In Clermont-Ferrand, the cathedral begins a decade of restoration

Dominating Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) since the 13th century, the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption cathedral is beginning a new stage in its history. Behind the scaffolding which now surrounds part of the building, the State is launching an ambitious restoration program, spread over ten years and estimated at more than 20 million euros. Objective: to sustainably preserve this Gothic jewel, weakened by time and water infiltration.

The first stage of this extraordinary project, phase 1 – in progress – aims to protect the western massif from water. Fully financed by the State as part of the recovery plan, it mobilizes 8.2 million euros and must be completed at the start of the second half of 2027, after 18 months of work. This will be followed by the repair of the roofs of the nave and the transept, then that of the side aisles.

On site, progress is already visible: 200 tonnes of scaffolding installed, a 400 m² living center deployed at Place de la Bourse, building instrumentation to monitor cracks, and the installation of thermal cameras to strengthen fire safety. “The cathedral is not in danger,” insists prefect Anne Frackowiak-Jacobs. “She is an old lady who needs constant care. Some speeches have exaggerated the situation: not everything is degraded, but it is normal for a building of this age to require work. »

“We heard the alerts”

Comments which respond to the concerns expressed in recent weeks by the Friends of the Cathedral association, alarmed by water infiltration and the deterioration of certain paintings. Protective nets, buckets placed under the vaults, chapels affected by humidity: the images had an impact. “We have heard these alerts,” assures the regional director of cultural affairs (DRAC). “This project is precisely there to treat these pathologies in depth, with coherent programming and adequate resources. »

Because beyond waterproofing, the project also integrates new fire safety standards, reinforced after the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris in 2019: dry columns for firefighters, technical access floors, monitoring devices.

Despite the scale of the construction site, the cathedral will remain open. Every year, nearly 400,000 visitors pass through its doors. “We designed the work to maintain worship and the welcome of the public,” underlines the DRAC. Mediation systems even accompany the construction site, with an exhibition on the fences and regular information transmitted to the guides.

This is one of the most important cathedral restoration projects in France after Notre-Dame de Paris.