(Paris) “Staying the course is my motto”, assured Emmanuel Macron while visiting the construction site of Notre-Dame de Paris on Friday, four years after the gigantic fire which had ravaged the cathedral.
“It’s when you set a course with an ambition that you can move,” said the French president, who had given himself five years to rebuild the building, the spire of which in particular collapsed on April 15, 2019. official reopening, for worship and visits, is scheduled for the end of 2024.
“I think I can tell you today that we will be able to get there,” said General Jean-Louis Georgelin, responsible for this restoration. “It was never easy but we overcame all the obstacles,” he added, presenting the progress of the work to the president.
In a helmet and construction suit, the latter, accompanied by his wife Brigitte Macron and the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul-Malak, greeted apprentices, craftsmen and business leaders on the forecourt and in the nave, who led this colossal task, telling them that they could “be proud” of the work accomplished.
He then went up to see the completion of the reconstruction of the “stool” that will support the new spire, the installation of which will begin at the end of the month.
“Thank you, you can be proud. Good luck and we’re not giving up for the months to come, “said Mr. Macron to workers installed on the” stool “.
The laying of this 80-ton base will be completed on Saturday, four years to the day after the fire. The cathedral will therefore be able to find its spire, rebuilt identically to the previous one – in oak, stone and lead – designed by the 19th century architect Viollet-Le-Duc and culminating at 96 meters in height.
The Presidency of the Republic clarified after the departure of the Head of State that the latter had informed the construction teams that he was “in favor of a reflection on the creation of a museum dedicated to Our -Lady “.
