The alarming state of Saint-Ouen church meant work on the most urgent sections had to undertaken as soon as possible.
The first round of work, which has just come to an end, included the roof frames and covering, along with the upper stonework on the nave (only the part between the spire and the chancel) and the five chapels. This work spanned a full year, from March 2011 to March 2012 (see the slideshows for pictures).
The northern side was renovated first – the stonework and roof frames and covering over the nave, the north-western chapel and the north-central chapel (here, once the roof frame had been dismantled, a whole section of the wall started to move and thus had to be rebuilt). The gargoyles on the northern side were finished off with lead-sculpted figures, one representing a pike’s head and the other a cat fish.
Then the southern side was restored, with the other side of the nave and the three chapels, where only some of the rafters were replaced. The gargoyles, which had disappeared on this side, were rebuilt and adorned with lead-sculpted fish heads.
Due to budget constraints, the stave wood sections in the interior vault of the nave and the southern chapels were only replaced in the south-eastern chapel where the Suffering Christ is located. The other vaults will be temporarily covered with a poly film, pending a future restoration campaign.
This is only the first stage and there is still much work to be done. For example, inside the church, the next round of work should include (in an order to be defined)
- the roof over the chancel and the apse,
- the western part of the nave, including the spire,
- and the restoration of the north, south and west façades and the eastern end.
Of course, the building also needs work inside (the remaining stave wood, removal of the wooden cladding at the entrance of the nave, electricity and so on).