Paris (AFP)

The consolidation of Notre-Dame de Paris is progressing slowly six months after the fire but the "ambition" of five years for its reconstruction is maintained, 922 million euros having already been promised for the site of the century.

"One hundred and four million euros have already been paid by the donors who are in total 350,000," said the Minister of Culture Franck Riester, taking stock of six months.

But "it is too early to say whether the amount of donations will be enough, the state will assume its responsibilities, we will not leave Notre-Dame plan," he said.

The estimated budget for the entire consolidation phase is 85 million euros.

Three foundations - Fondation Notre-Dame, Fondation du Patrimoine, Fondation de France - and the Center des monuments nationaux (CMN) raised funds for the national subscription. "The facilities for tax deductions" fuel the momentum of solidarity, Riester said.

Notre-Dame "is not totally saved" as long as the vault is not consolidated and the scaffolding is not dismantled, however, reminded the minister.

The chief architect of Notre-Dame, Philippe Villeneuve, said Tuesday that the five-year period, retained by President Macron, was tenable "if we redo the same" because we would win "a certain time".

"Either I restore identically, it will be me, or we make a contemporary arrow and it will be another," warned the chief architect at the bedside of the cathedral since 2013.

The reconstruction of the Viollet-le-Duc spire is one of the sensitive points of the site. Mr. Villeneuve had decided in June for a restoration to the identical.

It stands out from the idea of ​​Mr. Macron to include a "contemporary gesture" on the iconic cathedral and meets the desire of a majority of French architectural continuity.

- "An ambition" of five years -

Asked about the possibility of a competition of architects that worries the defenders of the heritage, Mr. Riester relativized: "Will it be a competition of architects, a competition of ideas, all this is not finalized, all this needs to be refined. "

The minister assured that, even if the last word will return to the State owner, this one will listen "the very particular and fundamental opinion" of the diocese and also of the City of Paris.

He stressed that Mr. Macron "set an ambition for a fast-paced restoration" and defended the behavior of the authorities, especially on the risks of pollution. "I do not feel that we've been hiding and hiding anything, it started with a sprint," he said.

The prefect of Ile-de-France, Michel Cadot, had made Monday a reassuring record, saying that the site was now "waterproof" and the analyzes carried out did not show over-contamination of young children.

The dismantling of the scaffolding that threatens the cathedral was to begin in November, and take until March or April. The public establishment under the command of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, which will employ 40 people, should see the light at the end of November.

Once the building cleared and the vault consolidated, Mr.Villeneuve plans to "reopen the cult and the cathedral quickly", even if there is still work. He rejected, however, the idea of ​​a Mass for Christmas.

The rector of the cathedral, Bishop Patrick Chauvet, wished a temporary tent for the faithful and launched a call to accelerate the consolidation: "We must not go too fast, not to miss, but we must not too much delay if we want the cathedral to be still standing ".

Several works still remain in the cathedral: The triumph of Job of Guido Reni and Saint Peter healing the patients of his shadow by Laurent La Hyre, as well as the reliquary shrine of Saint Genevieve, and the Assumption of Jouvenet.

© 2019 AFP