The Gothic cloister

Restore this remarkable architectural heritage in great danger

As usual, the community launched the work in successive steps, as allowed by the financing possibilities.

REMAINS TO BE DONE:

  • Paving the northen gallery (in progress);
  • Restauring the portals and statues of the southern gallery (in progress).

With your help, we will be able to acheive these last steps:

Summary of the work in a few photos

2018 — Preliminary sanitation work

Before beginning the restoration work, it was necessary to stop the ravages of humidity. A series of works was undertaken: the revision of gallery’s coverage, the installation of a drainage system in order to lead runoff waters into the Fontenelle stream…

2019 — The East Gallery

An apprentice carpenter restoring the doors of the chapter house.
Restoration of the vaults and claddings done.
Restitution of the parapet and pinacles.

2020 — The West Gallery

Kit parapets!
A small look through the scaffolding.
Second restitution done!

2021 — The North Gallery

The sculpted blocks are ready.
They are lifted above the refectory building.
Our sculptor had a lot of statuaries to restore in this gallery.
… including, the beautiful Renaissance lavabo and around the refectory’s doors.
Last pinacles! Each gallery has a different pattern of parapet: all of them are from the
lavabo.

2021 — Paving the West Gallery

The glazed earthenware tiles were made following the traditional method.
Tiles’ colors were based on the remaining fragments.

2022 — Paving the North Gallery

The same tiles, green and yellow, were put in this other gallery.
To end it up, the lavabo was given its taps back.

2022 — The South Gallery

The work on Notre-Dame de Fontenelle begins…

All thanks to our sponsors, who made this possible:

Seine-Maritime
Région Normandie
Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication
Fondation du Patrimoine