Gabriel, Denis, Anne-Geneviève… Almost two months before the reopening of the building, the eight bells of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral have all been reinstalled, the Minister of Culture and the establishment indicated on Saturday public responsible for restoration.
The “rest (…) has just ended with that of the Gabriel bell, the heaviest of the eight (4,162 kg)“, declared Rachida Dati on the reopening scheduled for December 7.
In July 2023, “the eight bells of the north tower — Gabriel (4,162 kg), Anne-Geneviève (3,477 kg), Denis (2,502 kg), Marcel (1,925 kg), Etienne (1,494 kg), Benoit-Joseph (1 309 kg), Maurice (1,101 kg) and Jean-Marie (782 kg)» — had been filed by a “group formed by five campanaire companies», Specified the public establishment.
It was “allow the north belfry, located inside the tower, to be restored”according to this same source. The belfry is that part of the framework specific to bells “built to support their weight and movement» et «to absorb vibrations so that they do not have repercussions on the masonry».
“A new important step”
The eight bellswere cleaned and, for two of them having suffered from the heat, restored in the workshops of Cornille Havard (Manche), one of the last two foundries specializing in the manufacture of bells and artistic bronzes», according to the public establishment, which specifies that this foundry had produced these eight bells in 2013, on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of the cathedral.
Transported on September 12 to the square in front of the cathedral, the bells “were blessed”before being repossessed by the group of companies, he adds. The restoration work on the belfry, “started in February 2024”, are they “led by carpenters».
«The faithful and Parisians will once again be able to hear the sound calls and the marking of time launched from the top of the towers of our Paris cathedral», rejoiced Rachida Dati, emphasizing that “a new important and symbolic step (has been) reached, 64 (sic) days from reopening».
