding
melted and covered with lead
which remains to be removed
by the rope access technicians

 

 

 
The guardian angel, north gallery

The installation of the last hanger
to support the flying buttress

 
Notre-Dame in her bandages

 

  Notre-Dame, quai Montebello
 

  Rue de la Bûcherie, Paris 5°
 

  Le café Ronsard, place Maubert
 

 
 

  Place Maubert, bd Saint-Germain
 

  Rue Clovis
 

  Place de la Contrescarpe
 

 
 

  Métro Saint-Michel
 

  Place de la Sorbonne
 

  Place du Panthéon
 

 
Paris is deserted by Parisians and tourists. Its metamorphosis impresses me with its monuments and its streets empty of life, here of the right bank. Only the closed parks and gardens show a fabulous spring without pollution, flourishing trees and animals in freedom …

The pyramid of the Louvre,
one of the 2 entries of the museum
(9,6 million visitors in 2019)
 

The Triumphal Arch
of the Carrousel
 

The Triumphal Arch of the Carrousel,
the Place de la Concorde,
the Triumphal Arch of Place de l’Étoile
and the Great Arch:
Royal Axis on the same perspective
 

 
 

The Tuileries Garden
the oldest "jardin à la française",
designed by André le Nôtre
at the request of Louis XIV
 

Avenue des Champs Élysées
 

Place de la Concorde
 

 
 

Place de la Concorde,
côté Rue Royale
 

Place Vendôme
 

Place de l’Opéra
 

 
 
 
 
… of the Queen’s bedchamber, the Nobles’ Room and the Coronation Room after restoration by  Atelier ARCOA  and  Atelier MÉRIGUET-CARRÈRE .

 
The Queen’s Bedchamber :
 

 
The Nobles’ Room :

 
The Coronation’ Room :