Stone cutting, churches… the Lefèvre company based near Caen restores heritage

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After replacing the frame and renovating the roof, the church in the town of Démouville, near Caen (Calvados) is in final phase of renovation. However, there still remains several items to replace in its structure made of Caen stone.

A family business in charge

It is the business of the Giberville agency of the Lefèvre companya company of the Aurige group, French leader in the restoration of Heritage and Historical Monuments.

“Entirely family group, the mission of this company is to preserve, restore and magnify the architectural heritage thanks to its unique know-how and its artisanal crafts of excellence”

Replacing a stone on an old building like the Démouville church requires the prior intervention of a fitting technician. This is the specialized profession of Jean-Roch Moreau, employee of Lefèvre in Giberville: “I started by assessing the sanitary state of the whole and I submitted to the architect of Bâtiments de France my choice between the stones to keep and those to replace, both for the structural element and for the decorative aspect,” he explains. This stone specialist is the main worker responsible for setting the stones of a building.

I carried out a stone by stone survey. It's a job both in the field and in a design office where I draw the drawings in panels.

He is currently assisted by young Élouan Millet, a 2nd year apprentice at CAP Stonecutting on the Brittany campus who has just won the gold medal in the national competition in the stonecutting category.

Jean-Roch Moreau thus carries out the layout in numbering each piece and shaping the panels and templates in real size to be used for direct tracing on the blocks of stone to be cut, before passing the baton to the stonecutters in the workshop. But be careful, one stone is not worth another and it is an art to understand stone. “Its quality is judged by ear: if when the hammer hits, the sound resonates like a bell, it means the quality is good, if the sound is dull, it means there are cracks,” explains the site manager.

The stone of Caen

Regarding the renovation of the Démouville church, the so-called “Caen” stone comes from the career of Cintheaux.

“The cost of Caen stone increases by 5% each year and currently reaches €1,100 per m³. Around 80% of Caen stone has long been exported to England, the passionate professional is keen to point out, and today, competition between stonemasons is fierce to obtain the best blocks. »

The new capitals which will take place in the building were first shaped by the stonemason for all the geometric cuts and they will then pass into the hands of the sculptor for finishing touches. It is the fitter who will preside over the installation and connection and the stones will then be grouted.

By our correspondent Alain Protais

Practical. Lefèvre, avenue de l’Industrie – ZI du Martray in Giberville. Such. 02 31 72 40 00, [email protected]

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