The Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes, during the firefighters' intervention -

Mathieu Pattier / SIPA

  • A major clean-up operation will be carried out in the walls of Nantes cathedral until February.

  • An essential step before new diagnostic operations on the condition of the cathedral, in particular the vaults and the gallery.

More than four months after the disaster, an "important" site is being prepared in the cathedral of Nantes, affected by a major fire.

In the coming days, and until the end of February, a major clean-up operation will be carried out within the building, which has an abnormally high level of lead.

An essential step for the actual restoration work.

In recent months, surface analyzes have been carried out at several points in Saint-Pierre Cathedral, which has been closed completely.

"It emerges that this one is largely affected by lead pollution, due in particular to the combustion of the pipes of the great organ, present on the ground, the walls as well as on the movable objects", concluded the regional direction of the affairs. cultural heritage of Pays-de-la-Loire, which is accompanied by a firm specializing in the field.

In particular, mobile decontamination units have been installed.

Others are expected on the forecourt.

Clearance and cleaning

Because at the same time, the teams will proceed with the clearing of the organ stand, where “a large number of vestiges of the instrument and the buffet” are still present.

This is again an operation considered "complex", which requires the installation of scaffolding and the use of lifting machines, details the Drac.

In the same area, it is also planned to clean the soot on the tombs of François II and Marguerite de Foix, that of Lamoricière, and on the other sculptures present in the cathedral.

“This operation is urgent because the deposits of ash and soot caused by the fire can, in the medium term, stain the surface of the marbles”.

At the end of the clean-up, new diagnostic operations on the condition of the cathedral, in particular the vaults and the gallery, must be carried out.

At the end of August, the authorities indicated that a partial reopening of the monument could be envisaged for 2021.

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  • Fire

  • Nantes

  • Pollution

  • Cathedral