The man is an architect at Carrières du Hainaut, in Soignies. The company was chosen to supply the blue stones necessary to restore the floor of the cathedral, which was heavily damaged by the fall and melting of scaffolding present during the fire. “We needed blue stones with a particular color, confides Philippe Sequaris. But we no longer find them in the North of France because the quarries are exhausted. They therefore turned to the largest blue stone quarry in Europe The chief architect of a French company (Editor’s note: Chevalier) specializing in the preservation of heritage, came with a sample of a very specific color and we knew how to reproduce it by grinding it. stuck with this that there was before the fire.”
From the Sonegian blue stone to Notre-Dame de Paris: “Millions of visitors will set foot on our blue stone”
In total, the Carrières du Hainaut will provide 50% of the new flooring for Notre-Dame. “This represents nearly 2,000 slabs of 64cm/64. That is 800m2 in total. It is not necessarily a large surface area (Editor’s note: 40 meters long by 20 wide) but, given the notoriety of this well-known monument on a global level, it is undoubtedly the largest project in which we will have participated.”
The ground of Notre-Dame being a checkerboard, the whiter part will also have its little Belgian touch. If Lunel stone was used, it is in Belgium, at the Maffle quarries sawmill in Ath, that the stone blocks will be cut into slices. “We can be proud that the soil of Notre-Dame has, in one way or another, been shaped in Hainaut,” rejoices Philippe Sequaris.
In Paris, eyes will certainly be raised to the sky to admire the feats accomplished in rebuilding the transept. “But the floor will inevitably be observed. When we walk, we rarely look towards the ceiling,” smiles Philippe Sequaris.
If France logically wanted to support Franco-French artisans to rebuild Notre-Dame, certain trades required going abroad. Other Belgian companies therefore participated in the renovation of the Parisian monument. Among these, the Belgian group Monument (Ingelmunster), specialized in the renovation of historic monuments – it notably renovated the Saints-Michel-et-Gudule cathedral in Brussels – actively participated in rebuilding the transept, destroyed by the fall of the spire of Notre-Dame.
Fire at Notre-Dame de Paris – A Bruges company made stoles for the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris
“Our stone cutting workshop played a crucial role in the restoration of this unique cathedral,” the group said on Facebook. “In addition to the facades of the transept, the ‘north and south gables’, flanked by their towers, we also prepared the pinnacles of the nave in our workshop. We are particularly proud to have met the strict requirements of our French client, who appreciated our know-how and our precision, while respecting an extremely tight schedule. We are proud to remain forever linked to this iconic cathedral… a historic monument for the whole world.”
Note also that the day after the fire, the Artbois company, based in Etalle, had supplied beams to stabilize the roof of the cathedral.
Here are the beams from a Belgian company which will be used to consolidate Notre-Dame de Paris
