Restoration work at Pierrefonds castle nears completion

Viollet-le-Duc's masterpiece regains its lustre

From the Alexandre tower to the Godefroy de Bouillon tower, the façades and roofs of the Preuses wing have benefited from a restoration not undertaken for 150 years.

The work was entrusted to the architect Pierre Bortolussi, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments.

Echafaudage coté ville
© Entreprise Lahyer

Why work at Pierrefonds Castle?

A complete assessment of the deterioration of the façades and roofs of the Preuses wing and the Alexandre tower highlighted the damage caused by the effects of time and rainwater. The sculpted stone facades had deteriorated. The painted decorations in the Salle des Preuses had also deteriorated as a result of the roof, whose slates had reached the end of their useful life, leading to poor waterproofing and seepage, as well as the movement of the metal framework due to expansion and contraction phenomena.

Where are we today?

The extensive scaffolding that has covered the entire wing of the Preuses under an umbrella since spring 2023 is gradually being removed and will disappear completely in the autumn.

Echafaudage côté cour d'honneur en cours de démontage
© S.Leleu/Centre des Monuments Nationaux

The metal framework

The metal framework of the vault covering the Salle des Preuses is in very good condition and has just had a simple refurbishment. The battens of the framework have been removed, restored and painted with anti-corrosion paint. The orange colour may surprise you, but it is inspired by the colour of the minium used in its construction, which is now banned because of its lead content.

Charpente métallique en cours de restauration
© A.Garcia/Centre des Monuments Nationaux

The roof

Before the restoration

The Fumay slates of the original roofs were largely worn out. The copper hooks were all very worn, but the metal battens were in very good condition despite their superficial corrosion.

Restoration work

The entire roof was replaced to make it watertight again. The slates were replaced (violet slates from the Penrhyn quarry in Wales) and the ridge ornaments made by the famous Monduit plumbing workshops left the Château de Pierrefonds for the first time in their existence to be restored in the Lebras Frères workshops in Jarny (54 - Meurthe-et-Moselle).

They have since returned and been re-installed.

Repose de la toiture
© S.Leleu/Centre des Monuments Nationaux

The painted decorations of the Salle des Preuses

The expansion of the roof structure had caused visible fractures all over the surface of the vault, and the painted decorations were completely restored after the plaster had healed.

The frieze running alongside the Salle des Preuses has also been restored using the original techniques: poncifying.

Restauration des décors peints
© S.Leleu/Centre des Monuments Nationaux

The fireplace has been completely dusted to restore it to its former glory.

Dépoussiérage de la cheminée
© S.Leleu/Centre des Monuments Nationaux

The courtyard façade

Masonry and stone-cutting work has been carried out on the façade facing the courtyard of honour and on the upper part of the Alexandre tower. The facings were cleaned and the most deteriorated stones restored.

The sculptures on the courtyard façade were consolidated and restored, some of them badly damaged. Pierre Bortolussi's agency worked on the basis of the archives in the Viollet-le-Duc collection, to restore all of the hundred or so sculptures on the façade to their original condition, or even to rebuild them completely. Only one sculpture could not be restored - no drawings, sketches by Viollet-le-Duc or old photographs have been found.