Le Figaro Bordeaux
This is an exceptional project.
Since 2022, the Saint-Michel spire, one of the highest bell towers in the country, has been under construction in Bordeaux.
A huge 700-ton “freestanding”
scaffolding
was installed around the building to allow this historic building to be renovated without damaging its structure.
In addition to having almost been razed by Louis XIV, this bell tower erected in the 15th century was struck by lightning several times and endured the ravages of time.
Its renovation had become essential to ensure its longevity.
The bell tower of Saint-Michel is
“the result of the superposition of several successive constructions and restorations”
, recalls the Bordeaux town hall.
Planned when the city was under English influence then slowed down by the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), construction of the spire began in 1472. Next to a Romanesque church which gave way to the Saint-Michel basilica , the foundations of this dizzying building were established on an ancient funerary chapel, which is also the only vestige of the 13th century to have survived to the present day, in the form of a crypt.
The renovation project of the Saint-Michel spire in Bordeaux
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A bell tower without its cross
The height of this tower, symbolizing both the elevation of souls towards the heavens and the powerful influence of the parish, led from the 15th century to a commission being commissioned, based on the
"talk of the people"
, in order to to verify the solidity of this new work, says the municipality.
The dizzying height of this bell tower
“terrifies the people of Bordeaux”
, who fear that it will collapse.
Over three centuries, the building stood strong, but in 1768, part of the tower was brought down by a hurricane, requiring major work.
Traces of the 15th century construction remain
“in the interior masonry of the tower”
.
A restoration project carried out in the 19th century by the architect Paul Abadie
“considerably modified the appearance of the bell tower”
, specifies the city, but a diagnosis carried out in 2014 revealed that this part renovated there two centuries old was today very damaged, with altered stones.
Heavy corrosion also affected the hook of the summit cross.
Installed in 1492, this 5 meter high cross, faced with the ravages of time, is currently being restored in a Charente workshop.
Cracks opened
“irremediably”
Although work did not begin until 2022 - and is expected to last until early 2026 - the condition of the spire had been under surveillance for 25 years.
“Following
Storm Martin
, in December 1999, the city of Bordeaux had the heritage inspected and a visit by rope access technicians revealed cracks
,” recalls Patrick Della-Libera, in charge of historical heritage at the general directorate of cultural affairs. from the city of Bordeaux.
Monitoring of these cracks
“revealed that they opened regularly and irreparably”
, hence the preliminary studies launched at that time.
“It’s a very rich project
,” explains Baptiste Maurin, deputy mayor of Bordeaux in charge of heritage, with
“technical prowess in the creation of scaffolding and promotion of the trades and arts of stone, in order to be able to restore the spire and structure to their initial appearance and condition
.
Work estimated at 11.6 million euros, financed mainly by the State, the city and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Around 300 “Bordeaux stones” replaced
At the bottom of the scaffolding, blocks from the Frontenac quarry – the last in Gironde to exploit
“Bordeaux stone”
– are worked by the Compagnons de Saint-Jacques, a company specializing in the restoration of ancient and historical heritage. In the region.
Henrique Barbosa, one of the site managers, estimates that around 300 stones have or are being changed, between 63 meters in height and the summit.
The objective is to
“do it again”
, trying to preserve the shape and size of the original blocks as faithfully as possible.
After the new stone is installed, it undergoes an aging treatment and is covered with a patina, so that it appears identical to the others.
Once the restoration of the summit part is completed, initially planned for April 2024, a partial dismantling of the structure will take place, with a rehabilitation of the scaffolding in order to be able to work as close as possible to the building between 47 and 63 meters high.
The entire scaffolding should finally be dismantled at the beginning of 2026. The construction site has already fallen behind schedule, in particular because of the weather conditions, much more intense at 114 meters height than on the ground.
Despite the damage that the centuries have inflicted on the Saint-Michel spire, it is above all the simultaneous exposure of
“opposite faces to contrasting temperatures”
which has led
to “significant and harmful internal traction constraints on the structure of the monument”
, recalls the city.
Once the project is completed, Patrick Della-Libera hopes that there will be no need for new work for a century.
“Heritage needs to be maintained,”
he recalls.
Despite this major renovation, the Saint-Michel spire will therefore need to be regularly taken care of to continue to dominate the rooftops of the city center.