On the forecourt of Notre-Dame-de-Paris, Sunday, September 20, Loïc Desmonts is working to transform a tree trunk into an impeccably cut beam.
Equipped with a doloire, an ax used for rendering wood, the carpenter, in suspenders and velvet pants, performs the same gestures as the builders of the 13th century in front of the curious who came for the traditional Heritage Days .
"It is a bit the dream of all carpenters to one day be able to put a piece of wood in Notre-Dame. It is the most prestigious site of the 21st century. But it is already a privilege to be able to be on the site. square and to participate in the safeguarding of the know-how that the elders bequeathed to us and to share it with the public. For me, that is priceless ", enthuses the young man of 21 years, member of the he Charpentiers sans frontières association, which brings together several hundred professionals around the world passionate about wood construction.
The carpenter took part in the assembly of farm n ° 7. Displayed on the forecourt, it is one of the 25 triangular load-bearing structures which made up "the forest", the nickname given to the frame of Notre-Dame which left in smoke in the cathedral fire in April 2019.
This oak structure 10 meters high and more than 3 tons, intended to support the roof of the cathedral, was built in 5 days in Normandy several weeks ago and mobilized 25 carpenters.
Posted by Charpentiers sans frontières - Carpenters without Borders on Thursday, July 9, 2020
"It was interesting for the project management of Notre-Dame to see all these assemblies produced in real size, to understand how these technologies had worked and especially how to implement them today", explains François Calame, ethnologist and member. of Carpenters Without Borders.
According to him, the "forest" of the cathedral could be rebuilt in the old fashioned way within a reasonable time, if this technique were chosen.
The marriage of the old and the modern
Faced with traditional methods, the Parisian public could also discover, with the Compagnons du Duty, more modern methods using large machines or even a crane to lift gigantic wooden structures.
"We are not in competition at all, immediately warns Jérôme Carraz, trainer at the Compagnons du Duty. We are all carpenters."
He is certain that the frame of Notre-Dame can be rebuilt identically.
"Not only do we have the know-how but in addition we teach them! So we know how to do it as a company will know how to do it with a cutting machine or the Carpenters Without Borders with the techniques of the 13th century", analyzes Jérôme Carraz, whose the pupils could participate in the restoration project in the years to come.
"We will not intervene directly but our young people are likely to be hired in private companies that will participate in the work," he said.
Regardless of the methods used, many of the visitors express their admiration.
"It's a very beautiful job. It's impressive!" Exclaims Reda, her eyes riveted on a carpenter wielding an ax balanced on the trunk of an oak tree.
But also their impatience.
"We can't wait that one day we can come back and visit it. It's still Notre-Dame-de-Paris!", Explains Manon, originally from Nancy in eastern France.
Still a little patience
However, the reconstruction of the "forest" is not for tomorrow and will only constitute a stage in the complex project which lies ahead.
"The cathedral is still stricto sensu in a state of peril, which has not been lifted because we have to be able to definitively inspect the vault. We have to wait until the famous scaffolding which had burned around the spire has come down. There is still a month or so, "General Jean-Louis Georgelin, in charge of coordinating the restoration of the cathedral, told AFP.
"We are coming to the end of the consolidation and securing phase and we will soon be able to tackle the actual restoration phase, after a period of studies", he continued.
President Emmanuel Macron finally opted in July for an identical reconstruction of the cathedral, that is to say as close as possible to its state just before the fire that occurred on the evening of April 15, 2019. The reopening of the building is scheduled for 2024, the year Paris is to host the Olympic Games.
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