Lockdown stalls Notre-dame’s make a year after fire

Perched over the gaping roof of Notredame, a crane stands idle above the silent Paris cathedral, where repair work has ground to a halt one year after the monstrous blaze that nearly destroyed one of the world’s most revered monuments. Millions around the world watched in horror last April 15 as firefighters battled through the night to save the 13th-century masterpiece from the fire, which ravaged its roof and toppled the steeple.

French President Emmanuel Macron promised a herculean effort to have the Unesco heritage site restored within five years, in time for the Paris Olympics of 2024.

But France’s lockdown to combat the coronavirus — which has forced a full suspension of work at the site — is making that goal even more unlikely than before.

Work had already been delayed for months by decontamination efforts after more than 300 tonnes of lead from the roof melted in the blaze, covering the site in toxic particles that have proven hard to remove.

And the fragile structure remains at risk despite the massive wooden beams propping up the arches and gables. Authorities had to halt work several times over the winter when winds surpassed 40 km per hour.

The 60 to 70 workers normally on site have not even removed the tangled web of metal scaffolding tubes that fused together in the inferno, which erupted during renovation work on the roof.

Until they do, they cannot install a more durable temporary roof to protect the church’s priceless artworks from rain.

Although investigators have still not determined the cause of the fire, prosecutors suspect faulty electrical wiring or a poorly extinguished cigarette.

Jean-louis Georgelin, the five-star general and fervent Catholic in charge of the renovation, is hoping to resume work soon, perhaps by his “squirrels,” who hang by ropes to reach areas where it is too dangerous to walk.

“For these technicians, these tightrope walkers, social distancing is part of the job,” Georgelin said.

Much of the debris has been removed from the nave, which allowed Paris

Archbishop Michel Aupetit to hold a small Good Friday ceremony in the church last week.

But mounds of debris still have to be cleared above the massive vaulted roof, a more delicate operation that was supposed to be finished this summer.

Notre-dame’s renowned organ must also be removed to have its nearly 8,000 pipes painstakingly cleaned from the layer of lead dust deposited by the melting of the roof and spire.

Countless other cleaning and restoration operations await, and the project’s chief architect Philippe Villeneuve has warned that new challenges could arise as the work progresses.

Even the esplanade in front of Notredame remains off limits, surrounded by a tall fence to keep tourists far from the worksite.

Yet Georgelin said he remains confident the five-year goal will be met despite the coronavirus delay, promising that worshippers will hear a “Te Deum” sung in the cathedral in April 2024.

“Lots of people said we’d cut corners to finish in five years. These are malicious comments — It’s a question of carrying out the work assiduously, without any hesitation,” he said.

Yet officials still have to decide a crucial question: Rebuild the cathedral exactly as it was, using traditional techniques and materials, or incorporate modern equipment and expertise?

Macron has said he is in favour of adding a “contemporary” touch to the spire, which was itself a relatively modern touch, installed by the architect Eugene Viollet-le-duc in the mid-19th century.

Villeneuve has refused to countenance any glass spire, rooftop garden or any other proposals that have emerged. Opinion polls suggest most French share his more conservative view. – AFP

France’s lockdown to combat the coronavirus — which has forced a full suspension of work at the site — is making that goal even more unlikely than before