Construction workers at a railing between the two towers
The tide has turned in the reconstruction of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral, badly damaged in a fire in April, 2019. What had seemed basically a salvage operation when I visited in September 2021 has now become a very busy construction site.
In the first months after the fire, there was considerable anxiety whether the building could be stabilized and saved, and controversy over whether it should be restored to 'as it was' or given a modern treatment. And there was a recognition that President Macron's insistence that the work be completed in time for the 2024 Olympics was, to put it mildly, a stretch.
My September 2021 visit, linked here, focused on the work that was being done to remove the remains of damaged pre-fire scaffolding, to stabilize structures and to plan what could be done. It also included a long wall of explanatory exhibits and reactions from children.
The wall is still there, surrounding the whole site, but now it's covered with new displays showing workers of different crafts working on and off-site on repairs and replacing parts, including the thousands of old-oak timbers that held up the lead-lined roof.
New construction seen through the pillars of the main facade
Even the vast plaza at the front of the cathedral has changed; at the moment it's closed off because construction workers are using it to stack and assemble parts and stage construction work; as I took pictures at its edge, I was constantly dodging construction vehicles loaded with materials.
And they're not the only vehicles involved; the streets alongside are filled with vans and trucks belonging to different contractors working on the projects. And, an entire temporary office building is sitting behind the church to provide workspace for the engineers, managers and others.
One of the most amazing changes noted this time is the beginning of the scaffolding for the rebuilt spire, which will be largely in place by the end of the year. The sloping shape of the scaffolding begins to hint the shaping of the tower, Quite a change from two years ago, where that space was a gaping hole surrounded by twisted metal scaffolding.
One thing that was clear two years ago and is clear still: The fire didn't damage Notre Dame as a draw for visitors. Even with no access to the interior and now little access to the space just outside, the area is crowded with individuals, groups and tours. On a nearby bridge, pay telescopes have been installed for those who are willing to pay €2 for a look.
From some angles, the complexity of the scaffolding and the profusion of cranes can make the site look like modern office construction. One of the cranes, at 80 metres high, is the tallest in Europe.
But from most angles, it's still the Notre Dame the world loves, and it appears to be poised to meet its December 2024 deadline for its grand re-opening.
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