I saw this news piece several months ago, and I'm most impressed at the efforts being made to rebuild it just as it was originally built, using original tools and techniques. No power tools are being used. Everything is cut, carved, fit by hand.

I didn't know they were going all old school!! This is so cool.

Can you imagine being one of the craftsmen working on this project?

Thanks for posting the video. I have been a lifelong fan of the cathedral and was devastated when it burned. I was thankful and happy to see the care with which they are restoring it with original methods and material types. I still want to see it in person some day.


Welcome to DU!

Sure, it’s cool for sentimental reasons, but it seems like it would be really practical to replace the forest of wood timbers under the roof with modern fire-resistant materials. They could even replicate the design of the forest, but with something stronger and lighter. It wouldn’t be seen by most visitors to the cathedral. But for some reason, they never consulted with me.

And I loved the video too. To see this work happening is simply mesmerizing.

I am old now, but I hope I can get back to Paris to see the restored Notre Dame!

Can you imagine what the world was like when this masterpiece was originally constructed? How I would love to see it in person.

Thanks so much for sharing these stunning photos!

I had not seen the current status of the rebuild, nor knew they were doing it all by hand with original construction methods. So fascinating!!

I was in Paris in December of 2019. At that point the scaffolding around the building was pretty much holding the outer walls up at the part of the building had burned. Engineers were about the only people inside practically doing an archeological dig trying to save what could be saved piece by piece and determining just how safe it was to continue with restoration. The bridge was cordoned off, there were no barges holding material.

We were spending our last 3 days in Paris, had been from Narbonne on the shores of the Med clear to the beaches of Normandy and a lot of places in between. We had already turned our rental car in by the airport and our UBER driver filled us in on everything that was happening on the drive to Notre Dame.

I have thousands of pictures but don't know how to post them here.

I am glad they decided to restore it and when they are done, if Normandy is anything to go by, one will not be able to tell by looking at it that it was ever on fire. The building will survive but having been in at least 8 churches on our journey, the contents and history that were lost is a real tragedy. https://photos.app.goo.gl/oYZdyWq29AEMFxmNA

Then after I posted the link, I went back to my pictures of Notre Dame and the other pictures are no longer there. But you can see, there are no major scaffold built at that time , just after Christmas in 2019. No buildings for workers, just a couple tents. So they have come a long way considering everything is being done by hand the way it originally was done. Impressive.


Look what I found https://photos.app.goo.gl/oYZdyWq29AEMFxmNA
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMdmsMLeHocZYz-rY0M6I8vPhUm3ytk7GbKfIAT --------- https://photos.app.goo.gl/osLVEMgYKrerAb84A

I used to travel to Paris for business (and some pleasure) in the 70s and when I first saw this example of an inside-out building I was amazed. I don't think I'm used to that style. Glad they didn't cover Notre Dame with the same, at least permanently.

What an amazing achievement.

Found this video documenting the bells.

to house construction offices and restoration work”

I just figured that was temporary digs for the Hunchback, until they get his place restored.

Could be!

He probably has a corner office on the top floor.

cool views.

Any stable genius could see that this was the best solution.