CENTURY-OLD OAKS SOUGHT IN REBUILD OF NOTRE-DAME

French forestry experts are searching for 1,000 trees older than 100 years, to rebuild the spire of the Notre-Dame cathedral that was destroyed by fire almost two years ago. The trees will be cut by the end of March to replicate the original spire, designed by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, which was destroyed along with a large chunk of the roof when the Paris landmark went up in flames in April 2019. “For now, we are in the phase of selecting the trees according to the frame that will be needed for the spire. We will choose trees in the forest according to their dimensions: height, diameter, quality,” François Hauet, a forestry expert in Louviers said. President Emmanuel Macron wants Notre-Dame restored to its former glory by 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics.