Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris: Colas Delivers an Exceptional Heritage Project
On April 15, 2019, France and the whole world watched in horror as Notre-Dame cathedral burned. Less than six years later, the restored monument is once again ready to welcome millions of visitors. Colas’ teams contributed their expertise to the restoration of this Gothic masterpiece, a vast project requiring technical and soft skills.
The Petit Parvis Small Forecourt: Work Completed in Record Time
Launched in the summer of 2024, the Petit Parvis project transformed almost 1,000 square meters of esplanade in record time, ensuring it was ready for the official reopening ceremony on December 8. Teams rose to the challenge with flying colors despite complex working conditions: sharing space with more than 750 workers from all trades on site, managing the lead risk, handling monumental works, and reinstalling sensitive heritage elements, such as historic gates and bells. The perfect example of how teamwork makes it possible to meet deadlines... and keep promises.
Technical Expertise Serving History
To restore the site to its former glory, Colas teams:
- Removed and re-laid historic paving stones, conserved by the City of Paris,
- Laid high-quality and durable Comblanchien limestone,
- Integrated rainwater drainage gutters,
- Created a temporary joint using Colclair (Colas range of clear or colored surfaces containing Bituclair, a translucent synthetic binder, sometimes combined with a plant-based binder), ensuring the transition between the old and new surface.
Surveyors responsible for technical monitoring ensured operations were carried out with a high degree of precision. A classic project in terms of approach, but exceptional in terms of its symbolic significance.
"The Project of a Lifetime"
More than just a project, it was a collective adventure for the Colas teams. A range of different profiles, including skilled workers, site supervisors, and job superintendents, were united by a shared sense of professional pride and deep respect for the site.
"Our businesses are helping to preserve an exceptional piece of heritage and improve the visitor experience for people from all over the world." – Pierre Vanstoflegatte, Colas Group CEO.
A Chain of Expertise Serving Heritage
Colas formed part of an exceptional chain of expertise, including stonemasons, engineers, restorers, skilled craftspeople, and more, all working together to restore Notre-Dame's spiritual, heritage, and urban dimension.
"We were a small link in an extraordinary chain of expertise, excellence, and energy.” Rémi Kuchly, CEO Colas France, Ile-de-France Normandy
Honored at the reopening of the cathedral, Colas teams showcased the full wealth of their expertise: their ability to work with tight deadlines, their technical excellence, and their commitment to heritage preservation. Notre-Dame cathedral will long remain an iconic reference for the Group.
