More than a year and a half after the arson attack which had severely damaged it, Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Nantes is the subject of a vast depollution project. The operations, which began last week, aim to remove the black layer of dust and lead which has settled on the facings, the vaults, the stained glass windows, the high altars and the floor. From
lead concentrations 1,800 times higher than the authorized standard were indeed recorded last year inside. This pollution comes mainly from the combustion of the great organ, destroyed by the flames.
The “decontamination” method is based on powerful suction and steam cleaning. It will require the unhooking of 26 paintings and an analysis of their condition. The analyzes carried out outside the cathedral showed that there was no need for any particular intervention.
The project, “large-scale and complex to coordinate” according to the regional directorate of cultural affairs (Drac), is to last until August. The restoration of the building will begin after these operations. The reopening of the cathedral to the public is not envisaged before 2024.