The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is one of the world’s most prominent architectural landmarks. Currently being rebuilt after a fire ripped through the medieval French Gothic Cathedral in 2019, the iconic building is recognised under UNESCO’s World Heritage program.
Taking several hundred years to complete, Notre Dame is notable for its beguiling sculptures, stained glass windows, flying buttresses (arched exterior supports) and treasury of notable artefacts.
In 2012, Laurent (one of our two master craftsmen) was headhunted to be a foreman to oversee the compliance, repair and replacement of the Cathedral’s solid French Oak doors. Some of these stood several metres high and needed a crane to lift them into place, particularly to the upper levels at 15 metres high. The doors needed to be thicker than the original and more fire-resistant in line with fire compliance standards.
While onsite during the heritage door repairs, Laurent had full access to all private areas including: hidden passages, the roof and the basement. The project took nine months, multiple meetings and a complex approval process.