More than five and a half years after the fire that ravaged it, Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral will reopen its doors this weekend. A reconstruction made possible thanks to the work of thousands of craftsmen, including the Mazières sawmill in La Chapelle-Montbrandeix, in Haute-Vienne.
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At the Mazières sawmill, the date of October 14, 2021 is on everyone's minds. That day, the company based in La Chapelle-Montbrandeix, in Haute-Vienne, cut down 27 oak trees. They will be used for the future framework of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, ravaged by flames on April 15 and 16, 2019.
The Mazières family sawmill, in Haute-Vienne, participated free of charge in the reconstruction of the framework of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.
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© Mathilde Leconte / FTV
“It’s something historic for us. We had never saw such large pieces, up to 1.40m in diameter. The oldest oak was between 280 and 300 years old”describes Jean-Luc Mazières. The woods, “exceptional quality”had been selected by agents of the National Forestry Office (ONF).
I think we'll go visit the cathedral. For the beauty and for the pride of having participated in the creation of the framework.
Jean-Marie TourissaudEmployee of the Mazières sawmill
In total, 1,300 oak trees were used to rebuild the frame which had completely burned, leaving the building open to the sky. It was rebuilt identically. “There were big debates saying that it was not possible, that the French forest did not allow it… We were all aware of the opposite in the profession. It's very moving to see these images”comments Jean-Luc Mazières, discovering the result on his phone.
For Stéphane Mazières, the greatest difficulty in this order was to produce parts conforming to such impressive dimensions. “We were confident about the quality of sawing, but if the tree is injured, we can only see the scar at the end”explains the professional.
It was necessary to use a lift on one side, a crane on the other… The pieces of wood weighed more than 10 tonnes. It’s out of the ordinary!
The project did not have any significant economic benefits for the company. The two brothers, partners, worked graciously. “For us, the important thing was to participate in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame very humbly”confides Jean-Luc Mazières. His brother added: “Making such large pieces for such a prestigious site… For us, it's the site of the century.”
The Mazières sawmill sawed 27 oaks of impressive dimensions.
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© Mathilde Leconte / FTV
Although they have not yet received an official invitation, the two brothers and their employees hope to be able to admire the new framework with their own eyes. Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens its doors on Saturday, December 7, with an official inauguration ceremony in the presence of dignitaries of the Church, Emmanuel Macron, and numerous heads of state.
After five years and eight months of closure, the general public will have to be a little more patient. Visit slots can be booked online, between December 8 and 16. Two daily masses are also planned, at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., during the first week of reopening, to honor the architects of the reconstruction.
