Inside Notre Dame: The Artist Documenting Its Restoration and Secrets Revealed

When Notre Dame de Paris was engulfed in flames in April 2019, architecture student Axelle Ponsonnet witnessed the tragedy unfold in her hometown. Little did she know, a year later she would play a role in its reconstruction.

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to have Notre Dame reopened within five years. The devastation was immense: the roof, including its charpente (wooden structure) and flèche (spire), had collapsed, leaving gaping holes and widespread lead contamination. Ponsonnet joined the rebuilding efforts in 2020 as a junior architect, working on the roof's restoration. "The cathedral was still completely charred and open to the elements, the rain falling inside," she recalls, emphasizing how fragile the structure was during this time.

Her professional role focused on architectural studies and technical specifications, but she took advantage of her access to the construction site, sketching at night. In January, nearly 50 of her drawings will be published in a coffee-table book by Studio Mitsu, alongside archival materials and essays.

Ponsonnet attended the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville, where she honed her skills in traditional drawing techniques. Although she enjoyed her studies, working in a purely technical capacity left her yearning to capture the unfolding events through her art.

Philippe Villeneuve, France's chief architect of historic monuments, cultivated a collaborative environment at the chantier, allowing Ponsonnet to finally share her sketches after a year of secrecy. He encouraged her, stating, "You’re the only one who knows how to do this." For three years, she dedicated one afternoon a week to her drawings, often climbing scaffolding to capture the intricate details of the restoration efforts.

Villeneuve’s team studied the meticulous journals of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the architect behind Notre Dame's 19th-century updates, while Ponsonnet’s drawings serve as a unique record of this historic moment.

Now, as she transitions away from the chantier to focus on her art, Ponsonnet expresses her desire to refine her sketches and explore larger formats. The energy of the chantier, she notes, is irreplaceable, making this project a truly collective adventure.

Nothing but a Dame: Five Sketches by Axelle Ponsonnet

The Géants Saw Mill, the Four Oaks
December 2021, pencil on paper
These four slightly curved trunks were the largest needed in rebuilding the roof structure. The saw mill had to build a specialist moving saw just to process them. Ponsonnet was awed by the complexity of it all.

The Tip of the Flèche
September 2023, pencil on paper
Ponsonnet captured a transitory moment in the scaffolding, surrounded by the urgency of the chantier.

The Pelican
December 2023, charcoal and pierre noire on paper
This drawing was done from the Galerie des Chimères, capturing the fast-moving construction around the flèche.

Southern Transept, The Removal of the Forest of Scaffolding
February 2023, pencil on paper
Ponsonnet describes how the scaffolding filled the cathedral, providing unique perspectives not seen since its construction.

Sanguine of Saint-Denis
April 2024, red chalk on paper
A larger drawing symbolizing the end of the roof reconstruction, depicting the reinstatement of statues removed after the fire.

Carnet de chantier -- Ballade dans Notre Dame by Axelle Ponsonnet will be published by Studio Mitsu in January. Preorder from 8 December.