Projet de restauration de Notre-Dame de Paris

The report lays out a systematic plan for restoring a major Gothic cathedral, combining general principles with detailed recommendations. It urges cautious intervention: consolidate and preserve original fabric and later additions, avoid stylistic reinvention, and follow the original construction logic rather than imposing contemporary tastes. It warns against substituting cast iron, cement, or mastics for stone because of aesthetic mismatch, durability problems, and incompatibility with historical materials, and it advocates skilled stonework and faithful material choices. Practical proposals also address the placement of ancillary structures to respect the church’s plan, unity of appearance, and ongoing liturgical use.