Two years after the dramatic fire of April 15, 2019, the first stage of the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, that of securing the monument, is nearing completion.
Tarpaulins, installation of support brackets, installation of scaffolding going up to the top of the gutted nave ... All the operations carried out since the disaster were enough to swallow up
"more than 100 million euros",
according to Guillaume Poitrinal, the president of the Heritage Foundation.
A low estimate: the costs incurred for two years actually amount to a total of 165 million euros.
The sum already exceeds all the donations of the 338,000 individuals who participated in the financial effort of the reconstruction of the Gothic building.
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“
For two years, the public establishment has not twiddled its thumbs.
We had to save the building, remove the scaffolding, establish protective measures, create a real small town all around, called site facilities
, ”said Guillaume Poitrinal on France Info.
Monday.
This mobilized all of the general public fundraising and part of the business fundraising.
"In all, nearly 833 million euros were collected for the reconstruction of the building, - including 233 million by the Heritage Foundation alone - a sum coming mostly from companies and several major donors, such as François Pinault and Bernard Arnault.
A work of transparency to be carried out
At the microphone of France Info, Guillaume Poitrinal also claimed to monitor "
the proper use of funds
" collected by the Foundation, a sum supposed to be used only for site work.
“
The object of the collection is the reconstruction of Notre-Dame;
it is not necessarily what can go around, be secondary.
These are not activities
, he said, acknowledging that he is
in discussion today on issues of perimeter with the public establishment.
"Chaired by General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the public institution responsible for the conservation and restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was pinned this fall by a report from the Court of Auditors for its lack of transparency in the use of donation money.
To read also: Framework of Notre Dame: the experts vote for a "reasoned" reconstruction
"
There is progress to be made on the side of the public establishment in the way it discusses with its funders, which are the foundations
," confirmed Guillaume Poitrinal.
100% of funding, including General Georgelin's salary, comes from foundations.
The president of the Heritage Foundation, who regretted in October that the organizations were kept away from the board of directors of the public establishment, called for a "
more in-depth discussion
" around the use of donation money, while reminding everyone of the work done and the many “
good news
” from the site.
Infrastructures, stained glass windows, scaffolding: the various major points of tension have been passed without a hitch as the securing of the damaged cathedral comes to an end.
However, "
we are still two years later in an evaluation phase of the necessary work
," said Guillaume Poitrinal.
"
The current state of work will allow us to have a beautiful ceremony in 2024 at Notre-Dame de Paris
", reaffirmed the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot in early March, on the occasion of the selection of oaks that will be used in the new structure of the building.
“
The actual restoration phase will start in September,
” she also said.
As for the use of the possible sum which would remain available after the completion of the work carried out on the Ile de la Cité, the trail of many other historic monuments in danger, "
1700 little Notre-Dame
", was mentioned by the president of the Heritage Foundation.
"
We have identified 2 billion euros of investment need for buildings that collapse or churches that are suffering,
" Guillaume Poitrinal had indicated in May 2019. The amounts of donations, at the time, could turn the world around. head.
Two years later, an uncertainty remains: are we sure that the 833 million euros raised will be enough to carry out the only restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, the work of which will be spread out well after 2024?